Over the years, we have received numerous questions about how to select a great summer camp, and this year is no exception. As such, we wanted to put together a short list of the Top 5 things you should know about choosing a great summer camp for your child.
We hope this helps!
1. What are the Activities?
Here is a list of things that you should ask a potential program provider to make sure their program will meet your child’s needs:
- What is Curriculum? Is there a structured program or are the activities just general day care with coloring, television, movies, games, field trips etc.
- Are there any personal development activities that my child will benefit from?
- Are the activities Age Appropriate?
- What are the safety procedures?
- Is my child on a bus daily? If so, what is the quality of the bus and the driver?
- Are the children sorted by age or all ages put together?
2. What is the Quality of the Staff?
The foundation of a great camp is the quality of the staff! Here are a few questions you should ask about the staff that will be watching your child:
- What kind of training does your staff go through?
- What are the certifications? Are they CPR Certified? Are ALL of the staff trained or just the Director?
- Do you conduct Background Checks on the staff?
- Will a CIT or Counselor be watching my child?
What is the Difference Between a CIT and a Counselor?
This is another question that we get all the time: “Do you have any CIT’s working with my child?”
Answer: Our corporate policy at America’s Leaders is that we do not work with CIT’s. I know it would be a great learning experience for them we but want to provide the best and safest experience for your child so we only use counselors.
Ok, so what is the difference? A CIT is normally a teenager under 18 that is volunteering to get service hours. By law, anyone who is legally able to work with children must be at least 18 years of age. As such, we only hire staff over the age of 18.
All of our staff are:
- 18 years of age or older
- Background checked
- CPR certified
- Has completed our Leadership Training Program
3. Are there any Hidden Fees?
All camps have a tuition per session rate. Here are some questions you should ask to make sure you know ALL of the fees involved:
- What is the length of a session? Daily, Weekly, 2 Weeks, 4 Week block etc.
- Are there additional Registration Fees?
- Is there an additional cost for Insurance?
- Are there additional fees for Pre and Post Care?
- Are there any other fees at camp including food, shirts, supplies, trips?
- Does my child need a Camp shirt / uniform?
4. References
A great camp will offer a variety of references including:
- Other parents
- News Coverage – Newspaper articles, television, etc.
- Corporate Partnerships – Do they have credible organizations that they work with, i.e. the School Board of Broward County
5. Business Background
Other great questions to get you comfortable with the provider is to ask about their business background including:
- How long has the company been in business and doing summer camp programs?
- What do they do throughout the year?
- Who is the company that is doing the program – is it an outside vendor or the promoting company?
We hope this Top 5 List of Questions to Selecting a Great Summer Camp Program has helped you in your search for a great summer camp. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 954-748-5977.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Wishing you a wonderful summer!
Ms. Val
Valerie Stuut, MBA
President America’s Leaders Inc.
