As an advisor with Tips on Trips and Camps, I pride myself on knowing more than the average parent about summer opportunities for children. Yet, I still struggle with which direction to go for my middle school boy. He thinks he has out grown the traditional overnight camp, and frankly would rather sit in front of the xbox all summer playing with his remote friends. One thing I do know– that is not going to happen! I don’t want a couch potato who occasionally whines about being bored two weeks into summer. As children reach 7th and 8th grade, their options really open up: domestic or international travel with some wilderness adventure or culture thrown in; academic enrichment or study skills to prepare them for the rigors of high school; language immersion if they have completed some language in middle school and want to really learn outside of a classroom environment; community service to open their eyes to the world around them. Even I struggle with which direction to go. My older son did sailing in the caribbean while learning to SCUBA dive. He loved that! However, each child is different, and sea sickness rules it out this time around. The possibilities are endless and the time is now to decide… I must get busy and apply my knowledge and expertise in order to help my own child find the right summer program.
Archives for 2013
Attend a Tips on Trips Camp Fair!
HOW IS YOUR CHILD SPENDING NEXT SUMMER??
How about…an Internship in Sports Management, Study on a College Campus, Language Immersion, Travel or Study Abroad, Community Service, a Traditional Camp, a Leadership Program, Marine Biology, Turtle Conservation, Sailing in the Caribbean, Creative and Performing Arts, Circus Arts, Hiking, Mountain Biking, White Water Rafting, a Cross Country Tour, a Girls’ Empowerment Program, Horseback Riding, and more!
ATTEND A TIPS ON TRIPS SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FAIR — LEARN ABOUT QUALITY OVERNIGHT PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS, AGES 8-18.
Take advantage of our 42 years of experience and expertise in helping families find incredible overnight programming for their kids…we are a FREE service for families.
At a Tips on Trips Camp Fair you can meet program directors, collect brochures and DVD’s, and speak with a knowledgeable consultant to design a summer that is just right for your child. Can’t come? Not a problem, call your personal Tips Advisor for a free consultation.
To find a Tips on Trips Camp Fair in your area, click here: https://www.tipsontripsandcamps.com/summer-advice/local-camp-fairs/
Or, to find your personal Tips advisor click here: https://www.tipsontripsandcamps.com/summer-advice/find-an-advisor/
THINK SUMMER, AND GIVE YOUR CHILD THE GIFT OF CAMP!
What Colleges Are Looking For
I went to an interesting presentation recently by an academic advisor about how to get your child into the college of their choice. It turns out 8th grade is when you should really get them focused on school and start to prepare them, so they start out in 9th grade with good grades, instead of trying to get their sea legs under them. As a parent of three school aged children, I thought it was interesting, and true. As 9th and 10th graders, children often struggle in school as they face a huge developmental stage in their adolescent lives. If they don’t have good study skills at the beginning of high school, they can become overwhelmed.
Colleges are looking for a child who is passionate about something and who shows leadership skills. The advisor called it being “hooked”. Does the child have a thing they are truly good at or passionate about? Does he or she show intellectual curiosity? Perhaps it is academic enrichment; exploring a career field like computers, marine biology, medicine or model U.N.? Or perhaps it is working with children or animals in an intensive community service summer program.
He also mentioned that while most colleges require 3 years of a language, he believes that the only way to truly learn a language is to do language immersion. Sitting in a classroom 3 or 4 days a week for 45 minutes won’t be enough to truly learn how to speak a foreign language. You must experience the culture and be fully immersed.
So many of the overnight summer camps and teen programs we represent fit so well with his advice. They are building children emotionally, intellectually and physically. They provide new experiences and exposure to international culture and global awareness. Taking a child outside of his comfort zone often gives him great self esteem (ex. wilderness adventure with leadership training). The programs design their trips with growth in mind; empowering kids and reinforcing self reliance and social skills. Of course children don’t think of it in these terms; to them it is all about having fun with friends.
CAMP FAIRS and ADVICE for 2013–Your Tips on Trips Advisor is ready to help
Happy 2013!
It’s that time of year again–the consultants at Tips on Trips and Camps are very busy helping families with overnight summer camp options. We’re also busy planning and preparing to host our annual Summer Opportunity Camp Fairs around the country.
Our camp fairs are a great way for families to look around and get a feel for what’s out there. Not only are families exposed to a wide range of summer program choices, they can speak with representatives or directors of the camps and programs they are interested in. This provides a certain comfort level that many families need before making a decision on a summer program for their child or teen.
One advantage of a Tips on Trips and Camps Summer Opportunities Fair is the personal touch that is available. Tips on Trips consultants are on hand to talk to families, listen to their needs, and direct them to suitable summer programs.
Having a camp advisor to help you with the ins and outs of finding a perfect summer experience for your child is essential, yet not many parents realize that this free service provided by Tips on Trips and Camps is available to them! Your camp advisor will listen to your needs, and help you to find programs that your child is interested in. Whether it be a summer arts program, a language immersion camp, a science focused program, an internship or community service project, a sports camp, a traditional co-ed camp or an all-girl or all-boy camp, the choices are many and your personal advisor will help you to narrow down the search. Your advisor will help you to distinguish between programs and help you to understand the particular culture of a program. An Internet search is great, but it’s difficult to determine the true culture of a camp by looking at a website. A Tips consultant has visited the programs, met the directors, and has an un-biased view. Your personal advisor will take you and your child’s needs into consideration first and foremost.
If summer camp in 2013 is an option for your child this year, don’t delay…call your Tips on Trips camp advisor today!
