Camp Expo Program Guide 2020

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Fun Fair&

D F M RE IS E SI O N

Camp Expo

!

2020

Sunday, February 16 10am - 3pm DoubleTree Hotel 29 North (next to Sam’s Club)

FREE PARKING

Find the Perfect

SUMMER CAMP Enter for a chance to W IN Beats Solo3 Headphones!

Entertainment • Popular Giveaways • Fun for the Kids & Teens

Over a Dozen New Camps!

Special thanks to our sponsors!

DAY CAMP Open to the community • Licensed Year-round professional team Safe, kid-friendly campus Preschool to middle school Indoor and outdoor activities Weekly themes Learn to swim at camp!

SPECIALTY CAMPS EARLY BIRD SAVINGS

15% OFF TUITION REGISTER IN FULL BY JAN. 31

10% OFF TUITION REGISTER IN FULL BY FEB. 22

NEW Robotics and Coding Camp NEW Maker’s Camp Animal Planet ARTastic Camp Marvels of Science Football Camp Epic Chefs Cooking Camp Say Yes to the Mess Outdoor Camp Register Online: acac.com/camp

| 434.978.7529

Live your best.

T C D E N I F PERF ER M M E U S H T AMP 10 Questions to Ask Before Deciding

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BY CLAIRE YEZBAK FADDEN 4

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

As the daylight hours begin to stretch into early evening and the calendar pages head toward June, parents start thinking about how to best fill their child’s summer days. The process of picking the best camp experience for your child doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, by taking the time to talk with your camper and answer these few questions, it can be as easy as 1-2-3.

You can turn your child’s school vacation into weeks of camaraderie, fun and discovery, and enjoy your summer as well, knowing that your child is spending part of his or her days learning as well as being entertained.

1) Is my child old enough to go to camp?

What camps are best suited to his or her age? “Ask your child: Are you interested in going to camp?” says Peg L. Smith, former CEO of the American Camp Association (ACA). “This is a family decision, and the best way to determine if your child is ready is to learn firsthand if they want to go.” To make for the best, age-appropriate experiences, camps breakdown their programs by age groups (4–7, 8–10, 11–13 and 14–16). This helps in choosing the right camp for your child’s maturity.

2) How much will it cost?

Depending on what your expectations are, sending your child to camp can be a very affordable enrichment option. According to the ACA, there is a wide range of price options available that depend on the choice of camp, the facilities offered and your camper’s needs. For budgeting purposes, parents can plan on an average day camp fee of around $43 per day and an average residential camp fee of around $85 a day. Remember that camp fees may be tax deductible as childcare expense.

Ask your tax advisor to see if you qualify.

3) What are my child’s interests?

“There are traditional camp experiences that include campfires, telling camp stories and lots of free, unstructured play,” says Smith. “There are also specialty camps that offer martial arts or swimming for example, as a way to sample a sport before making a longer commitment. Offer your child a few options to choose from as a way to find out what new interests he may have.”

4) Where can I find out about all the options?

Whether it’s traditional day camp, specialty camps or residential camps, there are lots of options available. Visit the CharlottesvilleFamily.com Online Summer Camp Fair page for lots of information about local camps. You can also visit acacamps.org and click on “Find a Camp.”

5) What’s an average day like?

The daily schedules of each weeklong day camp vary. Some run from early morning until late afternoon (with extended day care, if desired). Others offer a combination of half-day or full-day sessions. At a residential camp, you can send your child for the entire summer or select a few weeks here and there.

6) Whose camping experience is it anyway?

“Too often, we get kids in camps that their mom or dad wanted them to attend,” says camp counselor Shawn. “I can’t stress enough the importance of choosing camp activities that your child is interested in,” he adds. “If your daughter doesn’t want to play soccer, you’re better off enrolling her in a different camping experience.

Everyone will be much happier by the time the end of the summer rolls around.”

7) Can your camper use more exercise?

Summer camp is a chance to move your child away from video and computer games and introduce him or her to a new sport—maybe one that will hold their interest throughout the year. According to Smith, 63 percent of campers who learn a new activity continue with it after camp ends. “Campers use this opportunity to get outside, turn off all those electronic devices

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

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and reconnect with nature.” Smith adds, “It’s a chance to see if your child can develop a jump shot or learn to pirouette.”

8) Why is it important for the camp to be accredited?

Accredited camps have met the industry requirements in the key aspects of camp operation, program quality, and the health and safety of campers and staff. These camps comply with appropriate standards and counselor/camper ratios. To find out if a camp is accredited, visit acacamps.org and click on “Find a Camp” or call 800-428-2267.

9) What else can my child learn at camp?

