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HOW TO CHOOSE A CAMP - A GUIDE FOR PARENTS

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DAY CAMPS

There are special questions to ask when considering a day camp:

• Is the camp accredited by the American Camping Association? ACA has specific day camp standards.
• What training does staff have in young child safety, supervision, counseling, problem solving, etc.
• What extra charges are involved for:
  • Transportation
  • Overnights
  • Swimming lessons
  • Food service
  • Horseback riding
  • Group pictures
  • T-shirts
  • Field trips
• If transportation is offered, where is the closest pick-up spot? Is there an "express bus" before or after camp?
• If before- and after-camp extended care is offered, who is with the children and what activities take place?
• Is lunch served or do campers bring their own sack lunch? Are snacks and drinks provided?
• If the camp offers swimming, is it recreational only, or are swimming lessons available?
• Are campers in a group with a counselor all day? If campers are free to go from one activity to another without being supervised, who do you talk to if you have concerns about your child?
• Is an open house offered before camp starts so that you can meet the staff counselors and van/bus driver?
• Are parents allowed to drop by for visits?

Though location, timing, price, facilities, and activities can be easily communicated in camp advertising, as a parent, you want to ultimately learn about the people who are responsible for the camp's policies and operation: Camp Directors and Operators. These professionals and their staff will be guiding, supporting, entertaining, and educating your child, so you'll want to ask important questions and discuss key topics in order to make the best choice possible.

CAMP PHILOSOPHY

A camp's philosophy is the overall purpose and how it impacts on all areas of camp life. For instance, the importance of competition can vary widely from camp to camp. Some Camp Directors feel that experiencing competition is a natural part of life and emphasize this idea in sports and other activities. Others work in non-competitive ways to foster a greater sense of cooperation and interdependence.

CAMP DIRECTOR'S EXPERIENCE

The American Camping Association (ACA) minimum standards require that Camp Directors hold a bachelor's degree, have 16 weeks of camp administration experience, and have completed in-service training within the previous 3 years. A Certified Camp Director (CCD) has met the ACA's requirements and has successfully completed a Camp Director Institute.

STAFF REQUIREMENTS

Camp staff should be trained in safety regulations, emergency procedures and communication, behavior management techniques, child abuse prevention, appropriate staff and camper behavior, and specific supervision procedures.

Ask the Camp Director how they screen their employees. Staff members will be looked up to and depended on by campers for physical and emotional support and must be qualified to assume this important position.

The American Bar Association's Center for Children and the Law recommends that organizations rely on more than one means to identify child predators. All youth organizations should be instituting a number of screening procedures that evaluate the background of applicants and their acceptability to work with youth. The Camp Director should be immediately sensitivity to your safety concerns. Directors should be able to explain if they use criminal background checks, screening procedures for return staff, and what other screening methods they use, including face-to-face interviews, character references with non-relatives, and work history checks.

ACA accredited overnight camps require the following staff ratios:
•  One counselor for every 6 campers ages 7-8
•  One counselor for every 8 campers ages 9-14
•  One counselor for every 10 campers ages 15-17

Day camp requirements are:
•  One counselor for every 8 campers ages 6-8
•  One counselor for every 10 campers ages 9-14
•  One counselor for every 12 campers ages 15-17

ACA recommends that at least 80% of the counselors and program staff should be 18 years or older and at least 20% of the administrative and program staff possess a bachelor's degree. Staff should be at least 16 years old and two years older than the campers.

Most camps have 40-60% of staff returning from last year. If the rate is lower, find out why.

REFERENCES

Ask the Camp Director for references. Ask other parents about their children's camp experiences. Find out if the children seem comfortable talking about their experiences with staff and campers, and are going back the next summer. Ask if the parent was pleased with the communication they received from the camp. Ask these parents for the names of other parents and children who may have attended the camp.

RULES & DISCIPLINE

Positive reinforcement, assertive role-modeling, and a sense of fair play are generally regarded as key components of camp counseling and leadership. Rules are necessary in any organization and the disciplinary approach taken should be reasonable and well communicated. If penalties are involved for violations, they should be applied quickly, fairly, calmly, and without undue criticism to campers.

SPECIAL NEEDS

Ask the Camp Director about any special assistance your child may require. Is there a nurse on staff? A place to store insulin or allergy medicine? Are special foods available for campers with restricted diets?

PARENT-CAMPER COMMUNICATION

Under which circumstances will the Camp Director will call you? If your child needs to stay in the camp health lodge overnight or go to town to see a doctor? Will they call if your child is running a fever? How does the camp handle homesickness and other adjustment issues? Will they call if your child seems unhappy? Can you send and receive e-mails from your child? Can you call and talk to the child during his/her time at camp? Know that many camps understand the task of learning to live apart from one's parents for a short time when under good supervision, and may discourage direct contact during the session for that reason. It is important that you feel comfortable with the director's responses and assurances that you will be contacted if it is necessary.