camp
How to Easily Plan for Your Child’s
A month-by-month timeline to get you organized and prepared By Jess Michaels
I
t’s not too early to think about day or sleepaway camp. It can be overwhelming to decide how to pick a summer camp for your child, and it often seems like there is an endless list of things to do before your kids can actually go to camp. How do you pick the right camp? What should you ask the camp director before sending your kids away for the summer? What should you pack your kids for their time at summer camp? To get started with the camp planning process, the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey suggests the following month-by-month timeline with ways to plan for your child’s summer camp experience. Is it time for camp yet?
» Talk to camp directors. Speaking with the camp director and asking some key questions is a good way to find out about a camp’s philosophy and see if it matches your own. Get to know the camp director through phone calls, correspondence, and in person. Make sure to give the director an accurate picture of your child and what your specific goals are for their camp JANUARY experience. » Make camp part of a gift. Instead of purchasing another toy for your child, make camp a holiday, birthday, or other special occasion gift. » Prepare your child for overnights. If you are considering sleepaway camp, schedule sleepovers with friends and relatives and make sure these overnights are successful. If your child feels panicked and needs to come home in the middle of the night, they may not be ready for sleepaway camp.
» Share positive messages. As camp approaches, talk to your child about the camp program and the activities they will be participating in. Let your child APRIL & MAY know you are confident in their ability to have a successful camp experience.
» Pack together. If your child is going to overnight camp, pack together. Your child will feel more secure if they know what they are bringing to camp. Use this time talk with your child about how much fun JUNE camp is going to be. » Mail a letter to camp. Send a letter to sleepaway camp, so your child has a letter the first day they are at camp. Let them know how much fun they are going to have at camp.
» Schedule home visits and attend camp fairs. These are both good ways to get to know a camp director and a camp program. Ask about the camp’s mission statement and what type of child is sucFEBRUARY cessful at camp. Camp fairs bring dozens of camps to a community & MARCH and provide parents the opportunity to speak 1-on-1 with many different directors in one day. Often, a camp director will come to you for a home visit, which allows you to get to know the director and for the director to get to know your family.
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January/February 2022 | nymetroparents.com
Camp season is here! Jess Michaels is the director of communications for the American Camp Association. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two daughters.
JULY & AUGUST
