Introduce your child to sleepaway camp gradually.

It’s probably no surprise that successful sleepaway camp summers begin with successful day camp summers. Day camps provide younger children with the opportunity to experience everything camp has to offer while still allowing them the comfort of sleeping at home at night. It’s no surprise, therefore, that a lot of parents choose to gradually prepare their children for sleepaway camp by first sending them to day camp. Although day camp is not a prerequisite, by any means, for sleepaway camp, if your child is still young enough to reap the benefits of day camp prior to his or her first summer at sleepaway camp, now is a good time to enroll. Likewise, let your child’s maturity level, not his or her age, serve as your guide for determining when he or she is ready for sleepaway camp. Some children are ready for sleepaway camp at 7 or 8 years old. Others may need another year or two. It really depends on the individual child. It is important, regardless of at what age you feel your child is ready, that you do not send him or her to sleepaway camp before he or she is ready.

Set goals for the summer.

Arriving at camp with goals in mind helps children adapt more quickly to the camp environment and remain focused throughout the summer. Goals also serve as a touchstone on those days when campers need a bit of extra encouragement and provide a level of measure for progress between arrival and departure days. As well, they are the perfect conversation or letter starter for phone calls and letters and can ultimately help your child relate a sense of accomplishment to his or her summer camp experience.

Send your child to camp with an open mind and an open attitude.

Try not to focus too heavily on specific experiences or expectations. While it’s good to have goals, it’s equally beneficial not to focus too heavily on one area of camp as the measure of a successful summer. Encourage your children to try new things at camp. Emphasize the possibilities of the coming summer rather than the shortcomings of the previous one. Remind your children that often the best camp moments are the ones that aren’t anticipated.

Pack adequately.

Most view packing as a chore to be completed as quickly and painlessly as possible. But success at camp begins with being properly prepare and being properly prepared means being properly packed. Packing, therefore, is not a task to take lightly. Review your camp’s packing list and make sure your child has the recommended amount of each item. Pack for comfort and fun. Your children will engage in activities from early in the morning until late at night each day. Their clothes will get dirty. It’s important that what makes it into your children’s camp bags allows them freedom of comfort through movement in a variety of sports and other activities while leaving you room to review photos of paint stains, ice cream stains, slushie stains, icing stains, dirt stains, wax stains, marker stains, water stains, and just about anything else you can think of stains without cringing or having nightmares about the cleaning bill. And don’t forget to pack “evening attire” (aka fun stuff). Camp doesn’t end after dinner. Every night brings new and exciting special events and evening activities, pretty much all which promote the silly, whacky, crazy, outrageous, and fabulous. Aside from clothing, sturdy age and size appropriate sporting equipment is also key to your campers’ usurping the most of their camping experience.

Emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition.

There is food a plenty at camp. In addition to camp meals, there are snacks, birthday parties, trips to the canteen, the local ice cream stand, pizza place, cooking classes, etc. While menus are designed to provide campers with the fuel to keep them going on busy days and camp staff are present to mediate at meal and snack times, it’s important to emphasize the need to balance treats with proper nutrition and to encourage your children to engage in camp activities that involve physical conditioning and exercise as well as those that are a bit more laid back and relaxed. Also stress the importance of staying hydrated and invest in a good water bottle.

Send your campers to camp with the right attitude toward authority figures.

Collectively, the camp staff takes on a parental role during the summer. They are, in effect, you while your child is at camp. Explaining this to your campers lays the groundwork for a smooth transition of authority from the parental arm to the camp one and deters camper/staff tensions during the summer.

Remind your campers that they may not accomplish all of their goals in a single summer, and that’s okay.

In context of a full year, summer camp takes place within a very brief, concentrated period of time. Campers easily become tempted to overindulge or may become overwhelmed when they are unable to keep up with their own expectations. Remind your children that summer camp is a special place intended to provide them with the opportunity to relax away from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life. Encourage them to enjoy those things that make camp unique, such as the rural setting, camp specific activities, or exclusive facilities. Stress that sleepaway camp is a singular tradition through which they can create memories and make friends that will last a lifetime. And if they fall short of any of their goals this summer, for all but the oldest campers, there is always next summer.

