Summer Kid’s Camp- Your Visit
So you have made a decision that you are going to send your child to Overnight Summer Camp. But have you been to the camp you have chosen? It can be difficult for most parents to take a camp tour while camp is in session. Yet, if you can find a way to tour a camp, you will learn so much more than the brochures and video tell you. Be sure to phone ahead for an appointment, to ensure that you can visit on a day when you can see that camp's programs in action.Picking the right day is important. Call ahead for an appointment to make sure that you can visit on a day when you can see the summer camp program in action. The director may ask you to come a different day than you request. Your first choice may fall on a day when too many campers would be off camp property, or it might be during visiting day or between sessions when no campers are present.
Plan on taking at least three hours at the camp so that you will have time to observe activities at length and chat with campers and staff. The settings, facilities and activities matter, but more important to your child's experience will be how the administration and the staff behave in action. Watch how the camp's counselors juggle the demands of campers. Of course, be sure to observe that safety precautions are consistently being taken.
While walking around camp do check the facilities and the settings, but take careful note of how the administration and the staff interact with the campers. Try to take your child with you, and watch how the tour guide relates with and includes your kid during the tour. This reveals a lot about the camp's attitude and relationship with children.
Make a point to meet the camp director before you leave if he or she isn't your tour guide. Be sure that you feel comfortable with the idea of that director taking care of your child for the summer. Check a few details. Does the director seem to be a hands-on administrator, or does he or she appear to spend more time at the office desk with paperwork? Does the director know the names of most campers? Does the director live on camp property?
The counselors are the adults who your camper will spend all his or her time with. You will want your child to be treated well. So make sure the counselors you see are kind, caring, sensitive, imaginative, patient and skilled. During activities, you should see counselors supervising the campers rather than chatting amongst themselves. Make sure that the specialty staff are not only skilled themselves, but also are enthusiastic, communicative teachers.
If it is at all possible go to a camp and watch it in action...you will learn so much!
Additional information can be found at Summer Camp Advice, a FREE Summer Camps website filled with information to help parent select the best summer camp for their child
Swift Nature Camp is an overnight camp for Boys and Girls Ages 6-15. Our programs are for first time campers as well as adventures for teens.