38 THE QUEENS COURIER • KIDS & EDUCATION • FEBRUARY 28, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
kids & education
Ready, set, camp!
You are considering a summer camp,
but how to choose? Th ere’s a camp that is
ideally suited for every child, providing a
summer of growth and fun whether your
child attends a day or overnight camp,
a specialized or traditional camp. With
a little help from the camp professionals
at the American Camp Association,
here’s some sound advice that helps parents
sort through the choices and benefi ts
that camp delivers. As spring approaches,
parents and children can look forward
to planning for the future — a future that
includes the opportunities for exploration
and discovery that arrives with summer
camp.
How to decide when your
child is ready for camp
Children are ready for new experiences
at diff erent stages. Parents know their
children best and these questions can help
gauge whether this is the summer your
child will start camp:
What is your child’s age, and what is
your perception of his readiness level?
Children under 7 who have not had overnight
experiences may do better with a
day camp as their fi rst camp experience.
If you think your child might not be ready
for an overnight camp experience, consider
the day camp experience to prepare
them for future overnight camp.
How did your child become interested
in camp? Does your child talk about
camp on a sustained basis? How much
persuasion is necessary from you?
Has your child had positive overnight
experiences away from home? Visiting
relatives or friends? Were these separations
easy or diffi cult?
What does your child expect to do at
camp? Learning about the camp experience
ahead of time allows you to create
positive expectations.
Are you able to share consistent and
positive messages about camp? Your
confi dence in a positive experience will
be contagious.
A camp for every child
— the perfect fi t
Camp can last for just a few days or
stretch to all summer long. It’s well worth
the trouble to investigate the variety of
choices off ered by camps before your
child packs a backpack. Th ese questions
help you consider the options:
Near or far?
Where do you want your child to go to
camp? Locally or far away? While each
camp experience has something unique
to off er your child, this is an opportunity
for families to assess what they value for
their campers.
Benefi ts of camp nearby
• Easier to evaluate and visit
• Friends and family are likely familiar
with camp
• Minimal travel costs
• Likely contact with classmates or children
from same region
Benefi ts of camp far away
• More choices
• Diff erent experiences, diff erent geography,
e.g., mountains or oceans — even
diff erent languages
• Promotes independence, particularly
for early and late adolescent campers
• Diversity of campers
• Chance for family to visit and vacation
at close of camp
Session length off ers
another choice
Camps off er widely varying options
to help parents and children reach their
goals for summer fun and exploration.
Talking with your child about the goals
you both share helps determine which
choice is right for you.
Benefi ts of short sessions (one–three
weeks)
• First-time or younger campers have a
chance to learn new skills
• Bonds develop with other campers
and staff
• Great exposure to camp experience
with less expense
• Minimizes homesickness
Benefi ts of longer sessions (four–12
weeks)
• Strong sense of belonging to camp
community
• Chance to learn new skills
• Development of specialized skills
• Multiple opportunities for learning
and enrichment
• Lifelong friendships
• Opportunities to contribute to camp
culture
Boys only, girls only, or co-ed?
Now may be the opportunity to explore
the choices and benefi ts of all boys, all
girls, or co-ed camps.
Benefi ts of single-sex camps
• Breaking gender stereotypes — girls
interact with women in positions of
authority and boys interact with men
who act as nurturers
• More opportunities to “be yourself”
without impressing or competing with
the opposite sex
• Camp philosophy may be tuned into
gender strengths and weaknesses
• Brother or sister camps may share
activities
Benefi ts of co-ed camps
• Breaking gender stereotypes — girls
interact with women in positions of
authority and boys interact with men
who act as nurturers
• Mirrors and prepares campers for
everyday living in a co-ed world
• Allows families with a boy and a girl to
attend the same camp
• Off ers diverse points of view
• Breaks through rigid divisions set up
in school when campers participate in
equal footing
A camp for every child
— traditional, specialty,
and special needs
Choices abound when it comes to
camp programs. One may highlight a
wide variety of activities geared to campers
With a short-session camp, fi rst-time or younger campers have a chance to learn new skills.
of all ages and skill levels, others,
because of their setting and expertise,
may concentrate on one or two activities
while providing traditional activities
as well. Parents of children with special
needs are pleased to learn about the
range of camp activities that help kids
be kids fi rst.
Benefi ts of traditional camps
• Wide variety of activities
• Chance for campers to try new activities
• Exposure to more campers and staff at
varying activities
Benefi ts of specialty camps
• One or two specialized activities (oft en
combined with traditional off erings)
• Expectation for increased profi ciency
during camping session
• Deepens knowledge and skill in particular
area of interest or ability
Benefi ts of special-needs camps
• Activities geared to campers’ abilities
• Knowledgeable staff with expertise to
understand campers’ strengths and challenges
• Supportive and fun atmosphere to
share with others
The value of camp
for every child
What happens when you make the
decision to choose camp? You open up a
world of discovery and learning for your
child, a world that values children for who
they are and who they will become. Camp
gives each child a world of good.
For nearly 100 years, the American
Camp Association has been serving the
camp community and families considering
camp. Visit www.CampParents.org,
to learn more about the camp experience,
search the Find a Camp database, and
explore the world of child and youth development.
For more information about child
development and the camp experience,
visit www.CampParents.org or call (800)
428–CAMP (2267).
Originally printed in CAMP Magazine,
reprinted by permission of the American
Camp Association © 2015 American
Camping Association, Inc.
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