So Now is the time to find the best Kids Summer Camp for your child. As a parent you will need to do your homework to be sure that your child experiences a physically and emotionally safe time at camp while providing fun and an opportunity to personally develop. So lets start with the basics: do some internet research then call the camp director of all camps you're interested in. Be sure to inquire who licenses the establishment. If the State does? Understand, each state have different levels of inspection with many states require little to no annual inspection.
The American Camp Association, is a voluntary organization that camps pay a fee to belong. This membership also ensures that the summer camp you are looking at has passed over three hundred standards. These include: health, safety, facilities, programs and staffing with an on site inspection every 3 years. There are no guarantees that selecting an ACA will be the best for your child, but you greatly improve the chances.
Because, becoming an American Camp Assn. members require cash and and a huge commitment to meet the stated standards, good programs may not have an ACA accreditation and poor programs might be accredited but changes are greatly reduced when you select an ACA camp.
So the bottom line, parents need to do the research up front. Hit the web and find your top 4 or 5 camps. Then get the information package. next it's time to call the Directors and be sure you feel comfortable with how they run their camp. Here are a few questions to consider
What's the camp's philosophy? Is it a good match for your child's temperament? Is it one you're comfortable with as a parent? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? If it's a camp run by a religious organization, what religious observances or practices are part of the program? If you're looking at a sports camp that touts an affiliation with a celebrity athlete, how much time--if any--will the sports star actually spend there?
How does the camp recruit, screen and train its staff? It is important to note that once you feel comfortable with the director, that does not mean he will be living in a cabin with your child. Camps hire staff, usaly college kids. So feel free to ask these questions. Do counselors have criminal background checks? First aid training? How are they trained and for how long? When are kids alone with staff?
What medical staff work at the camp and what backup facilities are nearby? While most states have regulations for camps, there is no federal oversight of camps' health and safety. The ACA recommends that an overnight camp have a licensed physician or registered nurse on the site every day, and that day camps should have direct phone access. If your child takes medication, has food allergies or a chronic medical condition, be sure you are comfortable that the camp will be able to handle your child's needs.
Picking the right Summer Camps takes work. Use Summer Camp Advice as free information in selecting the right camp for your child.
The American Camp Association, is a voluntary organization that camps pay a fee to belong. This membership also ensures that the summer camp you are looking at has passed over three hundred standards. These include: health, safety, facilities, programs and staffing with an on site inspection every 3 years. There are no guarantees that selecting an ACA will be the best for your child, but you greatly improve the chances.
Because, becoming an American Camp Assn. members require cash and and a huge commitment to meet the stated standards, good programs may not have an ACA accreditation and poor programs might be accredited but changes are greatly reduced when you select an ACA camp.
So the bottom line, parents need to do the research up front. Hit the web and find your top 4 or 5 camps. Then get the information package. next it's time to call the Directors and be sure you feel comfortable with how they run their camp. Here are a few questions to consider
What's the camp's philosophy? Is it a good match for your child's temperament? Is it one you're comfortable with as a parent? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? If it's a camp run by a religious organization, what religious observances or practices are part of the program? If you're looking at a sports camp that touts an affiliation with a celebrity athlete, how much time--if any--will the sports star actually spend there?
How does the camp recruit, screen and train its staff? It is important to note that once you feel comfortable with the director, that does not mean he will be living in a cabin with your child. Camps hire staff, usaly college kids. So feel free to ask these questions. Do counselors have criminal background checks? First aid training? How are they trained and for how long? When are kids alone with staff?
What medical staff work at the camp and what backup facilities are nearby? While most states have regulations for camps, there is no federal oversight of camps' health and safety. The ACA recommends that an overnight camp have a licensed physician or registered nurse on the site every day, and that day camps should have direct phone access. If your child takes medication, has food allergies or a chronic medical condition, be sure you are comfortable that the camp will be able to handle your child's needs.
Picking the right Summer Camps takes work. Use Summer Camp Advice as free information in selecting the right camp for your child.
About the Author:
Swift Nature Camp is an Science Summer Camp for boys and girls ages 6-15 who love science, nature and being outside. Its a great place for first timers or teens alike, take a look.
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