Lots of Options
There are day and residential kids summer camps that offer great sports programs like basketball, football, tennis and soccer. If your child is a dancer or an artist, there are camps that offer excellent courses. Some children prefer academic pursuits like computers, math, science or history. Others may love nature and want to study flora and fauna in a wilderness environment. Some may just like to play with other children and prefer the activities of more traditional camp environment. Chose you child’s camp with their interests in mind.

The Cost Factor
Cost is another factor in any parent’s decision to send their child to camp. The prices of camps vary widely depending on whether the program is day or residential and the type of activities offered. When considering the cost, remember that if your child has to be in a day care program, that too, will cost money. Consider the cost of day care against the cost of camp. There may not be much difference and camp can be a lot more fun.

Special Needs Camps
Don’t discount kids summer camps if your child has special needs. There are very good programs available for special needs children. Some programs may even offer scholarships for parents who cannot afford the camp. If your child has asthma, diabetes or allergies, check with camps you are considering to see if they are equipped to deal with these special circumstances.

Use the Internet
You can find the right camp by searching the Internet. Many local and national programs have websites. Search by type of camp, age of participants, residential or day camp, location and any other factors you wish to consider. Your child will enjoy their camp experience more if you take the time to choose the camp that will suit them best.

If you are fortunate, your child may have spent a few nights away from home at grandparents’ or friends’ homes. If not, you should arrange for some sleepovers before sending them to overnight camp. If they feel assured that it is alright to spend the night away from mom and dad, and that mom and dad will pick them up when they say they will, they should have no problems dealing with overnight summer camp.

Some children may still feel insecure after the first or second day at camp. If the camp allows children to make or receive telephone calls, arrange to speak to your child. Make sure that you are available at the time you promised to call, or expect their call. Speaking with a parent can allay the fear of abandonment that some children have.

To a young child, a week can seem like a life time. If your child is enjoying his new surroundings and activities, he will probably not miss his parents as much. Children who continue to be troubled may have to come home. It isn’t fair to disrupt the sleep of other campers and counselors with a child who is inconsolable.

Know your child. If your child is young or exceptionally clingy, now may not be the time to send him to overnight summer camp. Some children need a little more time to grow up than others. You are sending your child to camp so he will have learn new skills, make friends, and have a good time. If he can’t enjoy himself away from mom and dad, he probably should wait another year for this experience. Try a day camp this year instead.

Some children may have only a vague idea of what summer camp entails. Arrange a time when your child can meet other children who have enjoyed a positive camp experience.

You might want to consider getting a book or two about summer camp for your child to read. There are books at Amazon for almost any age group about both day and overnight camps.

Big “No-No’s” at summer Camp include:

• Electronic games, iPods, cellphones, and electronic gear: Most camps discourage or prohibit these items because they are unnecessary distractions. Summer camps like Camp Albermarle of Newport, NC have banned the possession of such items while in camp.
• Pets: Leaving a newborn puppy for one entire week may be heartbreaking, but camp is no place to begin training it. Leave the pet snake, pig, gerbil, turtle, bird, or cat at home. The Science Central summer camp in Fort Wayne, IN has activities that are mostly held indoors. These activities require constant interaction and research with different campers. Bringing in a pet to this or other camps may cause distress and limit full participation in camp activities.
• Non-prescription medications: The camp nurse will supervise the use of prescription drugs and provide over the counter medications as needed. Keep her informed about your child’s special needs.
• Perishable snacks: Most camps already have enough critters without bringing them into the bunkhouse.
• Money and jewelry: Some camps may permit a small amount of money for the camp store but most prohibit bringing money or other valuables.
• Matches and other potentially dangerous items: Leave the guns and ammo at home! Some camps will permit a pocket knife but none will allow matches or fireworks.

Somethings that might be forbidden by one camp may be essential for another more specialized camp. A photography or media camp may require a digital camera, while a sports camp may require specific athletic equipment. If you aren’t sure if a piece of essential gear will be provided by the camp, ask before making an expensive or unnecessary purchase.

Gather Information
Once you have identified the right camp for your child, it’s time to start making some lists. While getting ready for camp isn’t quite as complicated as planning a wedding, there are some things they share in common. They both have work with a timeline, other people’s schedules and requirements, buying the right clothing and gear, and relaxing and enjoying the event itself.

Before you do anything go to the camp website and start jotting down a list of what you need to do get your child ready for camp and when you need to do it. The timeline for registering, initial and final payments, medical forms, and permission slips is already set. You just need to follow it.

If the camp doesn’t have a website, you can make some calls, send an email (it’s hard to imagine a camp that doesn’t even have email), or write them (via snail mail). Most camps have some sort of brochure or printout. Local city, church, scout, and school camps are easy to contact.

You can always talk to the Camp Leader who supervises both the camp staff and the campers. Premier camping programs like the YMCA has a specific adult camp leader assigned for each cabin or activity. They can provide you with a list of items to pack for camp. If you child needs new shoes, sneaker, swimsuit, etc, be sure to buy them far enough in advance for the child to break them in.

Create a Personal Packing List
You can see a somewhat typical packing list at the Dubois Center website. While not every camp will require the same things, most will require some of the items. If you aren’t sure, ask your camp staff in advance. Dubois Center is a church run camp and requires or encourages certain behaviors. Its list of what not to bring is also interesting: nothing illegal or dangerous, nothing that harms the environment or attracts vermin, or nothing that violates its religious principles. Nothing unexpected here but many campers may resist giving up their radios, iPods, Nintendo games, or cell phones.

If you take the time now to get organized, you will find life a lot easier as the camping season approaches.

Actually, this is a decision that is going to shape our child in many ways for years and perhaps the rest of their lives.  Did you spend any time in a summer camp whenever you were a child?  You probably either remember it as being some of the more enjoyable times that you ever spent or you remember it with unpleasant feelings. 

Regardless of how you spent your summers as a child, however, finding the best summer camp for your child is going to make a large difference in how well they will enjoy it or not.

The first thing that you really need to consider is what your child wants to do a camp.  Although you are going to have the final say as far as that is concerned, it is always helpful and beneficial if you take your child’s opinion into consideration.  Your idea of what the best summer camp is may differ greatly from what your son or daughter’s image of  the ideal camp.  It is not always necessary for you to bend to the point of breaking in this regard but it certainly wouldn’t hurt for you to meet them in the middle somewhere.

You should also keep the camp philosophy in mind as you research various possibilities.  Since your child is going to be molded to a certain extent by the camp program, you want to make sure that the camp’s philosophy of education, sportmanship, and child development are a good match for your own. There’s no point in confusing your child by teaching them one thing at home and then exposing  them to a radically different set of standards whenever they are away at summer camp.

Of course, there are a number of other things that you need  to consider  when choosing from the best summer camp for your family. 

• Day or overnight camp
• Traditional or specialized camp
• Single sex or co-ed camp
• Cost per child and per session
• Location and distance from home
• Size of the camp grounds
• Number of children attending a typical session
• Age range of campers
• Experience of camp staff

 You should also look for a list of references that would let you know how other parents felt about the camp once their children were finished attending it for the summer session.