Choosing the right camp

Camp is about trying new things, making friends and, most of all, having fun. But choosing a camp that suits your child’s interests and abilities requires following a few key steps.

Is Your Child Ready?

Before investigating camps, make sure your child is ready to attend. School age kids can usually transition well to day camp, but overnight camp is a bigger change that requires a certain amount of maturity and independence.

You can help your child prepare for overnight camp by taking them on a weekend camping trip, or arranging sleepovers at family’s, or friends’ homes. Also, when you narrow in on specific camps, find out if they offer short-term trial sleepovers.

“Many camps run a one- or two-night overnight session to give younger children an introduction to residential camp, so if a child is anxious about being away from home, this is a good starter,” says Harry Edwards, president of the Canadian Camping Association.

If you’re the one who’s anxious about how your child will adapt to overnight camp, “get over it. It’s not about you. It’s about your kids,” says Steve Paikin, author, documentarian and host of TVO’s flagship current affairs program The Agenda, who says he gained lifelong friends and an important mentor from camp. “And if you pick the camp that is the best fit for your children, you’ll never regret it.”

Plug Into Your Child's Interests

Name a hobby, interest or activity, and chances are that there’s a camp that offers it—but it takes knowing your child’s strengths and abilities to make the right choice.

“Parents need to take an active interest in their children’s likes and dislikes and try to match up programs specific to their child’s needs,” says Brian Ezako, executive director of the Manitoba Camping Association.

Will your child thrive in an environment where they can do a mix of activities and learn new skills? If so, a general or traditional camp may be the way to go. Alternatively, if your child would benefit from a more specialized experience, consider camps with a particular thrust, such as outdoor adventures, computers, horseback riding, education, or martial arts. Involve your child to the extent that is appropriate for their age in deciding how they will spend their summer.

Investigating Camps

Once you hone in on a few camps, visit their websites to learn more about them and to view pictures and videos, and ask the camp to send you an information package. See if the camp has a Facebook page—it may reveal a lot about its culture and participants.

Schedule a conversation with the camp director, and use your list of critical camp factors to help you ask the right questions. Ask the director for referrals to other families who have been to the camp, or check your own network for such leads to get first-hand insights about the camp.

Start exploring camps about a year in advance, as some camps start accepting registrations in September. This will also provide the opportunity to check out the camp in action the summer before.

Next Steps

You have finished your camp research and made a choice with your child—but before you register, make sure you read the fine print on all the camp’s policies.

After you register, review any emails or mail the camp sends before the season starts about activity schedules, special event notices or other pertinent information.

“If your child is anxious, build on the positives,” Edwards says. “Talk about all the fun and exciting things they’re going to do and all the new things they’re going to learn at camp.”