Why is it that as soon as it starts to get cold out, people start thinking about summer camp? It appears that this is the time of year to start planning for next summer. It seems like such an enormous decision to pick out the right camp for your child when there are so many options to choose from. How do you even get started? I asked the experts, Ann & Dick Travis of The Summer Lady, the questions that people most frequently ask me at my salons. Here’s what they said:
Today, there are camps and programs that satisfy every child's interests. Knowing your options will help you identify programs that will benefit your child the most. You need to ask some basic questions to get started:
1. How do you know when your child is ready?
A starting point is when your child can sleep at a friend's house without needing you to pick them up before the next morning.
2. How to choose a camp or program? Where do you begin the search?
You need to identify what the goals are that you want your child to accomplish during the summer. Do you want an experience that will give your child self confidence and independence in a traditional setting that teaches main skills or do you want to concentrate on one area of expertise? (specialized sports, education, the arts, computers, etc)
3. What are the basic concerns we should consider when choosing a camp?
Length of stay, distance from home, cost, health or diet restrictions, special needs
Once you have answered the above questions, conversations with the owners/directors are very important. Following are some important questions to ask the directors:
How long have you owned and run the camp/program?
Where do most of the campers come from?
How do you handle homesickness?
How much selection is there in the schedule? Is it structured?
What is the level of competition?
Are the doctor and nurses on site at all times? Nearest hospital?
Are there religious services? Are they mandatory?
What is the telephone/e-mail/visiting policy?
What type of facilities do you have?
Once you have answered some of these basic questions you are on your way, with The Summer Lady's help, to choosing the best option for your child. In the end it's the people they meet--bunk mates, counselors, staff-and the new skills they learn that creates a successful summer.
Ann & Dick Travis are the founders and directors of The Summer Lady, a free advisory service for summer camps and teen summer programs. They are summer camp consultants who, for over 20 years have personally guided thousands of parents who are looking for the right match for their children's summer interests.
They provide comprehensive, up to date information on more than 500 summer camps and programs. They include: domestic and International sleep away camps and programs from 1 week to full summer, community service programs, pre-college enrichment programs, teen travel, outdoor adventure programs, specialty sports camps, internships, theatre/art/ music camps, computer camps, weight loss camps, language immersion programs and many more. They supply parents with the directors' names and contact information, videos, brochures, directions, and overnight accommodations near the summer camps. They will also help you plan any summer visits to camps in session. Because any camp or program, regardless of quality, can be made to look good on a website, Ann and Dick personally visit each location multiple times to check the quality of each of the recommended summer camp programs. Check out their website: The Summer Lady
Labels: Empty Nest, Summer Camp
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