Need Help Finding and Choosing Summer Camp!

[labdogs42]

So, this is the first year that we have a need for summer care/camp for our DS, age 5. (I just started abck to work full time last week) So, how do you go abotu finding a good camp for your kid(s)? Do you send them to a daycare c"camp", or pick something like a Y camp? Do you do different camps each week or keep it the same?

I'm sure there are some folks form the Lehigh Valley checking this thread, so if you know of any good cams in the area, I'd love to hear recommendations! Help a momma out! I'm new to this camp stuff!

 

[nikkistevej]

We do Y camps for some of the summer- my mom usually watches DD7 for part of the summer- she visits her sisters in Tennessee for about a month after she finishes working at her high school. So we have about a month at the beginning and a week at the end that we have to do camps. My DD loved the Y Camp- she had a great time- they do field trips and everything- each week. There are different themes for each week- and you can put them in special swimming/art classes(optional- for a fee of course). She keeps on asking if she will go this summer- we will definitely be doing them this year. Hope this info helps- if you have any more questions just let me know.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I'm not familiar with your area, but I know that here in Seattle, you would be hard-pressed to find a day camp (let alone a more traditional summer camp) that would take a 5 year old. I worked as a day camp organizer for a children's museum and liaised with other camp institutions in the area, and the general rule in our area is that kids must have finished grade 1 to be allowed into a day camp. Special exceptions were made for 5 year olds (and even one 4 year old at our museum, but it was a nightmare and we agreed that it would never be done again!) who had older siblings in the camp, however. One institution in our area did allow kids coming out of kindergarten in a special camp program for young children, but they only offered that camp one week out of the whole summer.

I may be corrected, but at least in our area, your only option would be a more traditional daycare.

 

[nikkistevej]

Check out the Y in the area just to see- they had kids much younger than my DD6 there for day camps.

 

[Magic Mom]

So, this is the first year that we have a need for summer care/camp for our DS, age 5. (I just started abck to work full time last week) So, how do you go abotu finding a good camp for your kid(s)? Do you send them to a daycare c"camp", or pick something like a Y camp? Do you do different camps each week or keep it the same?

I'm sure there are some folks form the Lehigh Valley checking this thread, so if you know of any good cams in the area, I'd love to hear recommendations! Help a momma out! I'm new to this camp stuff!

Our two local giant churches have summer day camp every year. They both have wonderful programs with field trips and theme weeks. You don't have to be members of the church to participate.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Ok, so I am standing corrected - I was randomly clicking on YMCA camps in PA and, though most of them are for children aged 6+, there is at least one day camp (Camp Speers-Eljabar) that takes kids aged 3-5.

I think the issue that a lot of institutions (and the Y camps wouldn't necessarily have this problem because they're self-contained) have is that they do field trips as part of their activities, and field trips with a child younger than 6 (and the typical counselor/camper ratio) is an absolute nightmare. When I worked as a counselor to supplement counselor numbers, we needed to assign one counselor to each 5 year old, which takes away counselors that are desperately needed to watch the other kids.

 

[Erin1700]

I am from the Lehigh Valley. Check out the Catty YMCA. I think it is called the Suburban North YMCA.
I sent my daughter there when she was 6 and she liked it a lot. I believe you only pay for the days you are there.
PM for other suggestions if you feel comfortable telling me where in the LV you are.

 

[Jynohn]

When we were looking for summer camps for our daughter we found the American Camp Association (ACA) website to be very helpful. There was a search function where you could find camps by narrowing down location, price range, any religious affiliation, specialty, single sex or co-ed, etc.

The ACA is the standard accrediting organization for camps, so whichever camp you decide to go with, I would make sure that it has received approval by them.

Good luck in your search!

 

[NotUrsula]

In my experience, the ACA accreditation is for sleepaway camps, not day camps, but I could be wrong.

First off, know that daycamp fees for kids up to age 12 are eligible to be sheltered in an FSA account if you are working while the child is in camp.

Check with the big daycare center chains such as Kindercare and Children's World. Most of them have "camp" programs for preschool/kindergarten kids that have good hours for working parents.

Another good avenue, though usually quite expensive, is independent private schools. Many of them have outstanding camp programs that are designed as recruiting tools, but you don't have to be an enrolled student to attend. DS has gone to camp at a private school every year for the past 5 years. Universities also often host summer daycamp programs, but those usually will not accomodate a child that young.

The Y is another possibility, of course. Sometimes the Y is great, and sometimes not so much. In our area the Y has been problematic because of the number of subsidized foster kids enrolled in the programs, and after the first summer of that, DS begged to go anywhere else. Many of the children have emotional and behavior problems, and as a result, Y camp in my city has almost turned into boot camp -- lots of petty theft, bullying, and vandalism, resulting in harsh discipline as the counselors try to maintain control.

 

[Darcy03231]

Its been a number of years since I needed them, but we used the "Y" camp program and both my children and I were happy with them.

 

[labdogs42]

I am from the Lehigh Valley. Check out the Catty YMCA. I think it is called the Suburban North YMCA.
I sent my daughter there when she was 6 and she liked it a lot. I believe you only pay for the days you are there.
PM for other suggestions if you feel comfortable telling me where in the LV you are.

Catty Y is one of our options. I'll PM you, too!

Another good avenue, though usually quite expensive, is independent private schools. Many of them have outstanding camp programs that are designed as recruiting tools, but you don't have to be an enrolled student to attend. DS has gone to camp at a private school every year for the past 5 years. Universities also often host summer daycamp programs, but those usually will not accomodate a child that young.

I have seen some private school programs in my area and they sure are expensive! Maybe I'll save those for when he's a little older. Or maybe do one week of that this summer and something like a Y campe the rest of the time. Thanks for the ideas!