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Health & Fitness

Choosing a Camp Last Minute

Call the Camp Director

If you have a specific camp in mind, call the camp director and ask what sessions are still open and if there is space in your child’s age group. Try to be flexible. Maybe you had the month of July in mind for camp but be open to the second session of camp programs. This may mean changing around vacation plans or trips to see grandparents but the more flexibility you have, the better chance you have of finding the camp you want at the last minute. Even with last minute camp decisions, parents want to make sure they are doing their research and choosing the right camp for their child. Ask the camp director about the camp’s philosophy and program. Does the philosophy of the camp match your families? Does the camp offer a program that is of interest to your child? Do you feel that the camp director is answering all your questions and happy to do so? You are forming a partnership with the camp director so you want to make sure you click with the director and feel comfortable leaving your child in the camp director’s care. Be sure to look at the camp’s website online with your child. Let your child search the site and see a sample schedule, camp pictures and what the camp menu is like. The more involved your child is in the camp process, the more successful the experience will be.

Ask friends and neighbors

Talking to friends and neighbors is a good way to find out about summer camps. But families should keep in mind that just because a camp is the right fit for your friends’ child, it doesn’t mean it will be the right camp for your child. Take their suggestions but make sure to do your own research. You know your child best. Not sure where to start? You can call the American Camp Association, NY and NJ at 212.391.5208 for free, one-on-one advice in finding a camp. The ACA, NY and NJ’s Camper Placement Specialist can help guide you in your decision and help narrow down the many summer camp choices. You can also visit searchforacamp.org to search day or sleepaway camps.

Summer 2014

It’s not too early to be looking for a camp for next summer. Looking this summer gives you the opportunity to go visit camps. Tours are a great way to really connect with a camp and the camp’s leadership. Touring camps allows you and your child the chance to see what an actual day at camp will be like and see the lake, pool, bunks and dining hall. Both day and sleepaway camps offer camp tours throughout the summer. A camp tour truly gives families a good feel about whether the camp is the right fit for their child and if you decide to send your child the following summer, he or she will feel part of the decision process.

Rookie Days


There are many resident camps that offer Rookie Days or Rookie Weekends which are designed to give future campers a chance to experience the camp in session by joining in on the camp activities before going to camp. While children enjoy the camp activities, parents are taken on a tour of the camp. Rookie days are a wonderful way for children and their parents to get a feel for what the camp is like and to determine if the camp is the right fit before registering for the next summer.

Looking Early Can Help You Plan Financially for Camp

By touring camp the summer before and deciding on a camp almost a year before sending your child, you are able to plan financially for camp. Some camps offer payment plans for registering early, allowing you to pay over time for camp. You can also make camp part of birthday presents and holiday gifts over the upcoming year. Many camps also offer early bird discounts for registering early, giving you a savings on the summer camp price. Families should inquire about sibling discounts for registering more than one child.

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