Choosing A Summer Camp

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ”

– Matthew 25:21

Summertime is that unique part of the year when the hustle and bustle of school, sports, and activities comes to a rapid halt. For a week or two, everyone revels in the joy of not needing to be doing something from sunup to sundown, and the fact that kids are finally getting to sleep in and relax. However, this much-needed break can quickly turn boring once the novelty of “nothing to do” wears off. With several weeks left of open-ended time on everyone’s hands, the need to get creative becomes a necessity. We have found that one fun way to break up the summer holidays is to send our kids to a one-week summer camp.

There are many benefits of sending your kids to a summer camp, but it is also important to select one carefully and intentionally. Camps can be expensive and last for multiple weeks, and anywhere you’re sending your children for a lengthy period of time needs to be a place in which you have confidence and comfort. While some camps are simply entertaining, others provide an educational component that can pay dividends in the years ahead.

Summer Camp Benefits

Before you decide to send a child to camp, we encourage you to have a specific goal in mind: Why are you sending them? What are you hoping to accomplish? There are many reasons a family may choose this particular experience for a child, and knowing your “why” will help you decide if your goal has been met when all is said and done. One child may need to spread their wings a bit and practice some independence. Another child might want to grow in a specific skill set or expand their knowledge base. Still another may desire to grow deeper in their faith or simply need to experience something new. All of these reasons are valid! And PSA: If you’re sending them away to get them out of your hair, that’s not a good enough motive.

Choosing A Camp

Once you know the goal behind sending your child to camp, it’s time to consider your options. First, decide on your budget and comfort zone. There are a wide range of camps available in this country and not all of them are in everyone’s price range or ability to access. We encourage you to come up with an amount of money you’re willing to spend on attending, and also determine how far you’re willing to travel. These are the parameters that will give you a great starting point. You can search online for available camps in your ideal area, or ask friends if they have one they’d personally recommend. Once you have a few you’re interested in, you can call or email the camp director and ask for additional information: testimonies, counselor vetting process, training and emergency protocols, etc.

Our Story

Our son, Cole, is interested in engineering, so we sent him to Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. Derek did a lot of research ahead of time, and we were able to make the necessary travel arrangements work with our schedule. Cole thoroughly enjoyed his time at camp and learned all kinds of lessons about engineering, space travel, teamwork, and teambuilding. He even got to meet a real astronaut!

Leah and Lexi attended Camp Kanakkuk in Branson, Missouri. It is a Christian camp that is a drivable distance for us, so our traveling arrangements were simple. We chose this particular camp to help the girls gain some independence, build leadership skills, and be encouraged in their faith. They really enjoyed their time as well, and came away with many fun stories and experiences that they shared with us.

Conclusion

As with all things in parenting, summer camps should be selected intentionally. They are not simply to be used as a convenient way to distract your children during the summer. A carefully chosen camp can be an amazing blessing for your children’s personal, practical, and spiritual growth. We hope you consider one for your kids!

Key Points

• A carefully selected summer camp can be a great blessing to your children.
• When choosing a camp, it is important to know what your goal is for your child.