With the dark, cold winter almost behind us, it’s time to start looking forward to brighter spring days. And, believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about summer camp! Welcome to the always-anticipated Summer Camp Issue of River Region Parents.
We all get very excited about summer camp at our house. Our soon-to-be teenager, Grace, will head off to her third year of sleep-away camp in June. She attends an all-girls camp for two full weeks, and while she’s there, her dad and I enjoy some always-coveted time alone. While we miss Grace, and she misses us at times, the experience she is having will live with her forever. Yes, she’ll be ready for us to pick her up at the end of the session, but she will also be talking about next summer’s camp within weeks of getting home.
Grace’s ability to jump into a group of strangers and make friends easily, along with her desire to be involved in many activities, are a couple of ways we knew she was prepared to try sleep-away camp three years ago. However, all children come to this readiness at different ages. If you wonder if your child might be ready to go off for a week or two, check out 7 Signs Your Kids Are Ready for Their First Sleep-Away Camp by Tanni Haas. You’ll find it a good checklist for knowing if this year is the right year to start!
If you find that your child needs more time to be ready to leave home, or if you have a much younger child, consider Sarah Lyons’s insights in The Camp Next Door, where she discusses the benefits of day camp. Day camp offers many of the same experiences as overnight camp, but your child can be snug in their bed at the end of each action-packed day.
After deciding what type of camp your family is ready for, flip over to our 2024 Summer Camp Guide. We’ve listed details on all kinds of camps, including overnight, sports, art, music, and dance, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many camps will begin registration soon, so grab a highlighter and have fun going through this year’s guide with your child. You’ll both be excited to see what’s offered right here in the River Region or just down the road.
Happy Camping, and remember to set those clocks forward on March 10!