There’s another kind of education that goes on at camp says Christopher Thurber, author of The Summer Camp Handbook. It’s a place for kids to “relax and learn life skills—such as making friends and playing fair—that will serve them and the people whose lives they touch.” Thurber adds, “At camp, young people bond with positive adult role models whose integrity and leadership-by-example tower over those of celebrities or sports heroes. High-quality camps are places where young people not only realize their potential in athletic or artistic pursuits; they realize their potential to do good in the world.”

10) Will my camper have fun?

“Fun should rule during June, July and August,” reminds Counselor Shawn. Even though parents want every experience for their children to be worthwhile and educational, its important to remember that it’s summertime, and there’s a lot of learning that happens while you’re having fun.

Award-winning freelance writer Claire Yezbak Fadden is the mother of a former camp counselor.

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CharlottesvilleFamily.com

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

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s n o i t s e u Q p m a C

p u d n u o R

Make the most of the CharlottesvilleFamily Fun Fair & Camp Expo with these great questions for program directors and camp counselors:

• What is your camp’s philosophy or mission?

• Where is your camp?

• How much does your camp cost?

• When are the sessions and how long do they run?

• Does your program have day camp and/or residential camp options?

• What age groups are represented, and in what percentages?

• Where do your campers come from? Are they local, national or international?

• Is the program coed? If so, what is the approximate ratio of boys to girls?

• Who is the camp director, and what is his or her background?

• Who are the camp staff members? How are staff members trained?

• What is the ratio of campers to staff members? Does that ratio change during different activities or during different times of the day?

• What are your medical facilities like? Is there a nurse or doctor on staff?

• What kind of living/eating/recreational facilities does your camp offer?

• How are behavioral problems handled? What is the camp policy regarding discipline?

• What are the safety regulations? What kind of supervision is provided?

• What is the daily schedule like at your camp? How much free time is there?

• Can the camper have visitors?

• What kind of communication is allowed—mail, phone calls, etc.?

• How does your staff handle homesickness?

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE... ...whether your kids love art, robots, swimming, horses or adventure sports!

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CharlottesvilleFamily.com

Visit

BUMBLE’S D CAMPGROUN

games for awesome and lots to do ens! for kids and te

n i 0 0 0 , 1 Oveoror Prizes!

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or the Enter f Win to Chance lo3 o Beats S es! hon Headp

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

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spring break camp offered, too!

April 6-10

Making a Camp Care Package

• Games like Apples to Apples or Heads Up • Stationery & stamps • Photos of pets & family • Drawings created by younger siblings or friends • Batteries • Word jumble puzzles • Toothbrush • An iPod loaded with a playlist of your child’s favorite songs • Favorite stuffed animal • A journal • A paperback book or some magazines • Stickers • Temporary tattoos • Bug spray • Lip balm • Travel size shampoo, lotion and other toiletries 10

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

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Sponsors CharlottesvilleFamily - 1

81

73

72 71

60

Chincoteague Bay Field Station

70

61

Camp Hidden Meadows

The Front Porch

Oakland School

Ferrum College Summer Enrichment Camp

Camp Rim Rock

59

58

57

56

55

74

Blue Ridge School

75

82

ALOHA Mind Math Triple R Ranch

76

83/84

77

85

78

Virginia Basketball Academy VABA

79

86

80

62

Camp Twin Creeks

63

Clayborne Education

64

YMCA Camp Silver Beach

65

Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA

Exhibit Hall Annex

Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline

Exhibit Hall Annex

Health Connect America

9

£

NBC29

Restrooms Hallway Exhibitors* (see directory at left)

£

KidsCollege @ PVCC

42 Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center 40 Live Arts 20 Living Earth School 34 Mahogany Ridge Dog Training Camp 43 Mercersburg Academy Summer Programs 44 Monticello Education Summer Adventures 76 Mountaintop Montessori Summer Programs 27/28 Oakland School 58 Piedmont Family YMCA 23 Piedmont Regional Education Program / Parent Resource Center 68 Rocky Top Climbing 45 Sam’s Camp for Applied Engineering-Miller School 36 Scott Wagner Chiropractic & Sports Medicine 19 SOCA 18 Southeastern Therapy for Kids 46 Spectrum Summer Programs at Tandem Friends School 31 STEAM Discovery Academy 13 The Front Porch 56 Triple C Camp 15/16 Triple R Ranch 86 UpLevel Martial Arts 48 Village School AIM True Arts 41 Virginia Basketball Academy VABA 85 Virginia Festival of the Book 63 Virginia Outside & Virginia Fishing Adventures 50 Wilderness Adventure at Eagle’s Landing 47 Wildrock 69 Wilson School of Dance 62 Woodberry Forest Summer Programs 39 Woodworking with Children 64 YMCA Camp Silver Beach 72

