MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
Most parents already have a good sense of where to send their kids to camp this summer, fuelled by testimonies from friends, neighbours and classmates.
But are they even ready? For first-timers, where do you begin?
Most school-aged children will at least go to day camp, said Chloé Melançon-Beauséjour, communications co-ordinator for the Association des camps du Québec (ACQ). “If they’re in kindergarten, they are likely ready for day camp. Even if they attend daycare, they can spend a day with other kids and adults.”
For overnight camp, it depends on the child’s personality, she said, noting that some are perfectly ready at six, some not at 12. Howdo they fare at sleepovers at a friend’s or grandparents’ home?
Many Quebec summer camps have mini-camp sessions for younger kids — one or two nights, Melançon-Beauséjour said. “Just send them for a shorter stay and see how it goes, before signing up next session or summer for one, two or four weeks.”
Her own experience as a counsellor showed “99 per cent of children that came were ready. Even those that are a little homesick when it’s bedtime — during the day they’re too busy to think about it — they are exhausted and fall asleep quickly.” (Today many camps also have camp “moms” — individuals who tend to the few that need an extra hug, reassurance or bedtime story to get them off to slumber land.)
So how do parents of the estimated 371,000 Quebec campers, ages five to 16, choose? “Usually, for day camps, people take what’s closest, including municipal camps or at school. Those wanting more specific programs are willing to drive farther — but for most, camp must be convenient for parents, meaning close to home.”
If your child wants to further develop a hobby or passion, you can select a specialized art, music, sports or science camp. And for parents seeking a balance, Laurus Summer Camp thinks it has the answer.
With campuses in downtown Montreal and Laval, Laurus has about 500 families registered this summer for up to nine weeks with a specialized activity program chosen from arts, sports and academics, offering everything from cooking and fitness to French and computer coding, said director Ava Nouraeyan.
“For 75 minutes every day, kids work with specialists on skills development in one area.” So if your child opts for soccer, he/she will not just play soccer but also learn fitness, strategy and teambuilding.
“With art, we won’t just give them pipe cleaners and have them glue stuff. Wet each them about art; we study themes.” A recent session created learning opportunities for campers to create their own Andy Warhol type artwork. “They leave having learned something about an area they’re interested in.
“Cooking is the most popular,” Ava Nouraeyan added, “followed by experiment-based science and languages because many parents want (their children) to continue working on reading, writing and oral skills throughout summer in an engaging way.
“We can have 15 or 16 different activities running daily.”
Whatever you choose, Chloé Melançon-Beauséjour said, it’s easier if a camp is accredited, noting that the ACS certification covers 60 quality standards from staff training and security to programs offered. “We want to know if they are just playing tag all day.”
A 40-page document assesses everything from evacuation drills and building condition to signage and quality of drinking water.
“If a camp is not certified it doesn’t mean they aren’t good,” she said. “It means there are more questions for you to ask. We’ve done the leg work, visited the camp, checked if buildings are up to code, viewed emergency plans, who knows CPR, all kinds of things.”
She said certification is not mandatory in Quebec, where the ACQ has accredited 99 overnight and 125 day camps.
Anyone can hang a shingle and launch a program. “That’s why we are working with the Quebec government to get standards in there, to make certification mandatory.”
“A good place to start is the longevity and reputation of a camp,” said Jess Roszler, co-director of Champions Day Camp, celebrating its 40th anniversary summer this year. “Many of our original campers are now returning as camp parents, and the majority of our first-time parents find us through word of mouth.”
In lieu of such word-of-mouth info about reputation or certification, Melançon-Beauséjour said, parents can simply call a camp and ask about programming and staff training.
“Some get minimal training, others get dozens of hours and the camp counsellor training program (Diplôme d’aptitude aux fonctions d’animateur, or DAFA, recognized by the Conseilquébé co is du lois ir ). It’s not mandatory, but if a camp has DAFA it’s a good sign of quality training.”
Another important consideration is the age of counsellors.
“To be certified, they must be over 17 — and, of course, the older they are, the more life experience they bring. It’s very important for the counsellors-to-kids ratio. We only count paid staff, not volunteers or younger trainees. It’s about security.”
Security is something Roszler understands and Montreal-based Champions takes seriously.
“Our camp is staffed by mature counsellors, experienced activity specialists, Red Cross certified swim instructors and a camp nurse,” she said, adding: “All campers are accompanied by a staff member from the moment they arrive until they’re signed out with their security checkout code at departure.”
For information about ACQ accreditation — and the ACQ Find My Camp search tool — visit www.camps.qc.ca
For information about Champions Day Camp visit www.championsdaycamp.com
For information about Laurus Summer Camp visit www.laurussummercamp.com