Whether you opt for a day camp or a sleep-away camp, thinking about your child’s needs -- as well as your own -- while you do some research on summer camp programs for kids will help things go smoothly in the summer months. Here are some great insider tips from Samantha Razook Murphy, owner and director of Girls Dream Out Loud, a New York-based academic summer program for girls that emphasizes creative exploration, design, math, engineering and science.
1. Consider the commute.
Many children and parents aren’t ready to take the step into sleep-away camps until age 9 or older, so for many grade-school age kids, day camps are a better option. But since summer means juggling childcare and work, you may want to find a program that’s close to home or work to make drop-offs and pick ups easier.2. Suss out the summer camp size.
Look for phrases like “limited session size” or “exclusive,” which may indicate how many children the camp handles. If a camp of 20 is more likely to suit your child’s personality than, say, one that has 600, take that into consideration.3. Try targeting an activity.
Grade-schoolers are able to focus in on interests better, so if you can, consider a camp based on his interest. He can try something new or pursue an activity he loves. Some day programs are centered around art or music or science or other activity. But don’t push your child into an activity that he’s not interested in because you want to cultivate his interest in it. Doing so will likely backfire and only increase his resistance.4. Be specific with internet search terms.
If you think your grade-schooler might love dancing, try “hip hop summer camp for kids” and see what comes up. There are so many types of camps for kids today that it’s better to be as specific as possible.5. Ask about their safety and emergency plans.
What provisions do they have in case something goes wrong? Is there a medically-trained staff person available all day? What is their plan for handling a disaster or other emergency? Find out everything you can about their plans for
summer camp safety.
6. Consult your school’s guidance counselor.
Ask the learning specialist or guidance counselor at your child’s school for information on enrichment programs. She may be able to guide you toward area programs based on your child’s interests and abilities.7. Call ahead to get a sense of the summer camp.
You can tell a lot about a camp just by picking up the phone and talking to the staff. Are they friendly and knowledgeable? Do they readily answer questions? Ask about their daily schedule and other details about what your child can expect if they attend.8. Don’t forget the importance of downtime.
As wonderful as activities such as summer camp can be, it's also important to remember that summer is a time for shifting things down and having days that do not have schedules. For instance, you may want to plan several weeks in which nothing more than some time for books on your child's summer reading list is scheduled.
