As spring rolls around the corner, parents start to question what they should do with the children when summer comes. There are many ways to go about choosing a summer camp. In general, parents can get more information about summer camps from the annual camp fairs that take place at the end of winter and early spring, although it is possible that this year many of these will be virtual information sessions.

Some parents even start talking to friends and neighbors about summer camps in order to see what fits right with their family. Word of mouth is a great way to learn about a summer camp, their services and whether a family whose children attended summer camp had a good experience or not.

Magda Yanez is a mom of two girls. Her eldest daughter had asked her to put her into camp with her best friend (and her best friend’s sister who also attended the camp for years). Yanez explains that choosing a camp was easy for her since she knew the children attending the camp and through word of mouth knew that her daughter would be happy there. “All I really did was consult her friends’ parents and request a brochure about the camp that I received really quickly. For everything that it had to offer and the duration of the stay, the price was incredibly affordable, and the premises were impressive. The experience was so wonderful, that my daughter decided to attend again the following summer!”

Choosing a summer camp is a personal choice for every family. Some people will choose the most affordable camp, such as your local city camp and other parents may go out of their way to choose a camp with a theme or a learning curriculum to develop their child’s learning experiences and improve their math, language or science skills over the summer. 

For some parents, choosing a summer camp can sometimes be an easier choice if they choose a themed sports camp that improves their child’s performance skills in their preferred sport over the summer. Some children who are in a competitive league, such as hockey or soccer, can sometimes find a camp provided by their association that specializes in performance development and skills refinement.

Then there are parents who choose to send their child to two or more different camps over the course of the summer. For example, a parent may want to send their child to the city camp for most of the summer, but then in August may send their child for a week to sleep away camp or to a specialized theme camp. Switching it up also has its benefits as it allows your child to try different things.

Keep in mind that choosing a camp doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Your local community or camp directory will provide you with resources and more information about camps. Year after year, your child may or may not wish to return to the same camp. In the end, parents must be comfortable with their camp of choice but should keep an open mind for new camps or opportunities as their child ages and their interests develop in other areas. It may be a good time for your child to learn about a new activity that they would like to explore.