How to Choose a Summer Camp for Your Kids

First, the bad news: The best time to choose a summer camp for your kids this year was, well, last year. Of course, that's good news if you're reading this because you want your kids to go to summer camp next summer. For those who got a late start, all is not lost. The most absolutely
 perfect time to choose a summer camp for your kids is when you have the opportunity and time to actually visit several candidates. In addition, an early start will afford you the golden opportunity of signing up for the camp of your choice before all the spots are taken.

What's the best way to choose a summer camp? Ask around. Talk with every adult you come into contact with who have kids of summer camp age. Word of mouth is an almost flawless method of tracking down the best summer camps around you. Better than camp brochures, better than internet sites. Nothing beats a personal recommendation from a parent who has sent his kid to camp. Nothing, that is, except for a personal recommendation from the kid. Provided he's not a weasel who's just trying to trick you into sending your kid to Kamp Krusty. Always ask your kids for advice on which other kids to trust; you don't want to take advice from the school jerk or bully.

Of course, just because you get a glowing summer camp review from a parent or a kid doesn't necessarily mean it's going to get the same glowing review from your kid. Summer camps today are very differentiated from each other. It's not just about rowing and swimming and hiking and campfire songs anymore. If all you know from summer camp is the Bill Murray movie Meatballs, you maybe should be doing even more research after you read this article.

Related information
  • The best time to choose a summer camp is the year before you need it.
  • Choose a summer camp that will hold the interest of your child, not build your idea of character.
 
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One thing we learned the hard way. Get the brochures and then take all the names of all the counselors and type them into google along with the words "myspace". This will give you the myspace pages for all of your child's prospective counselors. I found several where the teens and young adults used terrible language and noted proudly that they abused both drugs and alcohol. One guy had several pictures from PLayboy on his website! Hardly the role models I want spending time with my kids. Make sure you do this. Seriously.

Posted on 08/29/2006 at 1:08:00 PM

Good article. You must be a good father too? :)

Posted on 06/01/2006 at 12:06:00 PM

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