Summer Camp in February? It is Never Too early!

February 1, 2006

St. Louis Women's Journal

Even though the calendar says it's February, summer is just around the corner.

By Shawn Moriarty, Edited by Daniel Sarno

For thousands of children, summer means one thing – summer camp! Summer camps offer children a chance to meet new friends, try new activities, learn new skills, spend time outdoors, and grow as individuals. Parents around the country have already started the overwhelming task of finding the right camp for their children. With hundreds of camps to choose from, where should you start your search and what should you look for when deciding on a camp?

 

A good first step in selecting a camp is to visit the American Camp Association (ACA) website at www.acacamps.org. The ACA is an organization dedicated to promoting safe and dynamic camps across America. The ACA sets accreditation standards, covering all aspects of camping, from food service to staff training, to programming and facility safety. Accredited camps are reviewed and inspected every three years. On the ACA website you can easily search over 2,700 accredited camps around the country based on location, activity, special needs and camp name. In addition to the ACA website, other parents, whose children have attended summer camp, are excellent sources of knowledge and support.

 

Once you have a few prospects, collect information from camp websites, brochures and videos. Spend time with your child reading the material and creating a list of questions. Call the camps and get the answers you are looking for. Be sure the camp is licensed and accredited, and find out how their medical procedures work. Make sure each staff member is trained in first aid and CPR, and that certified lifeguards monitor all water activities. Ask specific questions about the staff: How are they hired? Do they get background checks? What is the training process? What is the camper to counselor ratio? Attend an open house, typically held in late spring or schedule an individual tour of the property. There is nothing that answers questions better than actually seeing the facility, giving both you and your child an opportunity to see the cabins, the dining hall and the activity areas.

 

After getting the information you need and choosing which camp is right for your child, the next step is registration. There is a lot of paper work and often deadlines for getting information to the camp. One of the most important forms is the medical form. Camps require that you have a physical for your child on file at camp, which needs to be conducted within 12-24 months of your child starting camp. Often your child's school physical will be enough. A camp legally cannot have a camper on site without this form. As summer approaches many doctors get swamped with requests for camp physicals, so make sure you get it done early. It is important to read through the material you get from the camp after you register, often called the "parent packet."

 

Once your child is registered for camp, it is time to take other steps to help ensure your child has a great experience. First, talk to them about their expectations for camp and what activities they might want to do. This will make it easier for your camper to choose when they get to camp. Make copies of all the forms and bring them with you when you check in, as forms can get lost in the mail. Label your camper's clothes and belongings, so lost and found items are easier to return to their rightful owners. Do not send expensive clothes or electronics. Most camps do not allow electronic devices (including cell phones) and there is a good chance that these items could get lost or damaged.

 

It is a good idea to send mail early to the camp, or bring it with you to check in. Campers really enjoy getting mail! Homesickness is a common worry for new camp parents, but it is normal and usually mild. A few suggestions to help alleviate this condition: arrange to have your camper in the same session with a friend; do not tell your camper that they can call and you will pick them up - you will likely be coming back to camp rather quickly; ask the camp staff to check on your camper and let you know how they are doing. Camps will work with parents on strategies to make a camper's experience a positive one and the camp staff is trained on a variety of methods to help with homesickness.

 

Making the decision to send your child to camp can be tough, but going to summer camp can be the experience of a lifetime for a camper. Question the camp, your friends and your child. Do your research and give your child a wonderful experience that will help you both grow as people. See you around the campfire!

 

About the Author:

In over 25 years of camping, Shawn Moriarty has held almost every position at camp.  Shawn grew up at camp, starting day camp at 6 years old, and missed only one summer at camp while teaching English in Japan. Shawn began his YMCA career at YMCA Camp Jewell in Connecticut in 1994, but has also worked at private camps in Minnesota and Connecticut. Beginning at the YMCA of the Ozarks in 1999, he worked first at Program Director to Trout Lodge, then Leadership Director overseeing adventure and teambuilding programs, and finally assumed the role of Camp Director of Camp Lakewood from 2004 until 2007. Since 2007, Shawn has been affiliated with YMCA Camp Jones Gulch.

In addition to spending summers working at camps, Shawn has spent the last 23 years working in the field of experiential education. He has worked with private ropes course companies, resorts, schools and Outward Bound, running experiential adventure programs for youth, adults and corporations. Shawn has a great love of the outdoors and feels that camp is the place where people can have fun, be themselves and learn life-long lessons. Visit his website: www.asinglefootstep.com.

 

This article originally appeared in the Feb/Mar 2006 edition of the St. Louis Women’s Journal.

 

If you would like to know how the YMCA of San Francisco’s Camp Jones Gulch serves campers in the Bay Area, contact Daniel Sarno, Resident Camp Director at 650-747-1200, or visit our website:

www.campjonesgulch.org


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