4 Tips for Choosing The Right Summer Camp

When the summer camp guide from a local arts center arrived in our mailbox, my third grader paged through it eagerly … and then proudly pointed to about thirteen different camps she planned to sign up for this summer. From circus camp to acting camp to a camp where you make your own ice cream, she had visions of attending them all.

For kids, the world of summer camp is filled with excitement and possibility. For parents, on the other hand, it can be a bit trickier to navigate. The options seem endless, the costs add up, and those darned kids insist on having their own opinions and making choices that differ from your own.

The good news? With so many quality summer camp options throughout the St. Louis area, it’s easier than ever to find a camp that will meet the needs of your entire family. You just need to follow a few simple guidelines.

1. Determine your priorities.

Every family approaches summer camp with their own unique goals. Many working parents, for example, rely on camps to provide much-needed childcare over school vacation, so scheduling options become top priority. If a tight budget is your biggest concern, you'll need to focus on limiting your search to camps within your price range.

It’s also important to consider what sort of an impact you expect summer camp to have on your child. Do you want it to be strictly educational? Provide an enrichment opportunity that is lacking during the school year? Build character and self-esteem? Offer lots of physical activity? Or maybe be just plain fun?

2. Know your options.

Summer camps have exploded in popularity in recent years, with an estimated ten million kids attending camp last summer. St. Louis is no exception, and half-day, full-day, and sleep away camps are all readily available throughout our area.

Not sure where to begin? The Summer Camp Guide here at St. Louis Kids is loaded with information about dozens of local St. Louis summer camps, and you can even search by age range, location, and whether you prefer the Day Camp or Sleep Away option. If you’re interested in locating a camp away from home, check out CampQuest.com, an online camp selection guide run by the National Camp Association.

3. Know your child.

When it comes to choosing a camp, children usually benefit from some parental guidance. Respect their interests and ideas, of course, but help them figure out how to translate those interests into a camp that will meet both your criteria and theirs.

At our house, we’ve settled (I think) on a popular church camp for fun and games, and are looking into a day camp at the Humane Society of Missouri as a way for my daughter to explore her love of animals – without me having to actually bring one home.

4. Do your homework.

Once you’ve selected your ideal camp, there are a few key things to do before you register. Ask about the ratio of staffers to campers, and find out if background checks are performed on potential staff members. If the camp is away from home, it’s a good idea to determine if it has received accreditation through the American Camp Association.

And no matter what type of camp you're considering, don't forget to ask around for recommendations before making a final commitment. Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to uncover the information you really want to know.

Summer camps can provide kids with valuable opportunities to make new friends, expand their horizons, and most importantly, enjoy summer vacation. Once you've done your homework, it shouldn't be difficult to find a camp that your child will love – and one that you’ll feel good about sending her to.

For more information about the variety of camps available throughout the St. Louis area this summer, be sure to visit our Summer Camp Guide at www.stlcamps.com.