| Some camps have a targeted focus like religious | | | | insurance, there are now insurance policies for families |
| study, academics, and competitive sports. Special | | | | sending their children to overnight summer camp to |
| needs camps meet the needs of a wide range of | | | | cover last minute cancellations, homesickness, medical |
| children with disabilities; these camps provide an | | | | emergencies and emergency evacuations. Check the |
| outdoor summer camp experience along with a | | | | camper-counselor ratio to determine the number of |
| therapeutic environment. Choosing the right camp for | | | | campers for each counselor. Most camp counselors |
| your child, teen or other children deserves a great deal | | | | are in their late teens or early twenties and are high |
| of consideration and attention to even the smallest | | | | school and college students on their summer break. |
| details. | | | | Some camps are often called adventure camps - |
| There are camps with activities as traditional as model | | | | having a very specific theme or interest; many of |
| rocketry and riflery, to those nontraditional as aviation, | | | | these programs emphasize skill development and |
| computers, language studies, golf, martial arts or | | | | personal growth through the adventures the offer. Is |
| community service. There are four basic types of | | | | there a special topic (e.g. religion, sports, educational, |
| camps to choose from for your child: day programs, | | | | performing arts, and arts and crafts) that you hope |
| sleepaway or overnight summer camp, day programs | | | | your child will gain ability and experience in? Weight |
| with trips, and special needs camps. Selecting the right | | | | loss camps are for children and teens in order to help |
| camp that fits into your child or teen's interests, special | | | | them learn about how to lose weight and how to keep |
| interests, needs, special needs and abilities will be one | | | | it off while having a great camp experience. |
| of the first steps | | | | The reputation of an overnight summer camp can also |
| Camps often focus on specialties that include: | | | | be determined by asking what percentage of |
| adventure, art, computer, dance, music, religion, horse | | | | counselors returned from the previous year. Children |
| riding, sports, theatre, and many others. There are | | | | will get more individual attention and supervision with a |
| overnight summer camps that are co-ed camps, boy's | | | | lower number of campers per counselor. Visit the |
| camps, girl's camps or brother-sister camps where | | | | camp; you can view campers and counselors in their |
| boys and girls may have separate venues and | | | | element, witness activities as they occur, and just |
| activities. Basically, if you can think of any subject of | | | | obtain an overall feel of the camp, something that |
| interest, there's probably a camp that specializes in it. | | | | cannot be accurately experienced when the camp is |
| College credit courses are very popular at overnight | | | | closed. |
| summer camps that typically offer students the | | | | Typically an overnight summer camp experience will |
| opportunity to explore a pre-college experience; usually, | | | | leave a lot of wonderful memories for the child or teen |
| students entering grades 10 through 12 stay in college | | | | camper. If you think there's a possibility you might have |
| dormitories and attend summer classes run by the | | | | to cancel an overnight summer camp reservation, |
| college faculty. Try to determine whether the director | | | | camper's insurance would be a good idea. Choosing a |
| incorporates a similar philosophy to running the camp | | | | camp close to home will save a lot of money on |
| as you do in parenting your child or children. Although | | | | airfare and possible hotel or motel overnight stays for |
| camp counselor jobs don't usually pay very well, | | | | a parent, or other transportation costs; this is especially |
| usually minimum wage or less, counselors receive free | | | | true if your child might get a case of homesickness |
| room and board; many take the job primarily for the | | | | and want to come home early. Think about what you |
| camping experience. | | | | and your child hope they'll get from going to camp. |
| Camp tuition can be expensive; similar to travel | | | | |