How to Choose the Best Sleepaway Camp for Your Child

Sleepaway camp can be a wonderful experience for a child, and form the basis for many lifelong happy memories. Before you just pack your child off for camp, though, you do need to do a little homework to make sure you select the right camp.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A computer and telephone to help you research your options
• A camp consultant (if desired)

1. Question your child about the kind of camp experience she would like to have. Would she prefer a same-sex camp or a coed one? Would she like an all-around camp, one that has a range of activities, or would she like something more specialized, devoted to one particular hobby or learning experience?
2. Take location into account. Is your child ready to be hundreds of miles away from home? Are you ready to have him that far away? Are there any concerns about him flying, taking the train, etc. to get there? If you're worried about this, you may wish to limit your search to camps within a few hours' drive of your home.
3. Make sure the camp you choose has adequate safety procedures in place. If your child has any special needs (food allergies, etc.), be sure to choose a camp where the staff are familiar with these needs and well aware of the accommodations that will need to be made.
4. Check the staff to camper ratio. Also look into staff qualifications - you want to make sure that camp leadership is very experienced.
5. Interview the camp director to get a feel for her philosophy. She will set the tone for the entire camp experience and her attitude will be reflected not only in camp schedules and activities but also in the counselors that are hired. Make sure you choose a camp whose director you feel comfortable with, and one with whom you feel able to communicate.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your child is developmentally ready for and actually wants to go to sleepaway camp - no child is going to enjoy the camp experience if he's just not ready for it