Now is the time to start planning for summer camp. There are numerous camp fairs in February and March. Check out http://www.acacamps.org/camp-fairs for a list of fairs throughout the country. Many camps also host gatherings for current and prospective campers around the country, so check out the web sites of camps you are considering to see what gatherings they have planned.
There are many excellent overnight camps for children that are ACA accredited. To find the right camp for your child consider both what you and your child are looking for in a summer camp experience as well as camp foundations. Does your child have a particular interest that he or she wants to pursue—overnight hiking trips, a particular sport, an artistic interest? How close or far from home are you willing to send your child to camp and for how long? Are you looking for a girls camp, boys camp or a coed camp? When evaluating the camp foundations look at the camp values, the staff to camper ratio, the tuition, returning campers and staff.
As you are considering alternative camps for your child be sure to meet the directors of prospective camps and ideally also talk with parents of current campers. You can learn a lot about a camp from the attitude of current parents. Following are some questions that may help you get started in a conversation.
For a conversation with camp parents
1. Why did you send your child to this camp?
2. Did your child have any transitional issues at camp?
3. What were the best elements of camp for your child?
4. What was most difficult for your child at camp?
5. What did your child learn at camp?
6. Did your child make any new friends at camp?
For a conversation with camp directors
1. Are you ACA accredited?
2. What are the camp values?
3. How long has the camp been operating and how long have you directed the camp?
4. What is the staff to camper ratio?
5. How many campers and staff return year to year?
6. How long are the camp sessions and how many sessions do most campers attend?
7. What are your visitation policies for parents?
8. What activities are offered?
9. How much choice do the campers have in which activities to pursue?
What else would you want to know about a camp before sending your child? What do you wish you had known about a camp before you sent your child?
The American Camp Association is also a great resource for finding the best summer camp for your child. Camps that are accredited by the ACA assure that they comply with up to 300 health, safety and program quality standards. The ACA website www.acacamps.org is the place to go on the web for locating accredited camps in your area as well as overnight camps throughout the U.S.
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