FOUR BASIC QUESTIONS
There are four basic questions that you need to answer before you start gathering specific information about overnight camps. If you don’t answer these questions first, you’ll end up with a pile of camp brochures and videos so huge that you’ll need binoculars to see the top.
These focusing questions have to do with what you and your child want from overnight camp. The questions are: (1) Where do you want to go to camp? (2) How long do you want to stay? (3) Do you want a single-sex or coed camp? and (4) What kind of organization do you want? We’ll discuss each one of these topics in turn.
1. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO CAMP?
You’ve got to pick a geographic region before you start gathering information about specific camps. Would you and your child prefer a camp close to home, far from home, or far from home but close to family? Each choice has advantages. You should also consider the unique advantages of certain geographical locations.
Close to Home
Some families pick a camp close to home. The advantages of going to overnight camp close to home are:
You might guess that going to an overnight camp close to home reduces the chance of strong homesick feelings. Surprisingly, that’s not the case for most kids. The number of miles kids travel away from home has almost nothing to do with how much fun they have at camp. Boys and girls who live 7 miles from the camp are as likely to feel homesick as those who live 70 or 700 or even 7000 miles from camp. Being geographically close to home does not make the adjustment to camp any easier or harder. It depends instead on the individual child’s experience and attitude, her family situation, and the camp.
Far from Home
Some families pick a camp that is far from home. The advantages of going to a camp far from home are:
Far from Home but Close to Family
Being close to home or far from home are not the only two options. You can also choose a camp that is far from your home, but close to a relative’s home. For some families, this option is the best of both worlds. You can have all the advantages of going to a faraway camp, but still have the security and convenience of a nearby camp. Some West Coast parents we know send their children to camps on the East Coast, but they chose a camp that is near the grandparents’ house. Typically, the grandparents will pick up the child at the airport and drive him to camp. Of course, it doesn’t have to be grandparents. Any close friend or relative might be able to help your child feel comfortable going to a distant camp. If yours is one of the rare families who has a second home in a different part of the country, then you may want to look at camps near that second home. Whatever the case may be—friend, relative, or second home—your “home away from home” opens up interesting, distant camp possibilities.
Geographical Location
In addition to distance from home and proximity to family, you should consider the unique advantages of certain geographical locations. Certain settings are better suited for certain activities than others. For example, if your child is interested primarily in snorkeling or SCUBA diving, you’ll want to look at camps on the southwest and southeast coasts. If your child is interested primarily in skiing or snowboarding, you’ll want to check out camps in the Rocky Mountains. Although most campgrounds are varied enough to accommodate a wide range of activities, your choice of a geographic location should take into account the region’s special features. Consider the climate, landscape, and bodies of water that your child needs to do the activities she likes, and factor that into your choice of a geographic location. If your finances permit, consider the unique geography of camps outside the United States.
There are four basic questions that you need to answer before you start gathering specific information about overnight camps. If you don’t answer these questions first, you’ll end up with a pile of camp brochures and videos so huge that you’ll need binoculars to see the top.
These focusing questions have to do with what you and your child want from overnight camp. The questions are: (1) Where do you want to go to camp? (2) How long do you want to stay? (3) Do you want a single-sex or coed camp? and (4) What kind of organization do you want? We’ll discuss each one of these topics in turn.
1. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO CAMP?
You’ve got to pick a geographic region before you start gathering information about specific camps. Would you and your child prefer a camp close to home, far from home, or far from home but close to family? Each choice has advantages. You should also consider the unique advantages of certain geographical locations.
Close to Home
Some families pick a camp close to home. The advantages of going to overnight camp close to home are:
• You may have an easier time visiting the camp to evaluate it before you go.
• You can find families near you, whose children attended that camp, who can give you helpful first-hand information.
• It’s less expensive to travel there than to a faraway camp.
• If the camp is in your home state, there may be an in-state tuition discount.
• Your child may have cabin mates from your home town or school.
• Letters will take only a couple of days to get back and forth to camp.
• On visiting days and closing days, parents will have an easier time getting to camp.
• You can find families near you, whose children attended that camp, who can give you helpful first-hand information.
• It’s less expensive to travel there than to a faraway camp.
• If the camp is in your home state, there may be an in-state tuition discount.
• Your child may have cabin mates from your home town or school.
• Letters will take only a couple of days to get back and forth to camp.
• On visiting days and closing days, parents will have an easier time getting to camp.
You might guess that going to an overnight camp close to home reduces the chance of strong homesick feelings. Surprisingly, that’s not the case for most kids. The number of miles kids travel away from home has almost nothing to do with how much fun they have at camp. Boys and girls who live 7 miles from the camp are as likely to feel homesick as those who live 70 or 700 or even 7000 miles from camp. Being geographically close to home does not make the adjustment to camp any easier or harder. It depends instead on the individual child’s experience and attitude, her family situation, and the camp.
Far from Home
Some families pick a camp that is far from home. The advantages of going to a camp far from home are:
• It will give you more choices when choosing a camp.
• Many kids, especially teens, enjoy making long trips on their own.
• It may provide a completely different environment. Depending on where you live, this change in environment could mean big mountains, a lake, snow, warm weather, the ocean, or even a country where English is not the primary language.
• There’s a chance that some of the other kids at camp will be pretty different from your child, which adds some diversity to the experience.
• It may provide an excuse for parents to join their children when camp is over, and add a family vacation to the summer plans.
• Many kids, especially teens, enjoy making long trips on their own.
• It may provide a completely different environment. Depending on where you live, this change in environment could mean big mountains, a lake, snow, warm weather, the ocean, or even a country where English is not the primary language.
• There’s a chance that some of the other kids at camp will be pretty different from your child, which adds some diversity to the experience.
• It may provide an excuse for parents to join their children when camp is over, and add a family vacation to the summer plans.
Far from Home but Close to Family
Being close to home or far from home are not the only two options. You can also choose a camp that is far from your home, but close to a relative’s home. For some families, this option is the best of both worlds. You can have all the advantages of going to a faraway camp, but still have the security and convenience of a nearby camp. Some West Coast parents we know send their children to camps on the East Coast, but they chose a camp that is near the grandparents’ house. Typically, the grandparents will pick up the child at the airport and drive him to camp. Of course, it doesn’t have to be grandparents. Any close friend or relative might be able to help your child feel comfortable going to a distant camp. If yours is one of the rare families who has a second home in a different part of the country, then you may want to look at camps near that second home. Whatever the case may be—friend, relative, or second home—your “home away from home” opens up interesting, distant camp possibilities.
Geographical Location
In addition to distance from home and proximity to family, you should consider the unique advantages of certain geographical locations. Certain settings are better suited for certain activities than others. For example, if your child is interested primarily in snorkeling or SCUBA diving, you’ll want to look at camps on the southwest and southeast coasts. If your child is interested primarily in skiing or snowboarding, you’ll want to check out camps in the Rocky Mountains. Although most campgrounds are varied enough to accommodate a wide range of activities, your choice of a geographic location should take into account the region’s special features. Consider the climate, landscape, and bodies of water that your child needs to do the activities she likes, and factor that into your choice of a geographic location. If your finances permit, consider the unique geography of camps outside the United States.
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