Advice History

If the idea of your child being away at a sleep-away camp is too much for you, you might want to consider family camp. This is a great way for your kids to get to experience the great outdoors in a fun, family environment. It could also work as a precursor to sleep-away camp in the future. Many local organizations such as the Y.M.C.A. offer family camp and these camps provide fun activities for kids to participate in with or without their parents.  If they are going at it alone at either day-camp or sleep-away camp, educate yourself on the camp itself. Find out about counselor-to-kid ratio, first aid procedures, sleeping arrangements, meals, etc. Also, when packing their backpack or duffle bag, make sure you give them a couple of comfort items such as a teddy, family pictures or notes from Mom and Dad. This will help them know they are not far away from your heart.

Ask the parents of your child's friends what (if anything) they are doing about summer camp, whether it's a local day camp or a sleepaway camp. While it's great to encourage our child to make new friends, attending a camp with one or two old ones should make it easier for all.

Do start thinking about camp early in the year -- most offer early bird registration discounts. Also, the most popular facilities tend to fill up early, so the sooner you book the better.

When picking a camp, keep in mind session length.  Some camps offer mulitple sessions throughout the summer.  In addition, find the specifics of the costs that you will incur for camp.  Camp tuition can range from all-inclusive to add-on fees.