£

Albemarle Montessori School 78 ALOHA Mind Math 82 Astro Camp, Camp Motorsport & Camp CHOP 52 Bath Fitters 80 Blue Ridge Children’s Museum 81 Blue Ridge Irish Music School 67 Blue Ridge School 55 Boar’s Head Sports Club 26 Camp4Real 22 Camp Alleghany for Girls 49 Camp Arrowhead 37 Camp Blue Ridge 12 Camp Friendship 29 Camp Hidden Meadows 61 Camp Holiday Trails 65 Camp Horizons 53/54 Camp Invention 17 Camp Mont Shenandoah 14 Camp Rim Rock 59 Camp River’s Bend 33 Camp Twin Creeks 70 Camp Yogaville 79 Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA 73 Charlottesville Orthodontics 32 Charlottesville Parks & Recreation 24 Chincoteague Bay Field Station 60 Child Development Labs @ UVA 77 Clayborne Education 71 CVille Rocks Climbing Camp 21 DMR Adventures 38 Ferrum College Summer Enrichment Program 57 Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline 74 Health Connect America 75 Heartland Home Food 35 Horizons Edge Sports Camps 30 Hunt Test Preparation 25 Jubilee Chiropractic 51 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) 66

Monticello Education Summer Adventures

Exhibitors

Child Development Labs @ UVA

Media Sponsors WVIR-TV NBC 29 - 9 Z95.1 Charlottesville Radio Group - 8

Albemarle Montessori School

Silver Level Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream - 83/84 The Little Gym - 10/11 Pediatric Associates of Charlottesville - 4

Camp Yogaville

Gold Level ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers - 2 Carter Mountain Orchard

& Chiles Peach Orchard - 3

Bath Fitters

Blue RIdge Children’s Museum

Lobby

69

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66

8 Information Lost & Found & Door Prizes!

Fun Fair& Camp Expo2020 37

36

35

34

30

31

32

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Horizons Edge Sports Camps

Spectrum Summer Programs at Tandem Friends School

Charlottesville Orthodontics

Camp River’s Bend

CVille Rocks Climbing Camp

Live Arts

Scott Wagner Chiropractic & Sports Medicine

21

Camp Friendship

Exhibit Hall Hunt Test Preparation

Piedmont Family YMCA

Camp4Real

25

24

23

22

20

19

12

13

14

15/16

17

18

Camp Blue Ridge

STEAM Discovery Academy

Camp Mont Shenandoah

TripleC Camp

Camp Invention

SOCA

12 10/11

Charlottesville Parks & Recreation

1

3

2

Balloon Station

7

4

Sponsor Pavilion

Main Entrance

53/54

38 29

52

Mountaintop Montessori Summer Programs

Living Earth School

51

Boar’s Head Sports Club

Heartland Home Food

50

27/28

Sam’s Camp for Applied Engineering - Miller School

49

39

26

Camp Arrowhead

48

40

41

DMR Adventures

Southeastern Therapy for Kids

Camp Horizons

Woodberry Forest Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center Summer Programs

47 Wilderness Adventure at Eagles Landing

AstroCamp Camp Motorsport Camp CHOP

Village School / AIM True Arts

46

Jubilee Chiropractic

45 Rocky Top Climbing

Virginia Outside & Virginia Fishing Adventures

44 Mercersburg Academy Summer Programs

Camp Alleghany for Girls

43 Mahogany Ridge Dog Training Camp

UpLevel Martial Arts

42 KidsCollege @PVCC

Bumble’s Activity Station

5/6

Welcome Table

Bumble’s Campground Fun Zone

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

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Ready for Sleepaway Camp?

Take this quick quiz to see if your child is ready for residential camp this year. Answer each of these questions on a scale of 1–5, with 1 representing “never” and 5 representing “always.”

1. My child stays overnight with grandparents or with friends without tears and anxiety.

2. My child willingly asks adults other than me for help.

3. My child willingly eats food other than what I cook.

4. My child easily warms up to new situations and people.

5. My child enjoys a wide range of experiences.

KIDSCollege

6. My child makes friends easily.

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June 1-August 7 • Rising 1st–9th Graders

Register today at: www.pvcc.edu/kidscollege

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ARTS: Sculpture, Shadow Puppets, Dance, 3D Art, Music, Photography & more.

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CharlottesvilleFamily.com

KidsCollege @PVCC • June 8–Aug. 7 KidsCollege@Fluvanna • June 1–12 KidsCollege@Louisa • June 15–25 NEW! KidsCollege@Albemarle • June 22–July 10 NEW!

7. My child keeps track of clothes, money, school supplies and homework.

If you answered a 4 or 5 for most of these questions, your child will likely thrive. If there are one or two trouble spots, don't worry too much. Camp just might help your child learn to keep track of things or try new activities more easily. If most of your responses are 1, 2 or 3, you might think about delaying sleepaway camp for a year or two.

Be sure to give your child a realistic idea of what camp life is like. If your child seems reluctant, don’t push. Overnight camp isn’t right for everyone, and there’s always next year.

Marc & Anna Lise

More info : Z951.com

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

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A big “Thank you!” to this year’s sponsors!

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