Believe it or not, we’re already more than two-thirds of the way through the school year. Before you know it summer will be here, and your kids will be needing something to do. If you haven’t thought about it before, perhaps it’s time to send your kids to summer camp this year. You may be wondering however, what the best summer camp is for your children, and what the benefits of it are. Today, we’ll break it all down for you.
Why should children go to summer camp?
There are two reasons that summer camp is a good idea for children. First, and perhaps most importantly, it keeps their minds active while school is no longer in session. A funny thing happens when a child’s mind is dormant for the summer – and that is that they tend to forget many of the things they learned throughout the school year. However, when they are active and engaged in activities they tend to retain knowledge that they’ve gathered.
The other reason to send your kids to summer camp, is so that they can continue engaging with their peers. In fact, they might meet new people with similar interests that they can form new bonds with. But, how do you decide which Camp to send them to?
A few questions to ask when choosing a summer camp
- What activities will the students be doing during the day?
- Is this summer camp specifically catered to a certain hobby or interest?
For example, in the Tampa Bay Area there are summer camps at the zoo and at our local amusement parks that allow kids to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it’s like to work in those industries. There are also many camps that are geared towards extracurricular activities such as cheerleading, football, and even golf.
- How much will it cost? No one likes to talk about it, but the reality is that some summer camps can be pretty expensive depending on which ones you go to. Therefore, cost is a factor you must consider before you present the summer camp to your children. There’s nothing worse than telling your kids about a camp, and getting them excited, only to crush their dreams when you tell them later you can’t afford it.
- Finally, how far away is it from your home, and how will you get them there during the day? Some camps are available all day, and fit in nicely with many parent’s 9 to 5 jobs. On the other hand, some of them take place a few hours a day, in the afternoons, and/or every other day of the week. This can sometimes make transportation difficult.
Consider your options, and book as soon as possible
We hope this article has given you some things to consider about how to choose a summer camp for your kids. It’s also important to note that summer camps generally fill up quickly. Especially the popular ones. So, if there’s one that you are interested in, it’s better to book your space now than to wait and risk not getting in at all.