Summer is approaching, and you don’t want to wait until the last minute to find a summer camp. Camp can be a lot of fun for your kids, and the best ones are booked  early. Here are some suggestions to get it right:

1.  Ask your friends for recommendations in your area.

2. Check your local newspaper or community magazine, since many have a summer camp insert listing all the options in your area.

3. Ask your child’s teacher if he or she knows of a great camp.

4. Ask your kids what they’d like to do most at camp, and focus your seacrh on their wishes.

5. Narrow your search down to 3 or 4 choices and call and visit each one.

6. Check the camp for cleanliness, safety and for the quality of activities available.

7.  Ask the right questions:

How long has the camp been here?

Who are the owners?

What is the cost?

How many sessions do you have?

Is transportation provided?

How many campers do you have?

What are the age ranges?

How many counselors are there in ratio to the number of campers?

What kind of training do the counselors have?

What does a typical day consist of?

What do you do to ensure the safety of my child?

What about pool safety?

How do you handle medical emergencies?

How do you handle campers with bad behavior?

Has this camp won any awards?

8. Do your homework by asking around if any other parents have sent their kids to the camp, by doing a search on the camp on line and by calling the Better Business Bureau to see if thee are complaints.

9. Let your kids have a say in where they will attend so they can be excited about going.

10. Believe your child if he tells you he feels unsafe there or is unhappy and does not want to go. Theres probably a good reason.

Once you find a camp your children love, they can return again and again.

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