Top 5 tips for choosing the right camp experience for your child

​It’s that time of year that we are starting to try to figure out what to do about summer camp for our kids. Summer camps are a great way to structure the day during the long summer months. They offer opportunities for our kids to make new friends, have new experiences, learn new skills. But for us parents it can be very daunting to choose the right summer camp programs for our children. There is so much to consider: program options, dates, costs, transportation, your child’s interests, friendships, and of course the importance of some downtime and family time. Where do we start? 
 
1. Make a list of some of your goals and some of your child’s goals. Before starting your search, ask your child what their hopes are for the summer. What would they like to try, practice or experience? Who would they like to spend time with? Then tap into your own intuition about what you know would be valuable for your child to learn, try, or experience. Make sure not to let your hopes for their summer cloud your ability to hear what they are hoping for.  Considering both will get you on the right path to finding a good balance. 
 
2. Consider your child’s personality. For a child who does well with structure, they would do well in a camp that has a detailed schedule for the day, while a child who needs some flexibility (particularly younger children) may do better with a more open/free-form camp day. For children who enjoy learning and are able to stay focused on a topic for extended periods of time, signing up for a specialty camp such as a theater camp or video-game design camp, might be ideal, whereas for kids who tend to need breaks in focused activity may do better with a general day camp that includes specialty activities within a varied day. Too many back-to-back weeks of a single focus specialty program may cause burn-out in some kids so you might offer a break or a different program after 2 or 3 weeks to give a chance to have some variety if you think your child might be likely to start losing interest. If your child tends to get nervous about starting camp and having to make new friends, it may be helpful to start with a camp where they can expect to find a familiar friend or one that has a smaller counselor:camper ratio, or a program where the main activity is something they enjoy and feel confident about.  If they are terrified at the idea of starting somewhere new, try a half day at first and then add an hour – lunch, swim, and keep going until they get comfortable with a full day. Multiple weeks at the same camp will help too, giving them an opportunity to get comfortable. 
 
3. Plan for some variety.There are many types of camp: traditional day camp, sports camp, art camps, adventure camps, and academic camps. Doing a full summer of tennis camp may seem like a great opportunity to get better at tennis, but research suggests that participating in multiple activities actually improves performance. Plan to take a week here or there to try a new sport or just a general day camp or a totally different type of activity like cooking camp or exploration camp. This is a perfect time to try something new, something that would not be offered during the school year, or that your child may not have time for during the busy months.  Just because it’s summer, you don’t have to shy away from a week or more of a more academic camp. They can be a great way to give kids a chance to develop or improve an academic skill and can really make life better their upcoming school year. 
 
4. Be clear on the camp’s mission and program style to make sure it’s a good fit.Talk with the camp directors and ask questions about the program and the counselors. How intense/relaxed is the competitive aspects? What do they do for kids who may be having a hard day? How do they handle special needs?  What about diversity in campers and counselors? What is the average age of the staff and what are their training requirements?  Ask around about the program in your community or ask the camp for references. It’s best to hear from other parents and kids to find out what the camp is really like – but keep in mind that every child is different and you know your child best.   
 
5. Choose without fear.There is no bad choice. Everything is a learning opportunity for you and your child. If it turns out they don’t like the program, you both learned that they don’t enjoy that type of activity. If you’re worried you chose something, but another program was better, be assured that life will allow the same type of opportunity again if you seek it. If they had a difficult transition, or a struggle with a new activity, they learned that they can make it through a difficult situation, and this will help build self-efficacy and resilience. If they weren’t very “good at” an activity or didn’t achieve as well as they had hoped, it’s an opportunity to teach them about keeping a “growth mindset” - remind them that they may not have gotten it yet, but the more they practice it, the better they’ll get. The best part of camp is that it’s temporary and that it’s all very voluntary. The most important thing (which is true during the school year as well) is that your child knows he or she is valued and loved. As long as you are spending some time each day listening, laughing and learning with your child, you’re covered.