Overnight or Day Camp
Not sure your child is ready to bunk away for a week-plus? If he or she is actually asking for sleepaway camp and readily stays over with friends or family, then they're probably ready for an overnight camp. Most sleep-away programs accept children who have finished first grade, but of course, the last thing you want is to push this onto a tentative kid.
Generalized or Specialized Camp
Camps fall into two categories these days: traditional and specialized. Traditional implies your good old-fashioned mix of land and water sports along with creative and performing arts. Campers can choose their activities, which fall into organized periods. Specialty camps offer instruction in one or two very focused skills such as a particular sport, musical instrument, or theater. The day will be divided into two or three lengthy activity periods with some free time.
Consider the Fit
This point may be obvious, but it's also critical. Spend some time deciding whether your child wants a nurturing or a competitive environment; hopes to improve existing sports or arts skills or develop new ones; and needs to build self-esteem or seeks new challenges. Don't forget the practical considerations: Location, transportation, dates, tuition, and extra fees may all be relevant factors.
Do the Research
Camp fairs and referral services are easy information sources, but word-of-mouth is clearly valuable, so be sure to discuss with your friends, neighbors and school.
Helpful online resources include:
American Camp Association—provides a list of accredited camps.
National Camp Association—offers free guidance and referrals.
Summer Camps—allows you to search for camps by specific interest—alpine skiing to ziplines!—or by location, including Canada.
My Summer Camps—offers a comprehensive directory of traditional and specialized camps, including special needs, academic, international and adventure camps.
