Sending your Kids to Summer Camp

Sending your Kids to Summer Camp: How to Choose the Best Option

Parents used to dread the summer months. Kids had too much time on their hands and not enough to do. Sending your kids to summer camp is an option that could develop into a winning situation for both parent and child.

There are day camps that run from six in the morning to about six in the evening. This gives kids the chance to experience life away from home, but with the safety of knowing that their parents will take them home in the evening. Kids who aren’t ready for a night or a week away from home would enjoy this option.

Overnight camps are designed for children of all ages. Camp counselors are trained to deal with homesickness, fears, and night waking. They know that going to camp for the first time can be daunting for a child especially if they don’t know anyone there.

Kids with special needs are not left out of the summer camp craze. Camps exist for weight loss, ADD, terminal illness, autism, severe handicaps, and more. The professionals that staff these camps have a gift for working with special children and meeting their needs.

When choosing a summer camp for your child, let them help in the process. Gather as much information as you can online. Day camps are cheaper than overnight camps and usually run throughout the summer. Overnight camps run a week or two at a time. It may be more economical to do a brief stint at an overnight camp and finish out the summer at a day camp.

Take your child with you when you visit the facility. Let them get a feel for where they will be spending their time. Your child may feel more comfortable if a friend attends with them. Check with a relative or a schoolmate to see if their family will be sending them to camp during the summer. If so, sending them both to the same camp could benefit the kids.

If your child attends an overnight camp, send them as much mail as you can. Kids love to get packages and letters from home while they are away. If the package will take a couple of days to arrive at the camp, consider mailing some things the day before camp starts. By the second day, your child will be getting their first bit of mail.

Summer camp is great for parents, but can be a hurdle for kids. Letting them help with the camp decisions will increase their comfort level. They may cry at first, but rest assured, they will be making friends and having fun in no time.

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