If your children are anything like mine, they’ve been enjoying summer day camps since they were old enough to attend. And chances are, they will also be eager to try a sleepaway camp at some point! It’s not for every kid (or parent), but if it’s something you and your child are open to — and excited about — I’ve got some tips to find the right summer sleepaway camp for your kid.
I started looking into sleepaway camps when my son was 8 and would be turning 9 the next summer. I’d heard about a nearby camp where many kids from our town went for a week or two. But I knew right away I wouldn’t send my child there. I hadn’t heard anything bad about the place, but I thought my son would do a lot better going to a camp where he didn’t already know a bunch of kids.
So I ventured into the depths of the internet. Having heard that Maine is well known for wonderful camps, I Googled “sleepaway camps in Maine.” And that was the beginning of my very successful quest into what is now our family’s sleepaway camp of choice — the camp I see my kids growing up with and maybe even counseling at one day.
I was fortunate to find our camp pretty easily, in part because I have learned to trust my intuition, and in part because I came into this knowing what I was looking for (and I happened to find it pretty quickly). Not all parents are as clear on what to look for, so I hope these tips will help you find just what your kid needs to have the time of their life at sleepaway camp and to feel like they’ve found a home away from home.
Make sure the camp is legit
Look for camps that are accredited — at least in their home state, if not nationally. The American Camp Association is a great place to look.
Trust longevity
Make sure the camp has been in operation for a good amount of time. It’s telling if a camp has been around for years, as it shows families are happy there and are returning summer after summer. I personally liked that our camp of choice has been around since the 1960s.
Choose a location that meets your needs
Not all camps are created equal, and, in my opinion, some key elements are a good-sized lake, beautiful woods, and lots of space for recreation and activities — a campus, if you will. Think about whether you’re open to a long drive to get to and from. If you don’t mind venturing somewhere like Maine to drop off and pick up, I highly recommend looking there. Remember, often times we parents are the ones who worry about sending our kids far away, not them. And the right camp will take extremely good care of your kids no matter where it’s located.
Learn whether the camp’s values align with yours
Scour the camps’ websites to learn about their history, style, mission, and values. If diversity is important, for example, check the photos on the camp’s websites and social media. Are the campers and staff diverse? (Also, are the photos stock photos or real, candid pictures from recent summers?) Our camp is steeped in a history of inclusivity and acceptance. Their values are clearly stated on their website, and it feels like everyone — from those running the camp to the newest staff — is always learning, evolving, and adjusting to be the best version of themselves.
Evaluate the cost carefully
Consider the cost as it relates to your family’s budget and to who will likely be attending. Our camp offers a tiered tuition approach, where families can choose to pay one of three possible amounts based on financial capacity. Tier 2 is the “true” cost, so to speak, while tier 1 offers a lower cost for those for whom the true cost would be prohibitive, and tier 3 offers a higher cost for those whose means allow them to help support the camp and ensure more children from families with varied economic capabilities can attend. (Nobody knows who paid what, so everyone at camp is seen as an equal, there to make friends and memories to last a lifetime.)
It’s never too soon to start doing your research, whether you want to give it a try next year or in a few years. For our family, sending our kids to camp in Maine has been a godsend. They love it there, and they go with no “baggage” from back home — nobody knows if they’ve been bullied or if they peed their pants in the classroom back in kindergarten, for example. Now that my youngest has started going as well, it’s so wonderful to know my kids have each other when they’re away at camp. Give it a try, and don’t be afraid — it’s going to be great!
