Dreamstime
Are you ready for the summer? Memphis Parent is prepping now to get you and your child ready for overnight and day camps. Memphis Parent will host its first-ever Camp Expo next month to put all types of camps on display.
From whitewater rafting to performing arts and cooking, today's camps appeal to a wide range of interests while still providing the long-term benefits summer camp is known for. And a great way to experience that is with a sleep-away camp.
There are many benefits of overnight camp. In addition to learning new skills, children learn how to collaborate and live in a community while at camp, gaining self-confidence and independence through problem-solving and teamwork.
"All those things are life skills and life assets that every parent wants for their child," says Jill Tipograph, a camp consultant and author of Your Everything Summer Guide & Planner. by
Popular camp activities. According to the American Camp Association, 75 percent of camp directors reported adding new activities and programs to accommodate trends in popular culture. The top three activities camps are integrating into their more traditional fare, like campfires, swimming, and horseback riding, include performing arts, adventure, and more recently, culinary.
"Culinary is the hottest and newest in terms of camps investing in building kitchens and bringing in specialists to teach the kids. The other part that goes along with culinary is the whole, farm-to-table — taking things from the gardens and cooking them," Tipograph says.
Traditional vs. specialty. Specialty camps are designed for kids interested in pursuing a specific interest. Traditional camps, on the other hand, offer a combination of programming. Children can try different activities, including those they may not have tried otherwise, whether stained glass design, rock climbing, or singing in a recording studio.
"I feel that if children start their camping career on a purely specialty track, [parents] are really missing what camp can do for their child. The advantage traditional camps offer is they are all about the child holistically," says Tipograph.
Considerations for a successful sleep-away experience:
Maturity. Most kids are ready by ages 9 or 10, but consider your child's physical and emotional maturity first.
Plan ahead. If possible, start researching camps a year ahead of time. Check out websites, talk to friends and family for recommendations, and visit prospective camps. Many overnight camps offer family weekends in the fall.
Length of camp. How long do you want your child away at camp? Camps offer both short- and long-term sessions.
Size of camp. Decide whether your child would do better in a large setting or a smaller gathering.
Gender. Choose from a single-sex or a co-ed camp. Not sure which? Consider whether a younger sibling may eventually join your older child at camp.
Location. Determine the types of activities you want your child to experience. Because of their geographical location, some camps offer better outdoor or adventure activities than others and may be more likely to have access to experienced adventure specialists.
Meet the director. A meeting with the director is imperative in order to get a sense of his or her personality, trustworthiness, and compatibility. "You need to see how they're interacting with your child," Tipograph says. "They set the tone and the philosophy for the camp, and it trickles down. How they relate to you and your child is the same way they train their staff to do the same."
Regional Overnight Camps
Camp Bear Track
295 Prim Road
Drasco, AR 72530
campbeartrack.com
(501) 825-8222
Olivia S Dowell, Director
Camp of the Rising Son
444 Lake Road
French Camp, MS 39745
campoftherisingson.com
(662) 547-6169
Carrie Browning, Director
Camp MasterChef
339 Nacoochee Drive
Rabun Gap, GA 30568
campmasterchef.com
(754) 301-8885
Sandro Lucarini, Director
Riverview Camp for Girls
757 County Road 614
Mentone, AL 35984
riverviewcamp.org
(800) 882-0722
Susan Hooks, Director
Twin Lakes Camp
155 Milner Road
Florence, MS 39073
twinlakescamp.org
(601) 845-6858
Andrew Vincent, Director
Victory Ranch
4330 Mecklinburg Drive
Bolivar, TN 38008
victoryranch.org
(731) 659-2880
Dennis Smith, Director