Friday, 25 May 2012
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What Do You Want From Your Summer Camp?
Hello, Moms and Momaroo-ers!I help run a Summer Camp, and we're looking to expand! I'd like to ask Momaroo some questions as to what YOU would look for when sending your child to summer camp!
A little background on us...
We are a half-day summer camp that loosely uses the term "Sports Camp" to advertise. Technically, we play no actual "Sports" in the sense of Soccer or Basketball (which are Competitive games, focused on finding a winner), but play Sports-Type Participation Games, focused on getting everyone involved in the game. For example, we have big soft soccer balls, and we'll play with three of them at a time, and no goalies. That way, there's lots of chances for children of all athletic abilities to get involved in the game. We also employ an all collegiate or post-collegiate staff (no high-schoolers on staff here), and are only hire those who are tied with, or friends with, a person at the local university (where the camp is held).So here are some of the questions we're trying to get some research on... let me know what you think!
1) How important is Swimming Lessons to your child's summer camp? Would you specifically pick a camp that offers swimming lessons over one that doesn't?
2) Would you prefer a half-day, or a full-day (school day, 8-4) camp?
3) If you are interested in a full-day camp, would you still be interested if you had to provide your child's lunches? Would this be a factor at all?
4) The most dangerous activities at Camp include Horseback Riding (almost 8% of summer camp ER visits!) and Competitive Sport Camps (Children collapsing from heat stroke while attending Football camps, getting sick while running the aptly named "suicides" at basketball camps). Would having those activities on a camp schedule cause you to not choose a particular camp?
5) How do you feel about Half-day or Full-day Field Trips? Consider especially that while we may provide training for this instance, our camp staffers are not full time professional child care specialists, nor certified educators.
6) Is it important that a camp attempts to be Educational?
7) Is it important that a camp have Fitness goals?
8) Aside from physical things (like location and price), what is your biggest fear sending your child to camp? Did this change from your first child to your second or third?
Any input is appreciated! Thanks in advance!
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- From: Endrath@xanga
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Comments (5)
I think you might have unhappy customers if you advertise "sports" knowing that the expectation is organized sport activities.
Field trips are not great ideas.
I would expect if camp were a full day that lunch and snacks would be provided. That should be included in the cost of tuition.
Swimming lessons are separate from summer camps entirely, to me.
If I were going to pick a summer camp I would look for qualification of personnel. Is everyone first aid/cpr certified? Has everyone had a background check? Is there someone on staff who is trained to handle emergency situations, and will staff have access to call 911 at all times? Those would be the minimum requirements for me as a Mother.
Training of staff is the most important. Staff need to be able to handle hard questions, and know which questions they can't handle and need to refer to parents or superiors. Safety of kids, emotionally, physically and spiritually is the first thing.
You can't really advertise yourself as a sports camp and then not include sports :-/
Where are you getting these statistics?
not hiring high school students is a bad mistake on your part.
i worked at 2 summer camps, and my sister has worked at the same summer camp for 6 years. She started working there when she was 15. Yes, thats young but every year kids come back asking for her by (camp) name.
Being a good counselor has less to do with to do with age, its all about maturity.
Some of the best counselors i know are in high school. (i worked there after 3rd year college)
Feild trips are great! kids love them, parents love them, and staff like them. If you have good staff and a good trip in mind, do it! some of my favourite camp memories were feildtrips (working and actually attending as a child)
Educational and Fitness goals are a part of every day life, but if you make them noticed its not fun for the kids. Encourage staff to eat healthy and play active games, and kids will follow in their foot steps.
Camp is a great experience for kids, but it needs a good staff who like to have fun. sing, dance, do crafts. sometimes the smallest things (a rock paper scissors tournament) will be the thing kids talk about for the rest of camp.