Archives for 2010

A Holiday Poem

December 24, 2010 by Eve Leave a Comment

Time to wind down the Tips on Trips year
With the annual poem and some holiday cheer
While some cook latkes, others cut a spruce
This year’s poem’s agnostic, a la Dr. Seuss

We met down at Eve’s where the fun didn’t stop
We worked, met directors and had a gift swap
Returned to our cities full notebooks in tow
But the best news this year was the big “4-0”

At 40 Tips’ website got a new look
With links to our blog and a page on facebook
Just click on the web; you’ll see our Tips greeting
At 41 might we all start tweeting?!

With changing times Tips keeps evolving
We’re very good at problem solving
On summer travels our ipads provided great help
When we wanted a meal we just clicked on Yelp!

We avoided wrong turns with our google maps
And downloaded word games and other cool apps
The camps were happy to bid “09” adieu
2010 free of both the rain and the flu

European programs were very proud
To avoid travel woes due to volcanic cloud
The choices are plenty and just keep expanding
Keeping pace with what families are demanding

Some want hotels with a nightly hot shower
Others a tent without sides and no power
Some want it simple: kids live out of trunks
Others prefer posh: AC in the bunks

We help them decide; sometimes with a nudge
In the end it’s their choice; Tips ladies don’t judge 🙂
So as we watch 2011 unfold
May we guide many clients and hope they’re enrolled!

Happy and Healthy Holidays To All

Is a Summer Sleepaway Experience Worth the Price?

December 20, 2010 by Eve Leave a Comment

As I speak with families, the issue of cost is always part of the conversation, no matter if we are talking about summer camps for kids, unique summer experiences for tweens or travel or study options for teens. Parents spend a lot of time and financial resources investing in their children’s experiences. Travel sports teams, lessons in the arts, and a myriad of other after school and weekend activities. They supervise, volunteer and generally make possible a rich life for kids. So why is an away from home summer experience worth the financial investment? The personal growth that kids gain from sleepaway summer camps or high schoolers learn from summer travel programs occurs when kids have opportunities to make decisions independent of their parents.

Here are 5 important skills a child of any age masters by being away from home in a summer program.

1. Practice sleeping away from the comforts of your own home. For some kids this is the hardest part.

2. Ability to keep track of your own “stuff”. Whether at traditional sleep away camps, enrichment on college campuses, community service programs or the other types of summer activities, lose your socks and it can be a problem.

3. Learning to negotiate through conflict. This might be simply improved patience in taking turns or dealing with the disappointment of not being chosen for a desired activity.

4. Advocating for yourself. So often we hear from camp directors that when kids find themselves in challenging or disappointing situations the first thing they do is call home. Asking for help and speaking up for yourself are lessons that can only be learned away from Mom and Dad’s participation.

5. Trying new things not available at home. Rock climbing camps, water skiing camps, archeology camps, community service with native Americans to name a few of the activities not readily available to most families.

The benefits kids get from these fabulous opportunities are often intangible. Is it worth the investment? Absolutely!

Choosing a Teen Program

December 13, 2010 by MaryJane Leave a Comment

What a difference a few decades makes…

When I was a teenager, parents had only a few choices available to them when planning their teens’ summers. Over the years these options have expanded exponentially to a staggering array of programs – from performing arts camps to kayaking camps to community service programs. The problem parents face now is how to choose, or rather, how to help their child choose the program that is right for them.

For some the choice is obvious – overnight basketball camps, for example, or a language immersion program or sailing camp. However, for others the seemingly limitless options can be bewildering.

What I try to do is help parents narrow their focus; what do they want their child to accomplish during their last few summers before college? These are the years to hone some of the skills acquired in school or sleep away camp, or to develop an entirely new skill, something your child will use and enjoy forever. The first step is to identify the activities your child enjoyed or excelled in over the last few years and then decide which of these areas you would like to see your child expand upon. Then narrow the field by determining which type of program best suits your child’s needs and interests. Academic enrichment programs can offer the opportunity to explore an area that time may not permit during the school year, as well as offering the experience of living on a college campus. Community service programs may be combined with language learning or wilderness programs.Perhaps your child thrived at sleep away camp and would like to continue the experience at a teen summer camp. Teen campers design their own schedules and have the opportunity to specialize to a high standard while enjoying campfires and other traditional camp activities.

