fbpx

Now Is the Best Time to Find a Camp

The American Camp Association®(ACA) knows there is a camp for every child. Research shows us that camps are filling up earlier each year. Now is the perfect time for parents and families to begin their search.

Use ACA’s Find a Camp tool. ACA’s Find a Camp database helps connect more than 1.2 million families with camps each year. Search for camps by location, activity, cost, and more.

There are many options when choosing a camp: resident or day camp, single gender or coed, one week or all summer, traditional or specialty programs. Be certain to include your child in the decision-making process. Together with your child, explore the camp options and examine the materials the camps provide. When children are better acquainted with the camp experience and more involved in the decision-making process, they will have less anxiety about going away to camp. Be sure you are considering an ACA-accredited camp. ACA accreditation means that your child’s camp cares enough to undergo a thorough peer review of its operation — from staff qualifications and training to emergency management. If the camp is not accredited, ask why not. Seek advice from a neighbor, friend, or relative. Often the best endorsement is from a family you know whose children attend camp. Ask questions! Reach out to camp directors and ask questions about their camp. Is the camp ACA-accredited? What is camp director’s background? What training do counselors receive? There are sample questions on the ACA website.

There are ACA-accredited camps to meet every interest, price range, and schedule. Knowing your options, as well as your child’s personality, will help you identify programs from which your child will benefit most. Camp provides children with the opportunity to connect with nature, to participate in human-powered activities, and to benefit from personal and primary relationships. At camp, children make memories and gain skills to last a lifetime.

About ACA:

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national organization with more than 12,000 individual members and 3,000 member camps. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education and professional development and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience. ACA accredits approximately 2,400 diverse camps nationally. Accreditation provides public evidence of a camp’s voluntary commitment to the health, safety, and overall well-being of both campers and staff. For more information, visit ACAcamps.org.

SHARE THIS
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
LEAVE A COMMENT
Skip to content