Have you been thinking about signing your child up for a summer day camp but you still have questions? Wondering how old your child should be, how to choose the right camp, and what the benefits of a summer camp are? We’re here to help! In this blog, we’ll answer some common questions parents have about deciding when and where to send their child to summer camp!
What Is A Good Age to Start Sending Kids to Summer Camp?
There is no perfect age that a child will reach where they suddenly become ready for summer camp. Generally, you’ll probably want to wait until your child is able to attend a full day of school before sending them to summer camp all day. Summer camp is a great way to mimic the structure and activity level of a day of school so starting your child in summer camp once they’re attending full days of school is a great way to gauge that they’ll probably be ready for camp. Ultimately, the decision of when a child should start camp is entirely up to what you and your child feel is best! At EHT PAL, we offer summer camp for students in grades K-9!
How Many Days A Week Should I Send My Child To Summer Camp?
This decision will be different for everyone and will be based on every parent and child’s home life. If you work five days a week and need childcare for each day, a five day a week summer camp is the obvious choice. For many children, summer camp is the main activity they will be participating in all summer. In this case, we recommend as many days a week at camp as they will be attending school in the fall. So assuming they have a standard school week of five days, we recommend five days of camp a week to mimic that routine. However, if your child is heavily involved in athletics or other activities over the summer, consider scaling back their days at summer camp. Keeping your child in structured activities during the summer is important; however, children need rest too!
How Do I Choose The Right Summer Camp?
When choosing a summer camp, there are many different factors to look at. Some things you should consider are:
Will your child have the chance to make new friends?
Does the camp incorporate other activities like STEM, sports, and field trips?
Is the camp available five days a week should you need it?
Does this camp have a strong reputation?
Is this organization that runs the camp involved in the community?
Does the camp have fun activities for your child’s age group?
Depending on how old your child is some of these questions may be more important than others. For younger children, finding a camp that has new peers and will give your child the opportunity to work on their communication skills is important. For older children, finding a camp that has engaging activities for their age camp will be vital to them having a fun summer!
What Are The Benefits Of Summer Camp?
There are a variety of benefits to registering your child for summer camp. Some of these benefits include:
Gaining independence and increasing self-esteem
Children continue participating in structured activities
Socializing and building friendships
Exposure to positive role models
Reducing screen time
Social-emotional development
Developing cooperation, communication, and teamwork skills
What Can I Do With My Child Who Is Too Old For Camp?
If your child is too old for a typical day camp but still too young to get a summer job, a great alternative is to have them become a counselor or counselor in training! At EHT PAL, we have a Junior Counselor in Training (JCIT) program! This program is for your mature child who is not quite old enough to be left at home or old enough for a paying job. He/she must be 14 or older to apply. JCIT candidates will be interviewed before being accepted into the training program. This is a non-paying job for mature and responsible candidates only. Upon completion of the JCIT Program, campers will receive a 50% refund of their camp fee at the end of the summer. JCITs will be involved in all levels of activities, specifically assisting with daily camp operations and learning how to become junior counselors.
Where Can I Find A Summer Day Camp Near Me?
A great place to find summer day camps in your area is to look for local non-profit organizations like Police Activities Leagues, YMCAs, or Boys and Girls Clubs. If you’re in South Jersey then you’re in luck! The Police Activities League of Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic County offers a summer day camp program from June 16th through August 29th! We offer camp for one to five days a week, as well as before and after care services. If your child is particularly interested in STEM, we also have STEM summer camps available! At the Police Activities League of Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic County, we want to make sure your children are having fun and staying safe all summer long!
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