How to Choose a Camp
With more than 12,000 camps in the United States, choosing one
may seem overwhelming. However, selecting the right program often
boils down to knowing your options and asking the right questions.
The American Camping Association (ACA) offers the following
guidelines when choosing a camp to help ensure that it is an
experience your child will cherish for a lifetime.
Ask the Right Questions
Below are some important questions to ask the camp director, as
well as the answers you want to hear.
What is the educational and career background of the camp
director?
The camp director should possess a bachelor's degree, have
completed in-service training within the past three years and have
at least 16 weeks of camp administrative experience.
What is the camper return rate?
While every camp is clearly not right for every person, a large
number of returning campers usually indicates a high level of
satisfaction with the camp's programming and operation.
How old are the counselors? What percentage are return
counselors from past years? What qualities, certification and
experience does the director look for in staff?
Among the counseling/program staff, 80 percent or more should be
18 years or older. Any counselor under 18 must be at least two
years older than the camper they are supervising. Some staff
turnover is natural, but most camps have between 40 and 60 percent
of staff return each year. If the rate is lower, find out why.
What is the ratio of counselors to campers?
The ratio should be based on the ages of the campers and their
special needs. Severely mentally disabled campers require a ratio
of one staff to one camper. Non-disabled resident campers require
one staff for every six campers ages 6 to 8; one staff for every
eight campers ages 9 to 14; and one staff for every 10 campers
ages 15 to 18. Day campers require one staff for every eight
campers ages 6 to 8; one staff for every 10 campers ages 9 to 14;
and one staff for every 12 campers ages 15 to 18.
What is the camp's program philosophy?
Some promote competition and healthy rivalry among camp teams,
while others encourage cooperative learning. Knowing your child's
personality and learning style will help you select a camp with
the appropriate philosophy.
What are the safety and medical accommodations at the camp?
If your child has special needs, are programs, accommodations and
facilities adequate?
What is the transportation system?
Find out what type of vehicles are used (typically it's vans or
buses) and how often they are inspected by qualified mechanics.
Ask the director to describe the camp's driver training and
ongoing safety awareness programs.
Ask if it will be possible to visit the camp before enrolling your
child. Ask for names of camper families to contact for their
impressions of the camp.
Is the camp accredited by the American Camping Association?
ACA-accreditation verifies that a camp has complied with up to 300
standards for health, safety and program quality which are
recognized by courts of law and government regulators. At least
once every three years, an outside team of trained camp
professionals observe the camp in session to verify compliance. If
a camp you are considering is not ACA-accredited, it is important
to find out why.
Camp Is For Everyone
These days, there are camps to meet every interest, price range
and schedule. Knowing your options, as well as your child's
personality, will help you identify programs that your child will
benefit most from.
Resident Camp
Most offer a variety of programs for ages from about seven on up.
The majority are coed, but camps for girls or boys only and camps
specializing in a particular program are also available. Resident
camps offer varying overnight accommodations such as cabins, tents
and tepees.
Day Camp
Similar to resident camps except campers are somewhat younger
(starting at about four years-old) and everyone returns home at
the end of the day.
Specialty Camps and Programs
Campers can embark adventures as varied as learning how to ride a
horse to how to race a car. If your child has an interest, chances
are there is a camp that specializes in it.
Special Needs Campers
A physical, medical or mental disability is not a roadblock for a
camp experience. Each year more than a million special needs
children benefits from summer camp. Some camps specialize in
serving certain groups while other camps integrate special-needs
campers into the total camp population.
Session Lengths Vary
Children may stay at camp for a few days, a few weeks or the
entire summer. At camp, there's a session length for every child,
budget and schedule.
Cost
Camp remains a very affordable option for most everyone. Fees can
range from $15 to $120 per day, depending upon the choice of camp,
the facilities offered and the camper's needs. Many camps and
other organizations offer financial assistance based on need.
For more information on the advantages of early registration
and the benefits of the camp experience, please visit the ACA web
site at www.ACAcamps.org
or call 1-800-428-CAMP.
Founded in 1910, the American Camping Association is a national
community of camp professionals and is dedicated to enriching the
lives of children and adults through the camp experience. ACA is
the only organization that accredits all types of camps based upon
300 standards for health and safety.
© American Camping Association
|