Review your camp’s camper policies and behavioral expectations with your children.

Your camp will provide you with a list of policies and guidelines that outline behavioral expectations for campers as well as their families. Review these carefully with your campers so that they understand what is expected of them prior to arriving at camp. Stress that the camp must put such rules into place in order to create a fun environment in which everyone is and feels safe.

Encourage your child to make at least one new friend over the summer.

For some children, making friends is as easy as waking up in the morning. For others, the task is a little more daunting. Stress that the openness of the camp environment creates an atmosphere of acceptance that is a little bit different from school, where social structures tend to be a bit more rigid. And that camp friends are special friends with whom they will always have camp in common.

Let your children know that it’s okay to have a less than perfect day and that sometimes they may miss home, but that’s no reason to pack their bags and call it quits.

It’s not unusual for campers to arrive at camp with such high expectations for the summer that one bad day, one small scuffle with a camp friend or bunkmate, one misunderstood communication with a counselor can leave them feeling discouraged and calling or writing home in tears. It’s also not unusual, particularly for younger campers, to get a bit homesick every now and then. Be honest with your children. Let them know that every day might not be the best day ever and that it’s okay to miss home every now and then. But that doesn’t mean that they’re having a bad summer or that they can’t turn things around. Remind them that they choose their attitude every day. If they let one very small moment become a big one that defines their summer, they’re robbing themselves of lots of opportunities to experience something really great that may completely turn what started out as a bad day–or even a bad summer–around.

Campus, Location, and Accreditation

Is the camp ACA accredited?

ACA accreditation entails a camp complying with a set of recommended guidelines set forth by the ACA (American Camp Association), the U.S. governing body for summer camps. There are more than 300 standards set forth by the ACA with which camps must comply before being certified. These guidelines are primarily focused on the safety and experience of camp and its facilities as well as how well they’re maintained and managed. Accredited camps must seek renewal every few years. Although accreditation is not required, reputable camps voluntarily seek it as a demonstration of their utmost concern for safety and good practices. Since many of the ACA’s standards are set in accordance with government regulations, achieving ACA accreditation is tantamount to certification that a camp is in compliance with government mandated health, safety, and policy practices.

Where is the camp located and how well maintained and inviting is the campus?

Although most summer camps are in more remote areas, that does not mean they should be inaccessible. It is important to evaluate the location and overall appeal of a camp. Beyond the idyllic setting, there are certain things that one should consider carefully when evaluating a camp. How well are the facilities maintained? Do the buildings and grounds appear well kempt? How well are facilities and equipment outfitted? Are things such as nets or mats, balls, boats, etc. in good condition or do they appear tattered or worn?

A good question to ask is when and what the most recent improvements made to the camp have been. This is not only a way of learning how well facilities are maintained but how committed the owners and directors are in reinvesting in camp and providing continuous improvements.

A key question that many overlook is what is the camp’s relationship with the surrounding community? Are community leaders and authorities aware of when camp is in session and cognizant of the camp population? Do the camp’s directors and senior staff work with local business owners and community leaders to maintain a symbiotic relationship.

A summer camp campus should also be designed with safety and traffic flow in mind. How secure is the camp from a main road? How easily is the camp accessed? Is there security of any sort and/or measures for distinguishing those individuals who should be on campus from those who shouldn’t?

While not critical, vsiting a camp while it is in session not only provides you with the opportunity to tour and evaluate facilities, it allows you to see camp in action. You can view activities and get a sense of how the staff interact with the campers as well as the general morale of both campers and staff. Is the camp a happy place? Do the campers appear to be having fun? Are staff actively engaged and engaging the campers?

Staff

What are the credentials of the directors?

You are about to send your child away to live with and be supervised by other people for several weeks. It’s important to know that there is a strong, knowledgeable, and caring core foundation of staff from the top down. Even the strongest camp staff is only as good as its directors. It’s crucial to get to know a camp’s directors; their education and background, interests, what attracted them to a career in the camping industry, and their level of experience in camping.

