Many families will opt to visit Sleepaway camps this summer for next summer's placement. It not only gives children and parents the opportunity to see the physical facilities, but more importantly, relieves a lot of uncertainty as everyone is able to witness the care and supervision given to children first hand. Families can see facilities, meet directors and staff in the environment that their child will spend will their summers.
Not every camp is for every child. What is appropriate for your neighbor's child may not necessarily be appropriate for yours. Just as disciplining your child or decorating your home are personal decisions, so should be one's selection of a Sleepaway Camp.
The process of selecting a camp should not become your second profession. It is only necessary to visit a few camps over perhaps a two day period, at most, in order to find that wonderful "summer home" for your child. Seeing too many camps only confuses the process. The choice of which camps to visit can be made easier by speaking to a Camp Consultant: a professional advisor who has had years of experience researching, visiting, and making referrals to camps. Camp Consultants are an objective resource of accurate and up-to-date info. They will assist parents by recommending camps that would be considered appropriate. They are an advocate for parents in this search. During a phone conversation between parent and camp consultant criteria will be discussed : child's interests, your interests for them, length of stay, size of camp, geographic location, religious preference (if any), budget and any special needs that the child may have, will all be taken into consideration..At this point, the field of hundreds of potential camps is reduced significantly. A small group of camps is then discussed with parents. If they appear to be of interest, information and videos are then sent out to the family.
Once you have finalized which camps you may want to consider, it is then time to go out on the road to visit camps. This will be an exciting experience that will determine where your child(ren) will be spending the many summers to come. You must have appointments to visit camps and make reservations at places to stay (if you expect to stay overnight). Appointments should be made as early as possible if you plan to visit on the weekend.
When you do visit, make sure to dress appropriately. Wear sneakers, comfortable clothes, a hat, and don't forget sunscreen and a sweatshirt! You might also want to bring a cooler with cold drinks, fruit, sandwiches and goodies. Camps are generally in very rural areas. Finding places to stop for a quick snack may be difficult.
Camp visitations are handled differently from camp to camp. Some camps give individual tours and others in small groups. Usually there is a support staff that is responsible for explaining the camp program and for showing potential camp families the campus and facilities. You will probably meet with the owner/directors at the end of the tour. They would like to spend more time with you, but they have a camp to watch over and their primary responsibility is to their existing campers. Directors will be more than happy to meet with you in the fall either in your own home or at an Open House that the camp may host.
If and when you decide to visit a camp, you will be participating in1 hour of a 52 day or so camp season. Seeing it on a sunny, beautiful day will give you a different impression than a rainy, gloomy one. During your visit, you will not see every activity that the camp has available. Ask your tour guide about those you may not have seen and it's availability for your child. Ask questions - lots of them! Time of day will also influence your impression. Children are fresher and more alert earlier in the day. They may seem a little more listless later in the afternoon. It doesn't mean that they're not happy or not having fun. Their happiness rating should not be based on the amount of smiling that you see. Most children are very happy at camp. Does your child walk around smiling all day long at home? All of this needs to be kept in mind!!
There are so many questions that you may have. You will get many of them answered as you visit camp. How do you make a decision? There are several that would be wonderful choices. The decision will be based on your comfort level with the camp facility, the camp philosophy as it relates to your own, and a general all around good feeling you get based on your efforts in this process. Where do you and your potential camper get that warm and comfortable feeling?
So, you're on your way home now? Did your family find that wonderful extension of your family life, that extension of your home... The camp your child can't wait to go to next year? We certainly hope you did!
Camp Connection is a FREE Advisory Service for Summer Programs, specializing in Sleepaway Camps, Teen Tours, Pre-College and Community Service Programs.
We have been matchmaking families and summer programs for over 25 years. Each office will offer you unique, personalized service in both the summer and winter seasons for an entire range of over 600 programs that have been personally visited and referenced. Camp Connection consultants are your advocate in the camp selection process.