How to Choose a Summer Camp for Kids

Find a Summer Camp That
Offers Memorable & Enriching Experiences

Wondering where to find the best summer camps in your area? Making a decision while taking account of variables such as cost, location, duration, and accommodations can be difficult. Grey Matter Montessori suggests choosing a summer camp mainly based on the types of fun activities they can participate in and what skills or subjects they will get to explore during the summer. 

If you’d like to learn more about the enriching and entertaining education-focused summer camps or about the specialized Montessori-style preschool programs, contact Grey Matter by calling 587-707-4739 or by filling out the online contact form below.

Top 3 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Summer Camp

Sending your kids to camp is a great chance for them to explore, play games, and meet new friends all summer long. Here are three considerations for how to find the best camps for your kids. 

Choose A Summer Camp Genre That Matches Your Child’s Interest

The best summer camps are designed to nurture, challenge, and inspire children to reach their fullest potential. Sending them to a summer camp that aligns with their natural interests makes their experience that much more meaningful and impactful. 

When researching which style of summer camp to choose from there are 3 main options to choose from: 

Academic Camp
Learning doesn’t have to stop when school classes end for the summer. Once school’s out, the fun is just beginning! These camps are designed to hone academic skills like arithmetic, problem-solving, reading, and writing all while staying active with fun games that make learning feel like entertainment. Children attending these camps may also be introduced to new skills, such as coding, second language learning, or introductory lab experiments—all of which can greatly aid their career later on. 

Traditional Camp
Best known for campfire songs, tree climbing, archery, and huge games of capture the flag. Traditional summer camp experiences are always memorable because kids are fully immersed in nature with friends for an extended period of time. This experience builds confidence and can be a source of fond childhood memories. 

Art Camp
The summer is the perfect time to let creative juices flow and do some fun art projects. When art is the central theme, children are encouraged to put their creative abilities on full display. Art camps provide a safe space for kids to create and share their art and receive feedback from peers. This opportunity is also great for exposing children to new artistic mediums, such as pottery, stained glass, and acrylic paint. Exposure to new mediums may lead to your child finding their new passion. Art camp provides all the creative resources necessary for children to fully express themselves through their creations.  

Compare Summer Camps Based On Accommodations, Costs, And Reviews

While researching for summer camps, the next important considerations are how much it will cost and what accommodations are included. Other factors you should consider include:

• Is it a day camp or overnight camp? 
• Which meals does the camp provide?
• What is the breakdown of the price? Payable per day or per week? 

Whether the camp is overnight or not can considerably affect the price due to the added accommodation costs of sleeping and bathroom arrangements. Make sure to inquire about the nutritional content of the meals provided, and whether you need to increase your food budget to meet the needs of your child’s dietary restrictions. Finding the answers to these questions during your research is part of the due diligence required before sending your children to summer camp.   

Camp Counselors Make The Entire Experience More Memorable

Summer camp is a place for fun memories to be made! Having a positive camp counsellor is central for your child to have an enjoyable summer camp experience. 

The best camp counsellors are passionate about teaching kids. They are fun, upbeat, and patient. These are important qualities for camp counsellors because they will be responsible for managing highly active groups of kids. 

It is also recommended to inquire about the ratio of counsellors-to-children. When there are too many kids for a single counsellor, each child will receive less attention. On the other hand, a high counsellors-to-children ratio may also be an issue as there could be not enough social interaction for the children. 

Build Self Esteem & Memories that Last a Lifetime when you Send Your Child to the Right Summer Camp.

It’s summertime! Sending the kids to camp is one of the best ways for them to meet new friends, learn new skills, and have a blast over the summer. Do the research upfront to find the perfect summer camp and draw comparisons based on accommodations and style of activities available during the camp. Choosing between traditional, artistic, or academic genres of camp mainly depends on your child’s hobbies, choosing the right one can foster their interest and inspire future career decisions too. The added research effort of finding the best summer camp will be worth it when your child comes back with a glowing smile. 

FAQs

How long is the typical summer camp? 
The length of a summer camp can vary between 1 day (day camp) and up to 10 weeks. 

At what age are kids ready for overnight camp?
There is no golden rule, but the typical age where children are mature enough for summer camp is around 7 years old. 

Why do people send their kids to summer camp?
Great memories, long-lasting friendships, and enhanced experiences in unique activities like kayaking or ziplining are the main reasons why parents send their children to summer camps. Furthermore, having these experiences at a young age can instill long-lasting confidence and self-esteem in children.