Tips for Choosing Summer Camps for Kids

It’s that time of year again to start thinking about which summer camps your kids are going to attend this summer! Summer camps are a great way for your child to spend some of their time during the summer. They get a chance to engage in and learn different activities than they have at home, get a chance to get away from screens, and explore both their interests and their independence in a safe, controlled environment.

It’s also a great way for kids to make new friends! The memories and friendships made at summer camp are some of the sweetest from childhood.

With so many different options for camps, it can be a little overwhelming trying to decide which camp to send your kids to. Here are four tips for how to choose the right summer camp for your kids!

Tips for Choosing Summer Camps for Kids

  • What Are Your Child’s Interests?

Making sure you find a camp that lines up with your child’s interests is one of the first things to consider. Think about the kind of activities that your child likes, research some different camp options, and then talk about them with your child. See which ones they like the sound of the most.

  • What Safety Precautions are in Place?

Making sure summer camps have the right safety precautions in place shouldn’t just be a given. Make sure you do your research–have one-on-one conversations with the camp organizers, find out if the staff has gone through all the necessary security measures, and talk to other parents whose children have already participated in the same camp.

  • What is Your Budget for a Summer Camp?

Expensive summer camps don’t necessarily mean they are better or safer than less expensive ones. Figure out what works for your family’s budget and then find a camp that fits within that and offers a lot of substance. 

  • Day Camp or Sleep-Away Camp?

The last factor to consider is whether or not you want to send your child to a day camp or a sleep-away camp. Day camps are a great place for younger kids to get used to camps and being away from home. They are usually half-day setups, so kids know that being away from home will only be temporary each day; this is also a great way for parents to wade into the water of summer camps if they are nervous about sending their kids to camp. 

Parents of older kids might consider sleep-away camps. Determining if your child is ready for a sleep-away camp is up to each family and unique to each child, but a good age range to start considering sleep-away camps is around 10-12 years old. Most kids around this age are usually ready to spend a few nights away from mom and dad.

 

Remember, summer camps don’t have to be all about learning something new academically–kids need time to just be kids, too. Finding a camp with lots of opportunities for fun is great for your kids, so make sure you factor that in when you are choosing a summer camp for your kiddos this year!