Everyone loves their camp and thinks they went to the best camp! Or the camp that their children attend is the best overnight camp. Sooo, choosing a camp should be easy, right? Just ask your best friend or her best friend and they will tell you what camp they chose. Seems easy! Not always.
While the best referral to camp is word of mouth, sometimes you need to take a step back. It is great to hear parents so enthusiastic about their camps, but one size does not fit all.
You need to think about what is important to you and your family. Just because you are friends with someone, it does not mean that you have the same wants/needs in a camp. Nor does it mean that your children are similar.
The best thing to do is to talk to the directors. This will give you a feel for their leadership style. Does it match your parenting style? How about speaking to some current parents, that you may not know? It is just as important to find out about the values and personalities of their children, as well as their opinion of the sleep away camp. At the end of the day, choosing the right camp, should be fun and exciting. You should get the same “this is it” feeling that you get when you make any big decision. Don’t get overwhelmed by everyone’s opinion. Talk to an unbiased professional to get advice on camp. Our only concern in the process is matching up your family with the right “camp family”.
