image: Alaska Region USFWS/Flickr
At their best, day camps are life-changing experiences for kids, where they learn new skills, make new friends, and develop new interests. With all that at stake, finding the best summer day camp for your child can be daunting.
Before you do anything, first talk to your child. Ask what he or she would like to focus on at camp. Look at website and brochures together. Don’t assume that school-year activities are what she or he will want to do in summer. Camp can be an opportunity to explore other interests. (For age-specific camp tips, check out What Camp is Your Child Ready For?)
Once you’ve done that, here are some questions you should ask the camp in order to make the best possible decision.
1. What are the logistics?
First, you have to be sure the camp works for your family. What is the commute? What are the drop-off and pick-up times? How flexible is the schedule? What are the fees and registration?
2. How will my child fit in?
The camp’s philosophy, mission, and style should fit your expectations and your child’s personality. How does the camp’s philosophy translate into the day to day? What are the goals for each child? How does the camp meet these goals? Ask staff what types of kids tend to thrive at their camp. How does the camp meet different needs and differences? How flexible are they with kids’ likes and dislikes? How does the camp foster community? How do they encourage kids to participate and be part of the camp community?
3. Can I get some specifics about day-to-day activities?
Really delve into specifics about daily activities. How much of each day is spent on certain activity or activities? How much instruction do kids receive? How competitive are the sports or other activities? Which activities are mandatory? (Will my child be required to swim, for example?) Are there elective activities? Is the schedule jam-packed or do kids have down time to relax and have fun? How big are the group classes or activities? What is the range of ages of campers for the program? What are the rainy-day plans?
4. What are the grounds and facilities like?
Robyn Hochglaube, owner/director of Adventure Valley Day Camp, recommends visiting the site if possible and asking pointed questions. She says, “Many parents end up unhappy [because] they didn’t realize their child would be walking such far distances between activities, or that there is no air-conditioning, or that activities are mostly indoors and they wanted a more outdoorsy camp or vice versa.”
5. Where will my child be each day?
Ask whether all activities will be on-site, or whether kids will leave the camp for certain programs. Know where kids will be going, whether they’ll need pickup from other locations, and what emergency plans are in place.
6. What is the kid-to-counsellor ratio?
It should be roughly the same as at a school or day care, but for accredited camps the Ontario Camps Association (OCA) requires a ratio of 6:1 for children under 5 and 10:1 for children ages 6 and over.
7. What is the staff training and hiring process?
Hiring should include criminal background checks, face-to-face interviews, and reference checks. Ask whether staff is trained in CPR, safety regulations, emergency procedures, behavioural issues, and child abuse prevention. Ask how discipline is handled. How old are the counsellors? Don’t be afraid to ask about the camp director’s background, too.
8. What are the camp’s qualifications?
Veteran camps are a good place start, as a camp that has been around for many years is still around for a reason. Camps accredited by the Ontario Camps Association must meet certain standards. Ask the camp for references, too; families who have experienced the camp already are a valuable resource. And check with your network of friends, coworkers, and friends-of-friends.
9. Are there any hidden fees?
“Ask about hidden costs,” Hochglaube says, “Some camps charge extra for programs that aren’t included in the materials, like overnights or theatre productions. Parents then feel they have to comply or their child is the only camper not participating.”
10. What are the refund and cancellation policies?
Be aware up front of the camp’s policy on cancellations and refunds (money back vs. credit vs. nothing at all), to avoid surprises should your plans change or should your child decide the camp is not the right fit.
Keep informed with all our camps coverage and find the perfect camp by searching our Toronto & GTA camps directory.
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