Advice For Parents

As camp season nears, campers and parents will be thinking about shopping and packing for camp. What do you bring and what do you leave at home? Most camps will send a suggested packing list to assist you with specific clothing needs.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your camp. We’re all very happy to help make sure you and your camper are ready for a fantastic summer...

The reward for the late summer nights, the constant unanticipated events that occur with 500 people on grounds, and the occasional headaches and heartaches with campers and staff, are the thank-you letters I receive from parents every year.

Each letter, like each camper, is unique. However there is a constant thread from letter to letter: “My kids really grew up while at camp.”

Parents have often asked me our...

If your camper is off to resident camp for the first time, you need to know that campers love to get mail. Here are a few tips about letter writing to be sure your camper’s mail brings out a smile instead of an onset of homesickness.

1. Be positive in the letter. Write about what you want to hear about on Visiting Day or after camp ends — a new song, new friends, or an activity your camper was excited about.
2. ...

If your child has special needs or unique circumstances, you might think that the process of finding the right summer camp falls anywhere on a scale from mildly terrifying to completely overwhelming to absolutely impossible. You might even think that, at best, you are looking for a camp that will “let” your camper come, or one that will expect your child to do all the trying when it comes to fitting in with the world around them. But relax, because it...

Looking for a summer camp that is a perfect fit for a family is a daunting task. There are thousands of wonderful residential camps. Before coming up with a list of questions to ask a camp director, decide which type of camp is best for the child by answering these questions:

1. Is the camper more suited for a single-gender or a co-ed camp, uniform or non-uniform, competitive or non-competitive, specialized or all-around, or traditional or atypical...