Expectations
"What do you want from your child's camping experience? Improved self-confidence? Skills development? What does your child want from camp? New friends? Certain kinds of activities? Siblings may not want the same things from camp. Among my own four children, three want a camp where they'll be involved in a construction project. One doesn't want to do any hard work. Three want water sports, one hates water. Trying to find one camp that meets all of your children's desires may not be possible.

How Long?
Decide the length of the camp and your budget. These are closely related. Residential camps have programs from 5 days to the whole summer in duration. You may find a church camp for as little as $200 for a week, but most camps cost much more. A five or six week camp can cost $1,500 and up. Discuss ways that your child can help save money toward camp. Helping to pay for camp or at least providing his own spending money will make it more meaningful to him. Teresa, a mother of three, sent her son, Micah to scout camp. "Even though we could afford it, we had him earn money and pay part of his own way so that he had some ownership in it." If you're thinking of sending your child for more than a week, evaluate his readiness. A child that thrives at a week long camp may become home sick or discouraged spending longer away from home.

Type of Camp
Do you want a traditional camp, specialty camp, or special needs camp? A traditional camp has a variety of activities such as swimming, crafts, softball, hiking, and canoeing available. While they have a nurse, they may not have anyone qualified to deal with special medical or behavioral needs. They won't offer advanced training in any one area. A specialty camp centers on one main activity such as gymnastics, music, computers, or other interests. They have specially trained instructors at all abilit levels for that activity. They normally offer other activities during the day also. There are camps that offer summer mission experiences for children. These camps include religious activities such as chapel, Bible studies, and training in puppets, music, evangelism, and construction. After the training is completed, campers travel to another area to do a special project such as build an orphanage or school. A special needs camp will have a counselor trained to help children with specific needs such as asthma, ADHD, and other medical or behavioral needs. Normally specialized and special needs camps cost more than traditional camps. Mandi, mother of a Down's syndrome child looks forward to sending her daughter to a special camp. It's one time that her daughter can do everything that everyone else does. Katie wanted to send her daughter to a ballet camp but couldn't find one in her price range, so she sent her daughter to a traditional day camp instead. This was a good decision as it gave her daughter a needed break from her regular ballet routine.

Travel
How far away are you willing to let your child attend camp?
Will there be travel expenses? If you choose a camp driving distance from home you may be able to visit it ahead and meet the staff personally. You'll have less travel expenses. If you choose a camp farther away you'll have more camps to choose from and your child will experience a new area of the country. You might combine travel to camp with a family vacation. Michael chose to send his son to a camp he attended as a child in a different part of the country. The family drove to the area together and spent a few days there before his son started camp. Karen chose to send her son to camp only a few hours away so that they could visit the camp and ask questions of the director in person. It was important to her to see the camp and meet the staff ahead of time.

Camp can be a wonderful experience for children if they attend a camp that meets their needs. Discuss with your child what both he and you want from camp. Search camps that meet your criteria. Then make an informed decision. Your child needs a chance to have fun, experience a variety of activities, and make new friends. You need the peace of mind that others are caring for your child in the same careful and nurturing way that you do. Talk It Over
Discuss all of the above questions with your child. Once you've agreed on what you want, the search begins. This month's GVP Camp Guide is an excellent local resource. The American Camping Association http://acacamps.org has an extensive directory. You can also find camp listings at www.KidsCamps.com If you are looking for a church affiliated or mission camp, be sure to check your denominational sites or sites such as www.teenmissions.org or www.lifeway.com/fuge/.

Q & A
Ask questions. Ask other parents for recommendations. Call or e-mail camp directors. Ask to talk to other families who have sent their children to the camp. You're entrusting your children to the camp and are entitled to have all your questions answered. Find out the ratio of campers to counselors. How old are the counselors? What training do they receive? How many counselors are returning counselors? Ask about discipline policies. Discuss any special needs your child might have such as medications he needs, food allergies, or special accommodations. Do children get a choice of activities? What if your child doesn't want to participate in an activity? How do they handle homesickness? At the first camp my children attended, I asked questions, but there were some things I didn't know to ask. I found out that they could give medicine to my ADHD child, but I didn't realize that he would be required to eat everything offered at a meal. He also had to take part in each activity offered. There were no alternative activities or provisions for children who didn't want to take part. My son had a miserable nine days while my daughter, at the same camp, loved it and couldn't wait to return.

Safety First
Check camp safety. Most counselors are safe, but some aren't. A camp that screens applicants, does background checks, and fingerprinting is more likely to eliminate unsafe counselors. Children can also be injured during sports such as archery. Find out if counselors are trained in the sports they are teaching and what safety precautions are taken. Check that water activities are supervised. If you don't have a good feeling about the staff, counselors, or safety precautions, don't send your child. His well being is more important than attending a certain camp.

Katrina Cassel, M.Ed., lives with her husband, five of their children, and an assortment of pets in the Florida panhandle.