3 Characteristics of a Great Summer Camp

If you are a parent thinking about sending your child to summer camp for the first time, you may be overwhelmed by the many choices available. In fact, there are more than 5,000 options across the United States. Consider these guidelines when you set out to choose the best summer camp for your child.

Activities

A camp should have many different activities available for your child to enjoy. Some camps have a specific focus like creative arts, computer science, cooking, or sports. Other camps have a more general focus, which allows the camper to explore many different activities during their stay. Since children often change their interests frequently, the best summer camps in New England offer a variety of activities, such as creative arts, sports, photography, and orienteering.

Leadership

A summer camp is usually directed by a head administrator who hand-selects individuals to serve as counselors. Exploring the attitudes and beliefs of the director is a great way to get to know more about the camp. Most directors willingly talk to parents about what they see as the key values they think campers should take away from the camp. Reading the camp's mission statement and objectives can also give you an idea of the camp's mission. Consider reading reviews of what other parents have said about the leadership in previous years.

Community

Summer camps become their own communities during the course of the summer. For example, at Kabeyun, each boy lives in a cabin with up to eight other boys. The chance to build strong, long-lasting friendships with other boys is one of the most valuable results of summer camp. The boys will learn to work together in a new environment with an experienced counselor by their side.

Furthermore, the best summer camps in New England have traditions that everyone participates in. For example, it could be a special quiet time, or a unique camp song. These traditions are often the things that the children remember most fondly from their summer at camp.

The best summer camps are built around the sense of community. These retreats are led by experienced adults who care deeply about the campers and are filled with activities and traditions that make the experience truly unique. Your child can learn many positive things by attending summer camp.