Thinking about summer camp for your child? There are many different ways to begin your camp search to find the right camp for your child.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the process of finding a camp, but if you sit down and think about what kind of experience you want your child to have, what type of camp you are looking for and how long you would like your child to attend camp, you can start to narrow down the choices even before you begin your search!
Once you do your research and narrow down the choices, make sure to involve your child in the process. You want your child to be excited and making them part of the process will go a long way in having their buy in.
Websites & Social Media
Heard about a camp? Checking out a camp’s website and social media is a good starting point. Take a look at who the leadership team is, what activities are offered and what the philosophy of the camp is.
Look at posted videos to get a sense of what the camp is like. But don’t end your search on the website. Make sure to connect with the camp director and have conversations before just registering your child for camp!
Talk to the Camp Director
Whether this is done at a camp fair, by Zoom, on the phone or in person while touring, one of the most important parts of your camp research is to talk to the camp director at a camp you are interested in.
When you choose a camp, you are forming a partnership with the director and you want to make sure you feel comfortable with them. Clicking with the camp director and feeling that you can be open and honest with them is imperative when choosing a day or overnight camp.
Touring
One of the best ways to get a feel for a camp is to tour the camp. Day camps offer tours all year long and overnight camps tour during the summer into the fall. Touring allows you to see the facilities and ask questions about the camp while in the camp environment.
Touring during the summer allows you to see camp in action which can give you a good feel about how the camp is run. If you are considering overnight camp for 2023, set up a few tours at camps you are interested in.
It’s helpful to have an initial conversation with the camp director before scheduling a tour to be sure the camp is potentially a good fit for your child before traveling to see a camp.
Camp Fairs
At camp fairs, families can walk from table to table to find out about all the different summer camp options. The fairs allow families to talk to multiple camp directors all in one day to compare various camps and gather information. Find out about New York Family’s camp fairs here.
Camp Open Houses
Many day camps and some overnight camps offer open houses in the spring and fall so families can have a chance to visit the camp. During the open house, the camp will offer activities and provide families with a chance to walk around camp.
These days are fun ways to visit the camp and give you the opportunity to talk to the camp director and leadership team in the camp environment.
Home Visits
Since it’s difficult to tour overnight camps in the off-season when camps are closed, camp directors are happy to do home visits to get to know your child and family.
Home visits give both the camp director a chance to see if the camp would be a good fit for your family and for you to get a feel for the camp director. If you are more comfortable with a Zoom, you can set up a zoom call with your family as well.
Word of Mouth
It’s good to talk to friends and neighbors about where their children go to camp and to learn about their child’s camp experience, however, parents want to make sure to do their own research when it comes to choosing a camp. While one camp might be a perfect fit for one child, it might not be for another.
