by Danielle Christopher
Cup of coffee in hand, I sit down at the kitchen table. I begin flipping through the Summer Camp Guide with a keen eye. My oldest is now five years old and it is time to look at summer activity options for her.
After reading through half the information that I picked up at the library I close it with frustration, feeling overwhelmed. I have no clue where to begin to pick a summer camp for kids. I felt that since it was only February the sixth, I had time.
Once I began the task of narrowing it down, I began to make phone calls to ask questions about the specific camps. Much to my horror the top three choices were already booked up. It’s February!
After the third phone call I went to my Facebook and Twitter community to ask what camps they liked or did not like. What I got back was a large amount of information all within an hour! I could have done that in the first place!
Those lessons that they shared, including what I learned on how to pick a summer camp are:
1. Talk to friends and family about the camps they have experienced. If you do not know anyone then ask the camps for referrals.
2. There is a big difference between day camps and overnight camps. Each child is unique. I learned that my five-year-old will benefit from day camps as she has yet to do sleepovers, etc.
3. My biggest concern is included in the list of questions found at OurKids.net: “How does the camp deal with individual needs and differences, homesickness or bullying?” That one is huge in particular, the awareness is in schools about bullying. How do camps deal with it?
4. Look at your family budget as to what you really can afford. Day Camps can run $25.00 to $500 per week depending on the structure. Overnight camps can run from $200 to $1000 per week. If cost is an issue some camps do offer financial aid. Also, research the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit as it may help parents to add extra camps benefit the kids and taxes.
5. For more information check out Camp.ca or attend a Camp Expo. They happen at different times in a city near you. Having many under one roof can answer your question all in one day.
I fine tune what I will sign my daughter up. Going to camp is a great social tool for her. By building her confidence and emotional intelligence will help her excel in her everyday life. After spending a lot of time together over the summer I think we both need a little break.
My coffee is empty and sign-ups have been completed. I call her in to tell her what she has to look forward to in the summer. Seeing her excitement validates that I did the right thing. I never went to camps as a kid however participated in sports. The lessons I learned while playing helped me since then.
Danielle Christopher is a stay-at-home mom of two daughters, ages one and three. She blogs for The Momoir Project and writes book reviews for Women’s Post. Her teen story is in the collection “Parent/Teen Stories: Without Judgement”. She lives with her husband of seventeen years and her girls in Langley, B.C.. Follow her on Twitter.