A good camp director will have some form of higher education and several years of camp experience. Although many camp directors pursued college degrees that somewhat relate to childcare, education, athletics, or the camping industry, there are also many who did not. This is not a red flag. Many camp directors did not realize they wanted to pursue a career in camping until they had spent several years working at camp during their college years. The field of a camp director’s education is not so much as important as knowing that he or she has achieved some level of education that trained him or her to make sound decisions and competently run a business that entails overseeing the daily well being and activities of dozens of staff as well as hundreds of children. Top directors maintain a vested interest in furthering their knowledge of the camping industry and take advantage of supplementary workshops, seminars, and certification courses related to camp in such areas as safety, child development, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask the directors of a prospective camp in what way they’ve continued to educate themselves about camp.

Being fully invested in camp life is a crucial trait of good camp directors. For camp directors and other senior, year round staff, camp does not begin and end with opening and closing days each summer. It is a year–round effort of careful planning, budgeting, and recruiting. In other words, being a good camp director is not just a job. It’s a lifestyle. Top camp directors eat, breathe, and sleep camp 365 days a year. If you question the directors of a prospective camp about their interests and the first things they name have little or nothing to do with camp, chances are, their hearts just aren’t into it.

Although many camp directors grew up attending summer camp, not all of them did. Some did not discover camp until they took on work as a staff member during their college years. When the passion developed is not so critical as the fact that the passion is there. Many camp directors thought they would spend a fun summer working as a camp counselor only to return summer after summer, working their way to positions as senior staff members. As their love of camp and camp life grew they realized that camp wasn’t just something to do while they trained for their career, they wanted it to be their career. This is why the vast majority of the most reputable camp directors in the industry, by default, have several years of camping experience prior to pursuing their first assignment as a director. Even those who knew from an early age that they wanted to work in the camping industry understand the value of experience for senior staff members. So much of a director’s job entails understanding the many nuanced experiences of running a camp.

How are the staff chosen?

A single counselor can make or break a camper’s experience. It’s important to find out how prospective

camps select and train their staff. Does the camp require staff members to be mature enough to handle the intensity of working with children 24/7? Where do the staff come from? Since summer camp is regarded as somewhat of an all American experience and provides great experience for those hoping to enter or continue a career in the childcare or recreation industries, it tends to draw staff members from all over the country as well as the world, which provides campers with the opportunity to have a diverse, cultural experience. In fact, according to the American Camp Association, about 20% of all camp staff members are international.

Find out what criteria staff must meet during the interview process in their area of specialization? What level of experience do senior staff members have? In general, staff members should have some experience in their area of instruction and the amount and level of experience, at minimum, should be proportionate to the staff member’s position and years of camp experience.

Are proper background and reference checks conducted prior to staff being hired? Background and reference checks are important screening tools camps use to verify experience and character as well as insure that prospective staff members have no history of criminal activity involving minors.

What percentage of the staff return each year?

In general, most camps maintain a staff retention rate of 30-40%. Anything less than this may be cause for concern. Beyond a general passion for summer camp, returning staff members are familiar with daily life at camp and understand the camp’s vision. They are also familiar with the campers. This makes adjusting to camp life easier for both returning campers and returning staff.
How is the staff trained?

Being an effective staff member entails more than showing up eager and enthusiastic a few days prior to camp. Camp staff deal with some very challenging issues throughout the summer. They must be able to ascertain camper interests, moods, and level of comfort while understanding how to positively encourage campers and intervene and coach intra camper relations on those occasions when moods and emotions may get a bit intense. They must understand how to keep their campers safe and healthy on a daily basis as well as in emergencies. Training should be rigorous enough to prepare staff for camp as well as vet those for whom camp life might not be suitable prior to the start of camp.

Camper Demographics and Retention

Where are the campers from?

Although the majority of campers may be from the region of the camp that they attend, the best camps attract a diverse array of campers from all over the country as well as the world. Summer camps embrace the qualities that each camper contributes to the camp family and overall environment and encourage acceptance. A diverse camper population, therefore, enhances a camper’s overall experience by exposing him or her to people of different cultures and backgrounds. The fact that a portion of a camp’s population is willing to travel some distance in order to return each summer is also a positive reflection of the camp’s overall environment and is indicative of a strong, stimulating camp program.

What is the camper return rate?

