Worried about sending your child off to a Summer Youth Camp without knowing enough about that camp? Take a journey to your child's summer camp while it is in session. You will learn enough through direct observation and conversations to make you feel more comfortable, especially if you have reviewed the information about the camp and arrive prepared to ask questions.
Keep in mind that summer camp is always in motion! Campers may be out of camp, or it may be visiting day or between sessions. In those cases a camp director may ask you to choose another day. Review the camp's promotional materials before the visit and have your questions ready.
Plan on taking at least three hours at the camp so that you will have time to observe activities at length and chat with campers and staff. The settings, facilities and activities matter, but more important to your child's experience will be how the administration and the staff behave in action. Watch how the camp's counselors juggle the demands of campers. Of course, be sure to observe that safety precautions are consistently being taken.
While walking around camp do check the facilities and the settings, but take careful note of how the administration and the staff interact with the campers. Try to take your child with you, and watch how the tour guide relates with and includes your kid during the tour. This reveals a lot about the camp's attitude and relationship with children.
The camp director may or may not be the tour guide, but you should make sure to meet him or her before you leave. You need to know if the director is someone that you can trust to take care of your child for the summer. Is the director a hands-on administrator, or does he or she appear to spend more time in the office with paper work than with the staff and campers? Does the director know the names of most of the children that you meet? Where is the director's on-camp residence?
If the counselors aren't kind, caring, sensitive, imaginative, and skilled, then the facilities and activities don't matter. Counselors are directly responsible for making sure your child has a safe and fun summer. Pay careful attention to how the counselors you see interact with campers. During activities, counselors should be supervising and continually attentive to the campers, rather than chatting amongst themselves. Praise should be specific and given to all children in activities, not just the superstars. Make sure that the specialty counselors are not just skilled themselves, but also great teachers who can translate their enthusiasm and skills to children.
If you feel parental concern about sending your child to a summer camp this year, be sure to take the time and visit that camp. It will help you feel more comfortable about your wise choice for sending your child to a summer of great fun.
Looking for more information? Visit Summer Camp Advisor, a FREE Summer Kids Camp website filled with information to help parent select the best summer camp for their child
Keep in mind that summer camp is always in motion! Campers may be out of camp, or it may be visiting day or between sessions. In those cases a camp director may ask you to choose another day. Review the camp's promotional materials before the visit and have your questions ready.
Plan on taking at least three hours at the camp so that you will have time to observe activities at length and chat with campers and staff. The settings, facilities and activities matter, but more important to your child's experience will be how the administration and the staff behave in action. Watch how the camp's counselors juggle the demands of campers. Of course, be sure to observe that safety precautions are consistently being taken.
While walking around camp do check the facilities and the settings, but take careful note of how the administration and the staff interact with the campers. Try to take your child with you, and watch how the tour guide relates with and includes your kid during the tour. This reveals a lot about the camp's attitude and relationship with children.
The camp director may or may not be the tour guide, but you should make sure to meet him or her before you leave. You need to know if the director is someone that you can trust to take care of your child for the summer. Is the director a hands-on administrator, or does he or she appear to spend more time in the office with paper work than with the staff and campers? Does the director know the names of most of the children that you meet? Where is the director's on-camp residence?
If the counselors aren't kind, caring, sensitive, imaginative, and skilled, then the facilities and activities don't matter. Counselors are directly responsible for making sure your child has a safe and fun summer. Pay careful attention to how the counselors you see interact with campers. During activities, counselors should be supervising and continually attentive to the campers, rather than chatting amongst themselves. Praise should be specific and given to all children in activities, not just the superstars. Make sure that the specialty counselors are not just skilled themselves, but also great teachers who can translate their enthusiasm and skills to children.
If you feel parental concern about sending your child to a summer camp this year, be sure to take the time and visit that camp. It will help you feel more comfortable about your wise choice for sending your child to a summer of great fun.
Looking for more information? Visit Summer Camp Advisor, a FREE Summer Kids Camp website filled with information to help parent select the best summer camp for their child
About the Author:
Swift Nature Camp is an overnight camp for Boys and Girls Ages 6-15. Our programs are for first time campers as well as adventures for teens.
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