| Camps often focus on specialties that | | | | College credit courses are very popular at |
| include: adventure, art, computer, dance, | | | | overnight summer camps that typically offer |
| music, religion, horse riding, sports, | | | | students the opportunity to explore a |
| theatre, and many others. There are camps | | | | pre-college experience; usually, students |
| with activities as traditional as model | | | | entering grades 10 through 12 stay in college |
| rocketry and riflery, to those nontraditional | | | | dormitories and attend summer classes run by |
| as aviation, computers, language studies, | | | | the college faculty. Try to determine whether |
| golf, martial arts or community service. Many | | | | the director incorporates a similar |
| kid campers are enrolled in summer camp by | | | | philosophy to running the camp as you do in |
| their parents early in the year, thus camps | | | | parenting your child or children. Non-profit |
| fill up quickly. | | | | camps often range from $1200 to $3000 for |
| | | | four weeks and $2500 to $5000 for eight |
| There are popular overnight summer camps in | | | | weeks. |
| every state in the U.S. and every province in | | | | |
| Canada; there are camps in the United | | | | Four weeks at a good private overnight summer |
| Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and just | | | | camp or sleepaway camp will cost anywhere |
| about every country in the world. Basically, | | | | from $3500 to $6500, and eight weeks will |
| if you can think of any subject of interest, | | | | range from $4000 to $7000. Some camps are |
| there's probably a camp that specializes in | | | | often called adventure camps - having a very |
| it. Beyond the traditional sports - baseball, | | | | specific theme or interest; many of these |
| softball, basketball, soccer, tennis, | | | | programs emphasize skill development and |
| football, and more - there are camps for | | | | personal growth through the adventures the |
| outdoor enthusiasts that can offer horseback | | | | offer. Camps should have at least a 40% to |
| riding, hiking, camping, fishing, and even | | | | 60% return staff ratio, which shows that the |
| rappelling. | | | | camp is seen as a good place to spend a |
| | | | summer. |
| Overnight summer camp is also known as a | | | | |
| sleepaway camp when campers spend their | | | | Get to know the camp director from an |
| nights at the camp; some camps do allow both | | | | in-person visit to your home if possible, |
| daytime and overnight campers. There are four | | | | phone conversations, email or other |
| basic types of camps to choose from for your | | | | correspondence. Camp tuition can be |
| child: day programs, sleepaway or overnight | | | | expensive; similar to travel insurance, there |
| summer camp, day programs with trips, and | | | | are now insurance policies for families |
| special needs camps. Planning early is | | | | sending their children to overnight summer |
| important; you should be diligent in your | | | | camp to cover last minute cancellations, |
| efforts to visit camps during the peak season | | | | homesickness, medical emergencies and |
| to make plans in advance of the next camping | | | | emergency evacuations. Check the |
| year. | | | | camper-counselor ratio to determine the |
| | | | number of campers for each counselor. |
| Most camp counselors are in their late teens | | | | |
| or early twenties and are high school and | | | | If you think your child may not be ready for |
| college students on their summer break. Visit | | | | a sleepaway or overnight summer camp, choose |
| the camp; you can view campers and counselors | | | | a local camp in case you end up having to |
| in their element, witness activities as they | | | | make a late night pickup in the event he or |
| occur, and just obtain an overall feel of the | | | | she gets homesick. Think about what you and |
| camp, something that cannot be accurately | | | | your child hope they'll get from going to |
| experienced when the camp is closed. The | | | | camp. Overnight summer camp is often the |
| reputation of an overnight summer camp can | | | | first time that most children spend a long |
| also be determined by asking what percentage | | | | period of time away from home. Typically an |
| of counselors returned from the previous | | | | overnight summer camp experience will leave a |
| year. | | | | lot of wonderful memories for the child or |
| | | | teen camper. |