The best summer camps maintain an 80-90% camper retention rate. They are renowned for their well-maintained campuses, strong programs, and the most talented and experienced staffs. Admission to these camps is often competitive and sometimes requires camper spots to be secured a year or two prior to a camper’s first expected summer at camp. These camps also generally have strong generational ties, with several consecutive generations of some families having attended the same camp.

Keep in mind that at all summer camps, retention rates tend to drop slightly as campers get older. This is not necessarily indicative of a poor camp as long as the overall camper retention rate is high. As campers get older and develop multiple interests, they are sometimes forced to choose between favorite activities during their summer break. For some of even the most impassioned campers, this means sitting out camp for a summer or two in favor of pursuing another interest that may be more conducive to future goals.

Are there family references available?

The best camps encourage prospective families to speak with current or former families. In fact, word of mouth practically negates the need for elaborate outbound marketing campaigns for the most reputable camps as many prospective families are already familiar with a camp through current or former families.
Another way to get a sense of camper family satisfaction is to follow a camp’s social media. Happy, satisfied families remain actively engaged with the camp as well as each other through a camp’s social media outlets throughout the year.

What is the camper to staff ratio?

In order to keep campers safe and properly engaged, it is important for camps to maintain an appropriate camper to staff ratio. Industry standards dictate that for younger campers, this ratio is 1 staff member to every 6 campers. For older campers, the recommended ratio is 1 staff member to every 10-12 campers.

What type of medical staff is available on campus and how is medication administered?

At minimum, a properly equipped prospective camp should have a dedicated area or facility from which a licensed onsite nursing staff and/or doctor can administer basic first aid and care. Campus first aid facilities should include equipment and appliances for the proper tracking and storage of medication, and medication should only be administered by properly trained and licensed personnel at designated times throughout the day. There should also be a local hospital or healthcare facility capable of administering x-rays or more intensive care, should it become necessary, within a reasonable driving distance of camp.

Program, Meals, and Daily Activities

What are the meals like?

Some camps serve buffet style meals while others serve family style; some serve some combination of the two. Since campers tend to be very active from early in the morning until late at night, it is important that a prospective camp serves age appropriate meals designed to keep campers fueled while promoting a healthy lifestyle. Options are also important for campers who tend to be pickier eaters or who desire to follow specific dietary guidelines due to necessity or choice. Responsible camps also exercise vigilance over food allergies. If any tree nut products, such as peanut butter, are offered, appropriate measures should be taken by the food service staff to keep these items separate from the remainder of the food. Camp staff should also be aware of campers with food allergies and proactively work to keep them adequately distanced from those foods.

It is also critical that meal times provide camp staff with opportunity to evaluate campers’ appetites, as a poor appetite could be a sign of a homesick or unhappy camper or an eating disorder.
It is also a good idea to ask if a camp offers snacks throughout the day for campers to quickly re-fuel between mealtimes and activities. If a camp features a canteen from which campers can get special treats be sure to find out how often campers go and whether the fee for these items is included in tuition.

What programs and activities are offered?

A prospective camp should not only offer a strong, structured camp program but a diverse one that incorporates a healthy mix of activities including sports, arts, and hobbies. It is also important that the camp maintains a balance between encouraging campers to engage in a mix of activities and providing them with opportunity to pursue specific interests more in depth. In general, the older the campers, the more choice they should have in their daily activities. Camp programs for younger campers should be more structured since too much choice can be overwhelming for them, especially those who are only in their first or second summer at camp.

A strong special events and evening activities program is also desirable as it facilitates a healthy, fun environment for campers to unwind or burn off any excess energy they have after a full day of intense activity. Be sure to ask about what happens after the sun goes down at camp in addition to what happens during the day.

Also, find out how often campers venture off camp and to where they go. How age-appropriate are off campus destinations and activities and are any of these trips overnight? Are trip fees included in tuition or are they an additional cost? Be sure to ask how campers are chaperoned off campus. Again, camper to staff ratios should be 1:6 for younger campers and 1:10-12 for older campers. ALLSION – RATIOS.

What is the level of instruction?

