Summer camps provide children with structured activities, skill development, socialization, and outdoor experiences during school breaks. Options range from day camps to overnight (residential) camps, and from general recreation to specialized programs (sports, arts, STEM, wilderness, special needs).
10 steps across 1 sections
1. Steps Process
- Assess your child's readiness and interests — Consider age, maturity, comfort with being away from home (for overnight camps), and specific interests (sports, arts, science, nature, adventure); mos...
- Decide between day camp and overnight camp — Day camps (typically 8am-5pm) work for younger children or those not ready for overnight; residential camps (1-8 weeks) offer deeper immersion and indep...
- Set your budget — Day camps range from $200-500/week; overnight camps range from $500-2,000+/week; many camps offer financial aid, scholarships, and sliding-scale fees
- Research camps — Use ACA's camp search tool (acacamps.org), local parks and recreation listings, school recommendations, and parent networks; ask about ACA accreditation
- Verify accreditation and licensing — ACA-accredited camps meet 32 national standards covering health, safety, staffing, and programming; state licensing varies (some states require camp licensing, ...
- Check staff qualifications and ratios — Ask about counselor training, background checks, certifications (CPR, First Aid, lifeguard, wilderness first responder), staff-to-camper ratios, and counselo...
- Visit the camp if possible — Tour the facilities, meet the director, observe activities in progress; if visiting is not possible, attend virtual open houses or review video tours
- Ask about health and emergency procedures — How is healthcare delivered (nurse on-site, nearby hospital)? What are the medication policies? How will you be contacted in an emergency? What is the ca...
- Understand the daily schedule and programming — Quality camps balance structured activities with free time, offer age-appropriate challenges, and build skills progressively
- Review policies and logistics — Registration deadlines, refund policies, what to pack, transportation options, communication methods (letters, calls, parent portals), visiting days, and food/allerg...
Common Mistakes
- Not checking ACA accreditation
- Choosing based only on brochure photos
- Ignoring the camp's approach to homesickness
- Not asking about bullying prevention
- Registering too late
Pro Tips
- ACA camp search tool is the gold standard
- Ask for references from current families
- Financial aid is widely available
- Check the camp's approach to screens
- Specialty camps offer deep skill development