Best Camp

For Your Child

IN THE BAY AREA WE’RE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE of summer camps to choose from for our children. Whether you’re looking for a day or sleepaway camp, one that focuses on the performing arts, science, or whatever else your child is passionate about, it more than likely exists in our region.

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Which Type of Camp Would Best Suit the Needs and Interests of Your Child?

The opportunities that summer camp provides are endless: the ability to try new things, the chance to make new friends, and the prospect of gaining independence are just a few. Consider the possibilities:

DAY CAMPS typically serve children ages 3-15. Session lengths typically vary from one to eight weeks. Some camps offer up to ten weeks of programming. Before camp and after camp programs are offered for an additional fee at some day camps.

OVERNIGHT (also referred to as Resident or Sleepaway) Camps usually serve children ages 6-18. Campers stay at camp for one to eight weeks, depending on the camp’s session length.

GENERAL CAMPS offer a broad range of activities. Many provide campers with the opportunity to focus on one or a few areas while encouraging them to try a variety of others. It is sometimes possible to explore an activity or interest in depth within the context of the whole program.

TRIP & TRAVEL CAMPS involve outdoor exploration through active sports like biking, hiking, climbing and canoeing. Campers spend most of their time traveling and preparing to travel.

SPECIALTY CAMPS are based in day or resident settings. Popular options for specialization may include horseback riding, the arts, sports, computers, or travel. Programming revolves around intensive exposure to the specialty area.

CAMPS FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS serve specific clientele like children or adults with particular medical conditions, disabilities, or special needs. Some camps focus on campers who share very specific diagnoses, while others are geared to meet a broader array of needs at any one time.

RELIGIOUSLY-AFFILIATED CAMPS offer religious education formally and informally. Review materials carefully for explanations of how religion influences a camp’s culture to find one with the balance that best matches your family’s own values and beliefs.

FAMILY CAMP SESSIONS include family members of all ages from grandparents to infants. Accommodations vary, as do program options and session length. The focus is on being together as a family—to learn, to relax, and to enjoy new experiences and adventures.

In fact, the only downside to having so many options is that it can truly feel like an exhausting search to find exactly the right fit for your kids. We want them to be happy. We want them to feel comfortable. And, most of all, we want them to be safe. But how does a parent really know he or she is making the right choice? Read on to find a wide range of information that will answer your checklist of questions in terms of how to best decipher the information in all of those brochures and how to make the most of an informational visit. You’ll have better peace of mind and, chances are, your kids will have one incredible summer.

Be Prepared

Before you start scheduling camp interviews, research all of the options that appeal most to your family, then weigh the pros and cons of each (you can even grade them on a points system if you like). After you’ve compiled a list in order of interest, start eliminating some. You don’t want to drive yourself crazy going on interviews for camps that aren’t really all that appealing to you. It’s a waste of your time and theirs. Once you’ve ruled out camps that don’t meet your essential search criteria or expectations, begin exploring the details of each option you like. Sometimes the filtering process yields too many camps to interview personally; sometimes it doesn’t yield enough. Adjust key variables, such as location and session length, to narrow or expand the number of options on the results page. Use the results page to go directly to camp websites.

Get Organized

Camp interviews may feel a bit tedious at times, especially depending on how many you plan on talking to, but they are so necessary in determining how your child might fit into the environment. Go into each interview armed with knowledge of your pros and cons so that you have your questions firmly planted in your mind. How does the camp convey who they really are and reflect the world they’ve created exclusively for a child’s benefit? Camp seekers can learn so much from a close look at camp websites, brochures, photos, videos, FAQs, newsletters, social media and camper or parent testimonials. In fact, many camp websites are a gateway to most pieces of camp information on this list, from video content to downloadable brochures and forms, all reflecting the camp’s culture.

Camps are much more than lists of activities they offer; they are vibrant educational communities – and no two are exactly alike. There is probably not just one perfect camp for your child. More than one camp may turn out to be a great fit, given your search criteria, so the interviewing stage will most likely factor into your final decision and help you to pinpoint the camp. So, how do you decide between two (or a few camps) with comparable activities, location, schedules, amenities and price?

Enough research will provide answers to your questions without you having to utter a single word. Camps try to anticipate what families need to know and provide this information online. You’ll want to use interview time to ask questions that haven’t already been answered – questions that explore the fit for your child.

Running low on time? Interviews with some camp head honchos may already be available online. You can also consult with friends who’ve previously met with the camp for information you never even realized you might want. Look for an interview with the example, you might see photos on the website or on Facebook showing the salad bar or a cabin group sitting around the table with food served family-style. This might spark a question about camp food and how your child’s dietary needs can be met. Or, combing through the part of a website developed exclusively for parents of overnight campers might enable you to understand the camp’s plan and suggestions for communicating with your camper. Perhaps reading the director’s blog from last summer or looking at newsletters might give you some insight into the camp’s philosophy and culture.

BE YOUR CHILD’S BEST ADVOCATE

You’re the expert on your child! What aspects of his personality might affect the camp fit? (Your child is shy and cautious in new situa tions, for instance. Or your child needs to have a certain amount of time to practice music, sports or academics.) 

Submitted by American Camp Association.