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Picking the Best Specialty Camp for Your Child - 2006 |
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Finding the best specialty camp is all about finding the best match
for your child's interests and abilities. Consider first the pros and
cons of the type (single sex vs. coed) and setting (day vs. resident).
These categorical decisions will help narrow the field and here's what
will help you target a high quality camping experience.
- Collaborate with your child.
In addition to providing you with surprising insights about interests
and abilities, involving your children in the camp selection process
gives them the self-determination that will reduce homesickness later
on. Children who feel forced to go to camp are more likely to
experience severe homesickness.
- Request local references.
Beyond the promotional materials camps produce lie the veteran camper
families who can share actual experiences that give you an accurate
sense of what the camp is like. Camp directors can give you the names
and numbers of returning camper families who live near you. Get
together-with the kids-to talk candidly about their camping experiences.
- Research retention rates.
The highest quality camps have staff and camper retention rates that
top 50% or more. Some camps even have internal leadership development
programs that enable them to hire all their full-fledged leaders and
staff from among their own leaders-in-training. Generally, the higher
the retention rates, the stronger the camp.
- Beware the shooting star.
Many specialty camps sell themselves by touting the name of a star
athlete. In reality, this celebrity may only show up for a few hours on
one day of the session. Put your faith in a specialty camp whose
instructional talent runs deep and wide.
- Spice it up.
The highest quality specialty camps offer a variety of other activities
from which campers can choose. Not only does participation in other
non-specialty activities provide mental and physical cross-training, it
helps ensure that campers don't get burned out doing the same thing all
day, every day.
Finally, remember that the choice to
attend a specialty camp must be put in the larger context of your
child's activity schedule. Some child development experts believe that
children are specializing too intensely at too young an age, in all
domains: athletic, academic, and artistic. While there is great merit
in discipline and the devotion to a single pursuit, such as playing
piano or soccer, there is also value in sampling a range of activities.
If your child is already a specialist of some sort, perhaps a
traditional, non-specialty camp is the perfect complement.
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