There are a lot of programs out there and each has something very special to offer. With a bit of research and advice you are certain to find the right fit for your child. All that being said, our most important goal is that your child have the experience of a lifetime!

The Flying Trapeze and other Summer Camp Adventures

December 6, 2010 by Eve Leave a Comment

Every summer teams of Tips on Trips and Camps advisors go camp visiting. It is an opportunity to see camps in action so that the advice on camps that we share with families is current and relevant to the overnight camp selection process.

By all accounts I am a relatively conservative type A kind of person, and how I found myself at the top of the flying trapeze at one of the camps in Pennsylvania is one of those moments of acting before thinking.

But there I was, 50 feet in the air, terrified and standing on a small plank clinging to the circus camp counselor who was both half my age and half my size, and telling him there must be some other way of getting down rather than swinging from the trapeze and then dropping into the net. My knees were shaking badly and the counselor was encouraging me to release the death grip I had on his arm and just hold the trapeze bar. After much coaxing and ultimately his pushing me off the plank, I was swinging through the air. I was too frightened to really enjoy myself, but felt exhilarated that I had conquered this incredible challenge.

Summer Camp presents kids with challenges at every turn. Be it climbing to the top of the wall at rock climbing camps, hitting a home run at baseball camps, mounting a horse for the first time at horseback riding camps, singing a solo at a performing arts camp, or simply sleeping away from home at traditional sleep away camps. All these experiences can feel as frightening as standing on top of that circus trapeze and all offering the satisfaction of doing something outside a child’s every day experience, and succeeding. Sleep away camps provide an environment where a child can feel secure and challenged at the same time. It is at camp with counselors who have the expertise and skill to create a safe environment that kids are willing to push boundaries and try new things.

I will never forget my trapeze ride. Given the chance I would have tried it a second time and been a little less afraid and a little more able. Camp creates these kinds of memories and opportunities to learn new skills, over and over again.

What’s New in Summer Programs for Teens?

November 30, 2010 by Jill Leave a Comment

Every year parents call us asking about what their child can do next summer. The options are endless!

Here’s a preview of what’s to come:

Sailing Through Classical Greek Mythology . . . Yes, you’re right! How exciting to send your teenager on a trip through Italy and Greece while studying Odysseus and Homer!

Girls’ Empowerment seems to be the rage! Whether it’s making close friends by going to a teen surf camp or working through performing arts maneuvers, girls will become empowered and build self-confidence along the way!

Do you have a great community service idea that you want to implement but have no idea how to start? Let us know. We can lead you to the perfect community service summer camp where you can learn strategies for turning your ideas into a feasible and productive project and bring it home to your community.

China is the hot new travel destination for teenagers! Whether it’s enrichment at a top university or doing a summer internship in a major city, what an amazing summer experience to be immersed in the business world and to discover a new culture! Internships in other cities are also possible – London being another exciting destination. And this year you can earn college credit along the way!

Is your child seriously interested in performing arts camp or creative arts camp? How about a small, intimate overseas program where the focus can be theatre or studio arts? You may even be able to go home with a portfolio which may help you when applying to college.

Want to extend your community service into research? If you’re globally minded and you want to focus on a way to affect change, there are many teen trips to other countries where students can examine issues within the country they’re visiting.

As you can see, there are endless possibilities in summer programs for teens. What’s listed above is just to whet your appetite!

SIZZLING HOT IDEAS FOR SUMMER – OPTIONS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

November 23, 2010 by Lois 1 Comment

I have been talking to directors and see that they are offering some terrific summer programs for middle school students. Here are some ideas!

