A summer camp can be an excellent way for your kids to discover some new skills and develop their talents. However you should take time in order to choose the most appropriate camp that will suit your kid’s needs. In this article I will be providing some practical guidelines on selecting summer camp in order to make your life easier.
Camp Objectives
The first thing that you will need to settle on is the objectives of the camp. Why are you sending your kids there? For instance if you are looking for a camp that will help boost your kids spiritual life, you will want to find something that is coherent with your own religious belief. You might want to have a look at the camp’s brochure and mission statement in order to find the philosophy behind the camp.
Cost of camp
Your budget is also an important component of your decision process. Whatever camp you choose you will have to make sure that it suits your budget. The cost of the camp will depend on the length of the camp. As a rough guideline a two-week camp may range from $1000-$4000 while a 9 weeks camp may reach around $11000.
Counselors and Staff
You might also want to enquire about the counselor that will take care of the kids. This is why it might be an important thing to go for a camp that is accredited with an outside body such as the ACA for instance.
You should make sure that there are enough counselors to care for all the kids that will be present during the whole camp. According to the ACA there should be 1 counselor for every five kids ages 4 and 5; 1 counselor for every six kids ages 6 to 8; 1 counselor for every eight kids ages 9 to 14; and 1 counselor for every 10 campers ages 15 to 17.
Feedback
It might also be a good idea that you ask for feedback from friends and relatives that have been to the camp before. This will provide you with a better understanding of what you can expect from the camp. You should not hesitate to ask the camp director for some references.
Saving money on your camp
At this point I may want to share some tips on how you can save money on the summer camp. First of all you might want to register early in order to benefit from an early-bird discount. There are also some scholarships that are available and again registering early can boost your chance of being qualified.
If you have another child you might want to register both of them in order to get some additional discount.
There are also some payment facilities that are offered by certain camps and that may prove quite advantageous for you. Instead of having to pay the whole fee in one-go you will be able to do it in installments.
Conclusion
Whatever camp you might choose for your kids you should make sure that your kid will enjoy it. Make sure that you involve him in the decision making if you want to ensure his well-being.
About the Author: Charles Borromeo is the writer behind Justice-Explained.com, a site devoted to explain legal questions in layman’s terms. He is also a passionate blogger during his free time.