Like any good athletic or arts program, instruction and activities should be age and skill level appropriate. Find out what measures the camp takes to evaluate camper skill levels in sports before placing them on teams or setting individual goals. Find out how activities for younger campers differ from those offered to older campers. How are campers who may not have a particular interest in an activity encouraged to participate? How qualified is the instructional staff? Are they certified to coach young children in those fields that often require some level of certification? What is their own level of experience and interest in their area of specialization?

Children are like sponges. They pick up on everything, are very perceptive and hungry for knowledge. They ask “why?” all the time because they are fascinated by how the world works and want to be “in the know” about everything around them. When they reach school age, the spend most of their days in a classroom, learning valuable skills like addition and subtraction and grammar and geography. They learn to write their name and multiply and memorize the periodic table of elements. And while all of these things are important, there are other skills that children need to learn to set them up for future success. Skills that help campers navigate the real world, help them build relationships, solve problems and communicate with others are imperative to their future success. Fortunately, most of these skills are engrained into the fabric of camp life, and campers come home with a new set of skills under their belt.

Problem Solving

In the “real world,” there won’t always be an older sibling, parent, or camp counselor to help children with their problems. They will need to learn how to assess the situation and think of a solution. They will need to know how to use their resources to help them, and how to think outside of the box to find an answer. At camp, children are exposed to many challenges that help them practice their problem solving skills. They are taught to observe and analyze their situation to find a solution, and encouraged not to give up when things get tough. Camp counselors are great about taking a step back and letting campers figure things out, while still being close enough to provide support and feedback when they need it.

Playing well with others

This skill is a big one at camp, because when you spend 24/7 with a bunch of other people, children must learn how to work and play together. Success in the world, and in the workplace, is commonly attributed to the ability to work as a team towards a common goal. Working with coworkers to meet a deadline, even if the coworkers aren’t your favorite people in the world, is an important skill to have. If you cannot compromise, listen and communicate, it will be difficult to be successful in the future. Campers learn from the very beginning of camp how to be inclusive, good sports, and team players.

Communicating clearly

When children learn to express themselves in a way that is diplomatic, honest, and sincere, they set themselves up for success. They could have the best ideas in the world, but if they are loud, always interrupt people, or are rude and condescending, their message will not be delivered properly. The same goes for campers who are naturally quiet, reserved and shy. If they never learn to speak up, the world misses out on all of their great ideas and opinions. Camp is a safe place for children to voice their concerns, ideas and beliefs, and are encouraged to speak up for what they need and want. They are also taught to listen to others respectfully, and agree to disagree when necessary. Communication is the key to success, and campers learn quickly the value of hearing others and being heard.

Being open–minded

Campers learn to appreciate the differences in their fellow campers, and learn to embrace everybody for who they are. Open-mindedness sets children up for success because it allows them to see things from multiple angles, which is an excellent problem solving technique. It also makes them more worldly and knowledgeable. Open minded people are successful because they see the big picture, they are less resistant to change, and are flexible in their ideas.

Goal Setting

Successful people set realistic, attainable goals and work towards them. They make a plan, and work towards their goal until their plan doesn’t work anymore, which is when they make a new plan. They aren’t afraid to ask for help meeting their goals, and know that making mistakes is part of the process. At camp, campers are encouraged to set goals and work towards them all summer. Some set a goal to try something they’ve never done before, others want to learn to swim, or go a whole summer without taking a single selfie. Camp counselors encourage campers to focus on their goals and help them take the necessary steps to reach them. Children need to know how to set realistic and attainable goals now, so that when they enter the workforce, they can get things done without feeling overwhelmed or lost.

Time Management

Camp does a great job of keeping campers busy throughout the day. There are certain times for eating, resting, structured activities, evening activities, and free time. Although campers don’t have to worry too much about creating a schedule at camp, they are responsible for being on time to events and activities, and knowing where they need to be and when. Being late, or managing time ineffectively, is not something successful people do. Children who want to be successful need to understand the importance of time, and how to get the most done in the shortest amount of time.

These six skills are vital for children to grow up to be successful adults. They need to know how to interact with others as well as be responsible for their own actions, thoughts and feelings. Children learn a lot of these things by watching those around them, which is why camp counselors take all of these skills so seriously and model them as best as they can. Children leave camp with the tools they need to become productive and successful citizens in the real world.