Oct/090
Day Camps Arenâ??t Just for Little Kids Anymore
A common thought among parents is that day camps are for â??little kidsâ? while overnight (or sleepaway) camps are for older ones. That may have been true in the past, but nowadays, nothing could be further from the truth.
Day camps, where kids spend the day at camp and then return home each afternoon, have grown by over 90% in the last 10 years. Day camps have traditionally carried the label of appealing to young children, but that reputation is no longer valid as day camps now offer a myriad of camp activities designed to appeal to older kids.
What kinds of day camps are available for older kids and teens? You name it! A recent search of â??day campsâ? on Google returned nearly 20 million results!
Thatâ??s 20 million!
Does your child want to learn to surf? Try a surfing day camp. There is one in Los Angeles, California called Aloha Beach Camp that specializes in surfing and aquatic sports activities for older kids. Itâ??s called the Aloha Beach Camp High Action Camp program. If your child is under 8 years old, they are too young to attend the camp!
Is your son or daughter an aspiring chef? Why not send them to a cooking day camp? Just go online and type in â??cooking camps for older children.â? When we did that, we found one that specializes in cooking camp activities for 10 to 13 year old boys and girls!
It doesnâ??t matter if your kids are young or old â?? there is a day camp program designed just for them. And even if they are among the older set, they will surely find lots of other kids their same at camp and make lifelong friendships with them.
Thatâ??s what day camp is all about!
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Jul/090
How to Find an Aquatic Sports Summer Camp
What’s the best way for your child to be safe, have fun and beat the summer heat? Sign them up for a water sports or aquatic camp!
Summertime and aquatic activities go hand-in-hand. According to Theresa Torrone, a volunteer for the American Camp Association (ACA), “Water sports camps are one of the fastest growing segments of the specialty camp field within the summer camp industry as a whole. There’s a water sports camp for kids and teens everywhere.”
Also known as aquatics sports camps, water sports camps generally offer surfing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, boogie boarding, body surfing, parasailing, swimming, inner-tubing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, boating and related activities.
What if your child doesn’t have previous experience with these activities? Torrone says not to worry. “Most water sports camps accept kids from every aquatic background, so your child can participate and enjoy the activities safely and have fun no matter what.”
To cover your bets, however, Torrone says to “always check with the camp director first just to be sure.”
Sometimes parents think a water sports camp is out of the question if they don’t live close to the ocean. But Torrone says your kids can still get the full benefit of attending a water sports camp no matter where you live.
“Some of the premier water sports camps in the country use lakes, reservoirs and pools as their primary activity base. The ocean is fun, but it’s definitely not essential to enjoying a premier aquatic camp experience.
“For example, jet skiing, wakeboarding and fishing camps often take place at lakes or rivers. They don’t require a beach or ocean for kids to have fun.”
When asked about surfing camps, Torrone said, “I suppose if you want to learn to surf, or attend a surf camp, you’ll need to find a water sports camp at the beach. But even if you don’t live by the beach, you can go to an overnight surf camp. There are a number of them across the country.”
To find a list of water sports camps, Torrone suggests contacting the American Camp ACA. “The ACA’s a great resource. Whether you’re looking for a surf camp, jet skiing camp, wakeboarding camp, or just a swimming camp, the ACA can provide you with a list of accredited programs all over the country.”
Torrone says you can also look on the Internet. “If you want a surf camp, SurfCampSearch.com, a free online surf camp directory. If you want an all around aquatic sports camp experience, including surfing, try Aloha Beach Camp in Los Angeles. And last I checked, ussportscamps.com and localsportscamps.com also have comprehensive listings of water sports camps everywhere so you can find a great program.”
Whatever camp you choose, it’s always wise to involve your child in the decision-making process. “If your child is involved in picking the water sports camp they’ll eventually attend,” she said, “they’re going to end up loving it that much more.”
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Jul/090
How to Choose a Summer Camp
Choosing the right summer camp for your child can be a challenging and sometimes overwhelming task. Since there’s a seemingly endless variety of choices to consider, matching the ideal camp to your child’s interests, personality, and busy schedule can be daunting. Furthermore, as a parent, you have the responsiblity of ensuring the camp you choose for your child is operated in a safe and appropriate manner for your child’s age and skill levels.
The following is a camp selection checklist for parents to consider when considering summer camp opportunities for their kids:
1. Identify the camp’s program emphasis.
Every camp has a different philosophy and program emphasis. Some camps promote structured group activities, while others give campers more individualized freedom to pick and choose the individual activities that appeal to them. Some camps offer strictly traditional activities, while others may focus exclusively on sports, drama, or surfing. Or, maybe your child would flourish in a competitive camp environment whereas another child would be better off participating in non-competitive camp activities. By knowing your child’s personality, interests, personality traits, and learning style, you can better identify the right camp for you.
2. Confirm that the camp is accredited by the American Camp Association.
In order to earn accreditation by the American Camp Association (ACA), camps must comply with up to 300 best-practice industry standards relating to camper health, safety, supervision and activity planning and execution which are crucial to a camp’s operation.
3. Ask about the camp director’s background.
To ensure that the camp director is qualified, make sure he or she meets the minimum standards set forth by the ACA. Such standards recommend that camp director holds a bachelor’s degree, has in-depth experience in camp administration, performed in-service training during the last three years, and is at least 25 years old.
4. Camper-to-counselor ratios. To make sure your child is getting the individual attention and supervision he or she needs for his or her age, compare the camp’s counselor-to-camper ratio to ACA standards. For day camps, the general ratios range from 8:1 for 6, 7 and 8 year olds, to 10:1 for 9 to 14 year olds, and 12:1 for campers ages 15 to 17. For sleepaway camps, the general recommended ratio is 6:1 for 7 and 8 year olds, 8:1 for 9 to 14 year olds and 10:1 for campers ages 15 to 17.
(Please note, the above-cited child-to-counselor ratio standards are only ACA’s general, MINIMUM recommendations and may vary depending on various situations and/or conditions. Moreover, there could be additional standards relating to specific programs and/or activities where more supervision may be prudent, if not required. Accordingly, you should use your own judgement and conduct your own research to decide what is appropriate for you and your child.)
5. Inquire about camp staff: Your child’s counselors can make or break a child’s camp experience.
In addition to facilitating camp activities, counselors serve as role models and should be dependable, trustworthy, and show enthusiasm for their job. For safety reasons, counselors should also be CPR and First Aid-Certified and have undergone criminal background checks prior to employment by the camp.
6. Accommodation of special needs.
If your child has special needs due to an allergy or other medical condition, be sure to ask if the camp is equipped to handle these requirements.
7. Find out about how the camp handles discipline.
As in any organization, rules need to be followed and the camp’s disciplinary approach should be fair, reasonable and openly communicated. Positive reinforcement, a sense of fair play and assertive role-modeling are important things to look for. If penalties apply to certain violations, camp staff should apply them fairly, calmly and without unnecessary criticism.
8. Check the camp’s references.
References can provide you with a glimpse of the experiences others have had at a camp, and they are an important way of checking out a camp’s track record and reputation. Before you choose a camp, the camp director should be willing to provide references upon request.
Good luck choosing a camp and have a great summer!
Copyright Eric D. Naftulin and Aloha Beach Camp. All rights reserved.
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