Your child is not into competitive sports? NOT A PROBLEM! Did you know there are specialty creative writing camps as well as programs for students who love to read? No report cards are given – no pressure! These specialty camps encourage students to read classics such as Ovid’s Metamorphoses and other great novels. Follow this reading with the sharing of ideas through writing and discussions and your child is on his way to the summer of a lifetime. Summer music camps are also a wonderful option as are summer academic camps and language study camps.

Perhaps your 6th grader wants a more career specific program. We’ve got it! How about a program where he can study Veterinary or Emergency Room medicine? He’ll learn from working professionals and get to real-time experience. There are also cooking camps for aspiring chefs!

What if your daughter is struggling with some social issues? She should know that she is not alone. Today young woman are facing many hard choices. There are overnight girls camps that inspire woman to be young leaders by giving them a better sense of self. They instill the belief that every girl is special, smart, and powerful. The arts are used as a vehicle of expression but it is not necessary to be “good” at any art form. These summer programs empower girls to try new things and feel good about themselves.

What about service? Many community service programs are wonderful but are geared for high school students. New for the younger age group are wonderful community service programs geared specifically for tweens. The work is substantial and the rewards lasting.

GIVE THE GIFT OF SUMMER!

November 10, 2010 by Jill Leave a Comment

A summer camp or teen program is an invaluable gift to give your child. Whether it’s through the friendships that are made at camp or traveling to an exotic location, summer programs provide endless possibilities of growth and memories that last a lifetime.

Overnight camp is often a throwback to the past. As Michael Eisner says, “Camp transports kids with everything to a place where they have close to nothing.” Going to an overnight camp or summer program allows them to forge ahead in new directions without parents hovering over them. It’s an opportunity for children to learn new skills, become independent and develop passions that may lead to life long hobbies or even future careers. Imagine a place where you can take risks and try things that you never dreamed of doing!

Camp allows kids to be themselves. At summer camp children are celebrated for who they are – not by what they can do, how much they have and how many things they’re good at. They return home with a new sense of confidence and self-esteem.

Here is a glimpse from parents and students who commented on the summer experiences we connected them with last summer:

“They appreciated the setting, with a meadow, forest, pool and lagoon – and, of course, the animals. They came back proud, insisting we sign them up for next summer!”

“She enjoyed every minute and bonded with her horse. She had stories about sleeping out under the stars and cows breaking down the fence they put up! How wonderful to hear her telling stories – a girl who lives near downtown LA!”

“My internship was unbelievable! I met so many great people and learned so much about the industry. I am so lucky to have begun so many friendships that I hope will last a lifetime!

The holidays are the perfect time for you to look at summer programs with your child. What better gift . . . than the gift of an amazing summer experience!

Tips on Trips and Camps Inaugural Blog

November 10, 2010 by Lois Leave a Comment

SAFETY FIRST

Welcome to the inaugural Tips on Trips and Camps Blog! Because this is the first entry, we want to address the number one concern facing parents – program reliability. We all know from personal experience that travel does not always go as planned so it is important to know how a company handles issues as they happen.

In a world that is dynamic and sometimes challenging, families must ask hard questions of summer travel companies. Because advisory services such as Tips on Trips and Camps have years of experience dealing with many programs, we know the kinds of issues that arise and can guide families accordingly.

Asking questions is the best way to discover how a summer travel company handles unforeseen challenges. In order to develop a comfort level

with a program, we recommend having a conversation with the director about the procedures they follow. Here are some ideas of questions to ask:

1) What is the communication level between the staff in field and parents?

2) What transportation methods do they use and who drives the vehicles?

3) What is the policy on alcohol/curfew, etc?

4) Whom do they consult about changing conditions in a foreign country?

5) What training and experience do leaders have and

typically how old are they?

6) How are medical and other emergencies handled

A summer advisory service helps guide families through the discovery process by giving feedback from past participants and sharing observations based on years of experience. Tips on Trips and Camps will help the family do the groundwork to make the best decision so that their child has an empowering and life-changing summer experience. There are never any guarantees that all will run smoothly but being diligent and thorough will help ensure a successful experience.

Experts on Overnight Camps & Trips for Kids and Teens

A Free Advisory Service