Advice For Parents

Being home alone did not work out so well for Macaulay Culkin. He should have gone to camp alone instead. One of the greatest benefits of the camp experience is the opportunity for a child to make lasting friendships in a new and different environment. For children to take advantage, it is best if camp is not a gathering of friends from home, sharing the same cabins and choosing the same schedules. Going to camp with friends can prevent a child from fully acclimating to camp life...

Summer camp is a wonderful adventure for campers. But sending kids to camp requires a leap of faith from parents who are leaving their child with camp counselors for two weeks. It is important to know that camp staff are screened and train extensively before campers arrive. Most camps require an application, references, interview, and criminal background check including a check of the sex-offender registry, and after that, a week, sometimes two, of on-site pre-camp training. Staff is...

Camp directors work hard to portray the benefits their camp can provide to children. Camp offers the opportunity to make friends, to experience the outdoors, to “just be a kid” for a little while, to learn a hobby or sport…the list goes on and on. It’s printed on the brochure, posted on the website, talked about during introductory visits. But what stretches the list even further is the intangible and often unanticipated “gifts of learning” that...

Independence, self-confidence and resilience are all hot topics in the world of child development today. According to research by the American Camp Association, a positive camp experience can help a child become more independent and responsible, develop greater confidence, and grow resilient in addition to learning leadership, social and communication skills, and all while having fun. What can parents do to ensure their child derives the maximum benefit from their camp experience? View...

Fewer kids are going to camp for the entire summer, mainly because of the large number of opportunities available to them. Many camps that have one- or two-week sessions with the option to attend three weeks or more, are finding that a majority of campers opt for shorter stays, while camps that offer operate on a four-, six-, or eight-week session are having to work extra hard to fill sessions. There is also a trend of campers arriving late or leaving camp early because of other...