The Day - June 6, 2003
Right On Target
Finding The Right Camp For Your Kid Means Asking The Right Questions

By ANN BALDELLI
Day Staff Writer

Kim Bregman has this advice for parents: If you want your kid to
have a great time at camp this summer, do your homework first.

“The whole reason parents send their children to camp is
because it's supposed to be a wonderful experience, and parents
want their children to have a wonderful summer,” says Bregman,
co-founder and chief executive officer of KidsCamps.com, a
Florida-based resource of 21,000 camp programs worldwide,
including 53 in Connecticut and 26 in Rhode Island.

“But if parents want their kids to have a good time, it's their
obligation as a family to talk to the camp director first. They need
to have an honest conversation with whoever will have the most
day-to-day contact with their child, and find out what their camp is
all about.”

This summer, more than 9 million children will attend camps
across the United States, raking in $18 billion for the industry.

But too often, experts say, parents sign up kids without first
getting answers to important questions. These are key points to
consider, says Bregman, before packing the duffel bag:

Whatis the camp's philosophy and program emphasis?

What is the background of the camp director?

Whatis the counselor-to-camper ratio?

What experience and backgrounds do counselors have?

How are behavioral and disciplinary problems handled?

How does the camp handle homesickness and other adjustment issues?

How does the camp screen its staff?

What are the camp's policies on parent-camper communications?

Ask the camp for references and call the parents directly.

“A camp director has a job, and that is to try to make the camp situation ideal for everyone,” says Bregman.
“It's no good for them if your kid doesn't fit in.”

Parents need to talk to their children about what kind of camping experience they would like to have, and
decide whether a day or overnight camp is the right choice. A shy child shouldn't be pushed into an
overnight camp in the hopes he'll hone his socialization skills, the experts say.

Nor should a child who only wants to play basketball be sent to a theater camp with expectations that she'll
expand her extracurricular horizons.

Kids usually know what they like to do and how comfortable they are being away from home, camp directors
say.

“Teens tend to find programs first and bring them to their parents,” says Bregman. Younger children need to
be guided by parents. Regardless of who makes the first suggestion, selecting a camp should be a family
affair, involving the camper and parents.

Scott McLeod, program and camp director for the Westerly-Pawcatuck YMCA's Camp Watchaug, also
suggests that parents find out what kind of certifications staffers have.

For example, is the waterfront staff qualified in lifesaving? Are the counselors running archery certified to
handle such positions?

“You want to make sure that they know how to run a safe program,” says McLeod.

“It's also important to match a child's interest with the type of interests a camp offers,” he says. “If it's an
outdoorsy camp and your kid is not the outdoorsy type, they won't be comfortable.”

Usually, McLeod says, parents have a pretty good idea about local camps and their reputations. But if a
parent is considering sending their kids out of town or state, he suggests they check references and
credentials first.

“If a camp is run by an organization that you know and that has been around, you're probably comfortable,”
he says. “But if you're sending your child away, make sure you do your research.”

McLeod welcomes calls from parents and encourages them to attend open houses at camps to get an
advance look at grounds and facilities.

At the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, where first- to sixth-graders can attend a summer day camp
focused on history, art and nature, museum educator Lisa Kenyon says parents and children should
brainstorm before deciding on a summer program.

“Ask the kids, do they want to do something they don't do in school? Maybe they're interested in art, but
aren't getting enough. Find out, what is it they're truly into and how do they want to spend their time.”

Her goal, she says, is to provide a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere.

“This is a fun place, and I want kids to come back again,” she says. “I want them to know it's not a stuffy
place that's just for adults.”

Often camps are intended to be educational as well as fun, says Chris Dobbs, associate director of
education at Mystic Seaport.

His recommendation is that parents find a program that's active and age appropriate, but also teaches
something at the same time.

“You want to capture kids' imaginations and get them involved,” he says.

With myriad options for camps – everything from tennis and pottery to etiquette and military programs –
parents and kids need to educate themselves and make educated choices.

“I'm a firm believer that there's a camp out there for every kid, but not necessarily every camp is for your
kid,” says Bregman, of KidsCamps.com.