A
past Hudson Valley camp supervisor and father of two, Archie Morris of Walden recently
shared a moment with his daughter and said, when looking at camps, choose a
program that best fits your family’s budget and lifestyle.
These days,
there's a summer camp for every imaginable interest young person has, and
nowhere is that truer than the Hudson Valley. Whether a budding athlete,
artist, scientist, or other specialty, there are sure to be one or more local
summer camps that could be a perfect fit for your child.
But with so
many options, how is a parent to choose? Below are tips on what parents (and
kids) should consider this winter and spring when choosing a summer camp or
activity.
Cost. Kingston resident, Laura
Nordstrom, a former youth development director and mother of two with
experience in running local summer camps, said first-and-foremost, consider
whether the tuition of camps of interest are affordable. Additionally, she
said, that while many camps offer financial aid, requisite paperwork typically
needs to be submitted early in the year.
"Be
sure to sure to pay attention to what types (of financial aid) are available
along with their application deadlines," said Nordstrom. "Planning is
key."
Duration. Former Hudson Valley camp
supervisor, facilitator, and father of two, Archie Morris of Walden, advised
parents to consider how long their children will be away at camp, and choose a
program that best fits not only their family's budget, but also their
lifestyle. 'Stay-away' camps keep children on premises for several days or
weeks at a time, while 'day' camps have campers arriving in the morning and
departing in the afternoon or evening. Some camps also offer half-day options.
Nordstrom said that for parents who need extended camp hours to accommodate
work schedules, they should check on whether the camps offer wraparound care
and its cost.
Philosophy. Parents, said Morris, should
learn the mission statement of the organization being considered for summer
camp and decide if they support it. This line of thinking also extends to a
camp's discipline policy.
READ MORE: Things to know before the first day of camp
"Behavioral
expectations should vary by age group, as 5-year-olds should not have the same
expectations put upon them than 10-year-olds," said Nordstrom. She also
suggested that parents inquire about how a camp handles incidents and
accidents, along with its overall discipline policy.
Staff
training and qualifications. Seek information regarding the quantity and scope
of a camp's staff training practices to paint a more complete portrait of the
folks you will be entrusting to your child's care. Also, many parents may find
it important to know if camp staff is subject to background checks before being
hired. Additionally, if a program has been running for many years, Nordstrom
recommended looking into whether the camp supports the hiring of former campers
as counselors, which she considers a great practice.
"They
know firsthand what it is really like to be a camper," she said.
Facilities. Seeing is believing, said
Morris, so be sure to tour any camps of interest. "In the case of a stay-away style camp,
I can understand that a level of rustic living can be good for building
character, but at the same time, there can be such a thing as too rustic,"
he said. "And regardless of style, parents need to ask themselves, (if the
camp has) adequate facilities to meet the needs of my child."
Size. Morris
recommends that parents find out about the number of campers typically present
during a given session, how much supervision they're given, and how closely
campers are looked after during different points of the day. Camper-to-staff
ratios typically can be requested via phone or e-mail to the camp
organizations' director, as there are state laws that summer programs must
follow in this arena. When regarding camp size and group numbers, Morris said
parents should consider if their child will receive a personalized experience
or end up lost in the shuffle.
Activities.
Look into a camp's activities before enrolling your child in a program, said
Nordstrom. For instance, if a program is academic-based and your child is a
reluctant learner, make sure he or she has 'bought into' the camp's focus and
is willing to take part in activities. Similarly, if your child doesn't like
dirt, bugs, and the outdoors, perhaps a nature camp isn't the best choice for
him or her. As well, if your child isn't sporty, pick something other than an
athletic- or sports-focused camp.
"It all
boils down to planning ahead, researching the camp options, and having
reasonable expectations all around," said Nordstrom.
READ MORE: Hudson Valley Summer Camp Guide
Schedule. See a sample of a camp's
schedule (often it can be found on a camp's website), said Nordstrom, and
decide for or with your child if most of activities appeal to your child. For
instance, is there a lot of free time? If so, does your child need unstructured
time or thrive with a more planned-out day? Additionally, it may be important
to find out how much 'outside time' campers get on an average day at through a
program, as many specialty ones take place in classrooms, and parents need to
decide if their child can handle that. Basically, Nordstrom said parents to
know what is happening, and discuss the camp activities, schedule, and
structure with their child so you are all aware and happy with what he or she
will be doing.
Demographic
dynamics. Flexibility,
acceptance, and an open mind can result in long-lasting summer friendships and
the fond memories, some of the best parts of a camper's experience. With that,
Nordstrom said parents should be sure that their children are aware that they
may have to make new friends in their group because individual friend requests
cannot always be accommodated.
"Prepare
your child to interact appropriately and respectfully towards other campers who
may be different from themselves and/or their friends," said Nordstrom.
Jill Valentino is a wife, mom of two, elementary educator, and lifelong
resident of the Hudson Valley.