Choosing a summer camp
1. Keep your children’s likes and dislikes in mind When it comes to choosing a camp, the selection process can seem daunting. It’s important to keep your children’s interests and expectations at the forefront. Get them involved in the process, talk to them about what they would like to get out of their camp experience, and make sure they are comfortable with the choice.
2. Day camp versus overnight Many kids attend their first overnight camp when they’re as young as 7 or 8 years old, but that doesn’t mean every child is ready for a first away-from-home adventure at that age. In fact, it’s a good idea for children to have had some experience being away from their parents and their home surroundings before heading off to sleepover camp.An overnight stay at the home of one of their friends, perhaps, or a weekend with a close relative might serve as a starting point.
3. Start looking as early as possible A good place to start is www.camps.qc.ca which is the bilingual website of l’ Association des camps du Québec (ACQ), or you can obtain the association’s guide of certified camps in the province of Quebec at your local CLSC.The Ontario Camps Association’s website ( www.ontariocamps.ca) and that of the American Camp Association ( www.acacamps.org) may also be helpful to you.
4. Network As in other aspects of life, word of mouth can carry a lot of weight when choosing a camp.Ask your friends, relatives and co-workers if they have any recommendations – and, by all means, when you find a camp that gets high marks, spread the news!
5. Ask questions When you find a camp that sounds promising, call and talk with the director.And don’t be shy. Some of the questions you might want to ask include: Are you certified? What is the staff-to-camper ratio? Can your camp handle my child’s special needs? What’s on your typical daily menu? How are you equipped to handle an emergency?
6. Be confident about your final choice You should not have any lingering doubts about sending your child away to camp. If you’re not comfortable with the answers you receive, look elsewhere. For your own peace of mind, be sure to find out how the camp selects and trains its counsellors and, especially when choosing an overnight camp, how emotional matters such as fitting in, making new friends, and homesickness are handled.
7. Calm the jitters It’s natural for both the parents and the child to be a bit nervous when the youngster is going away to camp for the first time. Visiting the camp beforehand is one way to dispel some of the anxiety. Visiting the camp’s website together to check out its photo gallery, activity lists and camper testimonials might also be helpful.