Researching Summer Camps: Get an Early Start on Selecting the Best Fit for Your Child
Already thinking about a summer camp for your
child this year? Here's something to consider
when researching your options. Camp is so much
more than a summer vacation, and can provide
a positive opportunity for growth. It can be
an integral part of a child's educational and
social development. Children learn to challenge
themselves at camp, on levels that they have
never explored. For the first time, they must
leave a familiar environment and encounter
campmates who may have different values or
behaviors than they are accustomed to.
They must learn to negotiate and resolve
conflict. They must learn to deal with stress
in a socially acceptable manner. They must
learn to include instead of exclude. They need
to actively employ the word "control". They
must learn to be responsible for themselves
and others, to assess and differentiate between
appropriate and inappropriate behavior. In
essence, they learn a stronger sense of self.
Camp can provide the background for this growth
in a safe and controlled environment.
How can parents find the right program that
will successfully support these opportunities
for their children's growth?
- Talk to other children and parents. Referrals
from other families with camp experience
are a great way to get the real scoop. Remember,
it is sometimes difficult to recognize when
your child may need a different program than
his or her best buddy.
- Search the Internet. The
Internet is full of camp "Yellow Pages" that
offer links to a camp's Web site. Top sites include the American
Camping Association , the KidsCamps.com ,
and Tips on Trips and Camps .
For Houston specific camp listings and referrals, check Houston Family's online
directory , or try the Summer Book .
- Attend Houston Family's annual
Camp Fair . This year's Camp
Fair will be held Feb. 26 at Houston
's Museum of Health and Medical Science,
1515 Hermann Drive . Parents can learn
about all the different kinds of summer
camps available for Houston kids, as
well as meet and greet directors and
counselors from camps all over the
city and state. Click
here for more information, or
call 713-266-1885.
- Talk to camp directors. Each
director should have a clear sense of what
children should gain from their experiences
and how to go about teaching these skills.
If the director cannot adequately answer
your questions about camp philosophy, home
communication, supervision or safety, then
it's probably not the right camp for you.
Camp can be the experience of a lifetime. Explore the options available
for your children. With so many diverse programs available, you're certain
to find one to meet your family's needs. Happy camping!
Jenny
Wolkowitz is the St. Louis consultant
for Tips on Trips and Camps. Now
the mother of three children, in
her earlier years she was a day camper,
an overnight camper, a counselor,
a teen tour participant and a teen
tour leader. She studied abroad in
college and has traveled extensively
throughout the world.
For free consultations on camps,
please call Jenny Wolkowitz
at (314) 432-8642 or e-mail
her at jenny@tipsontripsandcamps.com
Tips on Trips and Camps can be found
on the Web at www.tipsontripsandcamps.com
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