Over the years, I have noticed a decrease in the number of people attending camp fairs. It is understandable given our access to the Internet. After all, why would you want to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon dragging your kids around a camp fair? However, it can be hard to distinguish one program from another by looking at websites. We can all assume that they have hired the best website designers and videographers they can find. A camp fair is a good opportunity to meet Directors and speak with them directly about their programs and see many different options that are available.

As a parent of teenage boys, I have found it is hard to get them excited about anything. However, I do not intend to have them sit on the couch all summer playing games on their Xbox. In order for them to buy into the idea of Camp, it is very helpful to have them talk to the Directors and Camp Reps at a fair. My oldest found a great sailing and scuba program a few years ago, when I dragged him to my fair. The next year he found a wilderness/adventure program that fit him perfectly and I no longer had to drag him to my fair. The trip was a combination of white-water rafting, backpacking, and community service with the Navajo Indians out West. This year he is anxious to go to my fair to see all the options available. He will be bringing my middle schooler who has decided he has outgrown traditional summer camps. I want him to get excited about one of the teen programs available to him: perhaps language immersion or academic enrichment (he prefers air-conditioned dorm rooms to sleeping rough). The best way to inspire him is to bring him to a Camp Fair.

So if you are deciding whether to take the afternoon to go to camp fair, I say do it with your children. You will find it is a great way to get them involved in the process. Going on a trip or to a camp becomes their idea instead of something their parents are pushing on them. At Tips on Trips and Camps summer opportunities fairs there are knowledgeable camp advisors standing by to help you sort through all the choices and give you additional options if you can’t find what you are looking for. Visit our website to see a list of our fairs in various cities or contact us directly by registering at www.TipsonTripsandCamps.com. We are happy to guide you through the process to find a great summer program.