It’s Not Too Early to Think About Camp!
Hopefully you’re enjoying the beginning of the school year and the impending approach of fall. It might feel like summer of 2008 is barely past, but it’s not too early for folks to begin planning for next summer’s camp season. Many camps have already begun taking registrations! We will have our 2009 schedule available soon, and the registration page will be open shortly after that. If you don’t want to miss out on your first choice for camp, you may want to start researching camp options now.
Here are a few tips to help guide you during the process:
How and when should you start the camp selection process?
When choosing a camp, the whole family should participate in the process. Children and parents can research together online to see what’s out there. Preferably, you can research and visit camps the summer before planning to register. But even if that can’t or didn’t happen, there are still several excellent ways to research the options.
How can families do online research? Are there camps in the area that offer specific activities or programs that you’re looking for?
These are questions that can be answered through the Find A Camp search, located at www.CampParents.org, a web site managed by the American Camp Association (ACA), the body that accredits the largest number of camps (over 2400) in the country. There are also other web sites such as mysummercamps.com, kidscamps.com, summercamps.com, camppage.com and others, which provide searchable online access to a variety of camp programs. Other ways to learn about great camp possibilities is to seek recommendations from friends, consult faith communities or community centers, and attend local camp fairs. For more personal assistance close to home, parents can contact one of the ACA’s 24 local offices.
What are some of the camp options to consider?
Is a day camp or sleepaway camp more appropriate for your child? Will she or he be more comfortable in a single-sex or co-ed camp? Find A Camp and other sites allow you to search camps by such variables as location, activities, length of session, and cost.
How can you be assured of a camp’s commitment to health and safety? ACA-Accreditation® is the best evidence for parents that a camp is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children. A camp that is ACA-accredited has undergone a thorough review of its operations, measured by up to over 300 standards. Parents should always ask if a camp is currently accredited and if not, why not.
What about camp as a birthday gift or for when the holidays come around?
For a unique gift that doesn’t involve boxes or batteries, friends and family can consider giving a gift of camp! It will never be forgotten or soon end up in the dumpster or recycle bin! Camps provide extraordinary learning opportunities, lasting memories, and the gift of time in nature, where children can unplug and become more connected to the environment.
~ Thanks to Kevin Gordon at Camp Kupugani for this great camp advice!
