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One Day at a Time
How to Choose a Day Camp
By Gregory Keer
If there is ever a reminder that a parent's calendar has nothing to do with the date at hand, let me welcome you to camp season. While most kids won't hit the pool before mid-June, their moms and dads are already mulling over which camps to send them to in mid-winter. Just check the parenting magazine camp sections and camp fairs being run all over your town, if you don't believe it. Certainly, you can hold off on choices for a few weeks or months (depending on the popularity and capacity of the camps under consideration), but the whole selection process is daunting for many people.
Here are a few suggestions to make your day camp choices easier.
Ask Your Kids
Camp should be about fun. This is a chance for children to blow off steam, try new things and do the things they love to do in the great outdoors (or in well air-conditioned indoor places). So ask your kid where she wants to go for camp. She may want to go with friends or to a certain camp with the activities that appeal to her. Get the lowdown from your child first, to shape everything else. Ask Around
Of course, your child's request is not the only criteria you need to bear in mind. You still have homework to do, such as asking other parents, even other kids about where they've gone or will go to camp. You can read brochures and Web sites that will present lots of information, but nothing tells you about social interaction, age-appropriateness of activities and quality of staff like a fellow parent or your kid's friends. Be sure to get a few opinions since someone may have had a bad experience (or great experience) that was unusual or unrelated to one you may eventually have. Take a Tour