Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Summer Camp

by Sandra Gordon

Open spots at summer camps can go faster than a Popsicle melts on a sweltering day. Still, for your child’s well-being and your own, it pays to get picky and do your homework.

Before taking summer camp virtual tours, “know what you want,” says camp director, Sam Doescher, who runs a day and resident camp for boys and girls ages eight to seventeen. Ask your child what he or she is looking for in a summer camp. What do you want from that camp experience for your child? What about location: Do you like woodsy, beachy, or lake-type surroundings?

Of course, the cost can be a major deciding factor. But beyond that, we asked camp directors for their top questions to ask that can help you know when you’ve found the right summer camp for your childor if you need to keep looking.

What will my child do there?

Many camps will say they offer something for everyone - from basketball, theater activities, music, sports, horseback riding, archery, robotics, rock climbing, arts and crafts, or water sports. Still, to narrow your camp selection, determine the camp’s main activities. Your child might want archery but is not much of a fan of water sports. Archery could be a small portion of the activities scheduled and your child might be swimming, fishing, canoeing, etc., for much of the time.

Is the camp accredited?

American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation signals that a camp has met or exceeds all state camp requirements. ACA requirements mandate staff-to-camper ratios of one to eight for six to eightyear-olds and younger. ACA accreditation requires documented background checks and certifications.

“When you add that layer of documentation, there’s a lot more work involved,” Doescher says. “If they are going to go through that legwork, they want to make sure they have a top-notch camp.”

Does the camp have a philosophy?

The answer to this question can help you get a sense of the camp’s overall mission. Traditional summer camps can provide the opportunity to build friendships, foster a sense of independence, develop social skills, try new things, and learn how to fail in a safe and structured environment.

“Our philosophy is we provide campers a noncompetitive environment with which they can grow and enjoy their camp experience,” Doescher says.

Other camps may have an even more specific mission. Some camps focus on helping campers learn respect and responsibility, take reasonable risks, and reach out to other campers who need help. Some examples of this might include requiring campers to make their bed every day, take out the trash in their cabin (with a daily inspection), and get out of their comfort zone by taking reasonable risks. (That might be reaching the highest point on a huge climbing wall.)

“We also use fun as the delivery mechanism to teach critical thinking, creativity, leadership skills, confidence, and communication,” says counselor, John Bailey. “Counselors have meaningful conversations.”

Does the camp have many returning campers?

A decent retention rate - of at least 50 percent - signals that campers are satisfied enough to want to come back. Ideally, the camper retention rate should be 60 to 70 percent, advises Doescher. Ask about returning counselors, too. Again, a decent camp counselor retention rate should be 50 percent or greater.

What qualifications do the counselors have?

At the best camps, “all counselors should have to undergo a background check, be vetted through the national sex offender database and have been trained to report any sort of sexual abuse,” Doescher says. From a water safety perspective, at least 75 percent of the staff should be lifeguard and CPR certified if your child will be spending any time in the water. Ideally, senior counselors should be high school graduates and above; head counselors should be graduating college seniors, college graduates, or graduate students.

How does the camp handle meals?

If you have a picky eater, be sure the camp has plenty of meal-time options, such as buffet-style meals, a variety of food stations, or cereal always available. If a food allergy is a concern, ask about the camp’s food allergy policy and practices, such as how far the PB and J station is from the nut-free table in the camp cafeteria. For food in general, review the camp’s sample online menus and check out the camp’s food philosophy. Some camps will feature only fresh ingredients, from-scratch cooking, or “healthy” foods. At other camps, not so much.

What do campers do on rainy days?

Most camps will probably list ten or so special planned activities for bad-weather days, particularly if the camp is located where it might often rain. But you also want to listen for indoor facility options, such as a gym and a recreation hall. Sitting under a tree in the rain playing UNO may build character, but rainy-day activities, such as skits, arts and crafts, and games are just more comfortable inside.

What happens if my child gets sick or injured?

Ideally, a nurse should be on site from early morning until bedtime, then on-call through the night, with counselors trained to dispense medications and first aid as backups. If your child has asthma, your child can be expected to bring two epi-pens and inhalers: one to be stored in a locked cabinet in the nurse’s station and the other to be carried around with your child, depending on your child’s asthma condition. Other medications will likely be locked and stored in the nurse’s station and dispensed by the nurse or a trained counselor each day.

Will my child be allowed to bring a phone?

The answer to that can vary depending on the camp’s policy. It’s up to you to decide how off the grid you’d like your child to be. At some camps, no electronics are allowed, including in camper cabins.

“Campers are just in there to sleep,” says camp counselor Bailey. ”Other camps, may allow the use of the camp’s computers at the facility but not their phones.

What does this camp offer others don’t?

Many camps now offer trendy features, such as a GaGa pit, a water mat, an indoor arcade, and robotics classes. But innovative camps will offer something extra special such as a signature activity that campers will hopefully come to associate with the camp years later. At Doescher’s camp, it’s learning to roll logs in the water.

There are camps all over the country and the world. Maybe going a little further afield this year will take your child out of their comfort zone. But they may also learn skills that will support them for a lifetime and make friends they would never have found if they had stayed close to home. 