Travel and Vacation Information

If you went to overnight camp as a child you can always tell a favorite story you can still remember in exact detail, down to the smell of that pine forest. Memories of summer camp are lifelong reminders of lessons with a lifetime?s worth of value with friends you haven’t forgotten.

Few places on earth can provide a child with opportunities daily fun the way a camps can. Fun would be reason enough to go to overnight camp, but summer camp offers much more to enrich a child’s life, whether it?s a Traditional Camp or Nature camp or a nonspecific resident camp. Read more…

So you are thinking of sending your child to summer camp! Here are a few questions you need to ask that may affect your child’s stay at camp. If an area is really important for your child and you can not find the information be sure to call the camp Director and ask for more information.

Facilities Be careful to look at the condition of the facilities. Do the buildings well maintained,? Or do they show signs of needed maintenance. Rustic buildings are perfectly ok, make sure that they are not being neglected. Specific things you’ll want to look for and ask about include: Read more…

Children are provided the choice to take risks and try new things at summer camp. Being voluntary helps children be open to new experiences. Camp offers opportunities to try new things and excel in. The non-athlete can shine at arts and crafts, woodworking, or dramatic programs, while the athlete can also find many outlets for their skills. Most importantly, campers learn to live together and become friends despite their differences.

Camp offers children many opportunities to become competent. Practicing both new and old skills on a regular basis, it makes sense that there will be improvement. Novices have chances to learn, while those who are more experienced can improve. Learning new skills and improving on old ones builds self-esteem. Children become more independent and self-reliant at camp with their new found skills. Read more…

Sending your child to a Minnesota Summer Camp is a great idea if you have done your homework. The ACA. suggest you ask these top 10 questions.

What’s the camp’s philosophy? Is it one you’re comfortable with? Is it a good match for your child? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? If it’s a camp run by a religious organization, what religious observances or practices are part of the program? If you’re looking at a sports camp that touts an affiliation with a celebrity athlete, how much time–if any–will the sports star actually spend there?

How does the Summer Camp get and train its staff? Do counselors have criminal background checks? First aid training? Drug Testing? What’s the training all about?

What about return rates? How many counselors are returning this year? The ACA says at most camps, 50 percent of the staff returns. If the number you’re given is lower, ask why. How many campers return? Fifty percent is good, and more is better. Still looking for that perfect camp Check out this Summer Camps Minnesota

What’s the ratio of staff to camper? Guidelines for overnight camps are for a 1:6 ratio for ages for younger children, and 1:10 for older teens.

How old are the counselors? The ACA recommends that 80 percent of the staff be 18 or older and that all staffers be at least 16 and a minimum of two years older than the campers they supervise.

Is a Nurse at hand? The ACA recommends that an sleepaway camps have a physician or nurse on the site daily. If your camper has medications, food allergies or a medical condition, be sure you ask all your questions and are comfortable.

How does the camp Punish and Discipline? Know what your camp’s rules are and what breaches would send a camper home. You should be comfortable with these.

What does a camp Day look like? This will help you decide if your child will be happy with the level of physical activity or the amount of time devoted to arts and crafts. Ask how much freedom a child has to choose activities.

How does the camp provide transportation? How often are the van inspected? Who is driving, what’s the training.

References,References, References Most important, get the names of parents with children the same age who have attended the camp. They will tell you what makes camp so special

Still looking for that perfect camp Check out this Summer Camps Minnesota