Set for Summer
January 28, 2010
Families got a head start on their children’s summer activities with the Camp Fair Series this past weekend. New York Family Magazine played host to more than 400 families and representatives of 50-plus camps who attended fairs on the Upper East and Upper West sides. The fairs featured both city day camps for younger children and beginning campers, and sleepaway camps from around the country for older children seeking a traditional camp experience. Representatives were on hand to answer questions from both parents and prospective campers, giving a complete idea of camp life. Two additional fairs will be held this weekend in downtown Manhattan and in Park Slope, Brooklyn. [Read more]
Summer Camp Savings
January 28, 2010
Camp can be the experience of a lifetime, but in the here-and-now, budgeting for your child’s summer adventure may seem daunting. Fees range from $75 to more than $650 per week for accredited day and resident camps, according to the American Camp Association, with day camps being a little less expensive (weekly fees are about $182 on average) and resident camps being a bit pricier (with a median weekly cost of $390).
However, even as parents are pinching pennies, Adam Weinstein, executive director of the American Camp Association, says he hasn’t seen camp-goers cut back on their summer experience.
“Childhood only happens for a defined amount of time, and we’re finding that the last dollar parents cut is for their kids,” he said. [Read more]
Destination Day Camp
January 21, 2010
Summer is the ideal time for kids to romp around outdoors after having spent nearly 10 months cooped up in the classroom. To keep children active and learning throughout the summer months, many parents look to day camp, which takes the nurturing environment of school and injects it with a little summertime fun and outdoor play.
Day camp offers kids “a place to learn to take risks in a very safe environment,” said Renee Flax, director of program services at the New York branch of the American Camp Association. Day camp gives children the chance to build friendships, to mature and to experience everything from new sports to nature, Flax explained. [Read more]
Tackling a Camp Fair
January 21, 2010
For the past several years, Manhattan Media and the American Camp Association-NY have successfully worked together to bring New York City families camp fairs. The purpose of these fairs is to bring together families and camps so that people can explore the various choices concerning accredited summer programs for their children. The response from both camps and parents has been incredibly positive, and therefore we will once again be offering families a wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with camp directors.
Many families trying to select a camp best suited for their child will schedule camp tours the summer before attending. Visiting camps allows you to see the camp “in action” by checking out the facilities, observing activities, seeing the interaction of the campers and staff and having an opportunity to talk to program directors and camp owners. [Read more]
The Four-Week Option
January 8, 2010
Years ago, summer camp was typically an all-or-nothing experience: young people rushed home from school, packed their bags and said goodbye to their families for eight weeks.
But today’s kids, with their jam-packed schedules, often can’t sacrifice two months for sleepaway camp. And so more and more camps have accommodated families by offering two- and four-week options.
“There was a time that you went to camp, camp ran the schedule, that was kind of it. Today, kids have so many choices,” said Renee Flax, director of program services at American Camp Association, New York. [Read more]
Camp vs. Cash
December 10, 2009
Summer camp might not be the first item on a family’s list of budget necessities during the economic slump. But many experts believe that camp is crucial for a child’s educational and social development, arguing that parents should think twice before cutting back.
“Parents do a disservice to their children when they think that camp is fun and school is learning,” said Scott Brody, owner and director of Camps Kenwood and Evergreen, brother-sister resident camps in New Hampshire. “What kids learn in camp is complementary to what they learn in school.” [Read more]
Tackling a Camp Fair
November 5, 2009
For the past several years, Manhattan Media and the American Camp Association-NY have successfully worked together to bring New York City families camp fairs. The purpose of these fairs is to bring together families and camps so that people can explore the various choices concerning accredited summer programs for their children. The response from both camps and parents has been incredibly positive, and therefore we will once again be offering families a wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with camp directors.
[Read more]
Room to Grow
June 5, 2009
When I was 15, I was in my sixth summer at a traditional camp for boys in New Hampshire. One night after dinner, my counselor from the year before (a six-foot, five-inch English rugby player) asked me if I wanted to throw a baseball around. We spent an hour or two playing catch and talking about whatever came up. I don’t remember the specifics of our conversation. What I do remember, and still enjoy thinking about, are the positive feelings that resulted from having the undivided attention of someone I essentially worshipped. [Read more]
SUMMER OF DISCOVERY
May 11, 2009
Outside of school, kids often engage in after-school activities, play groups, and family nights during the year. But sometimes, camp is the one place where kids can truly come into their own. So, what are the magic ingredients that make the camp experience such a breakthrough one? Perhaps the most important element is that camp—whether it’s day camp or sleepaway—offers children a sense of freedom.
With schools focusing on grades and testing, and schedules filling up after school, camp can be a place where kids can let go. [Read more]
CAMP COUNSEL
March 26, 2009
So many factors go into choosing a summer camp that it’s often difficult even to know where to begin. Here, the seven most crucial camp questions parents should ask.
HOW DO I PREPARE MY CHILD FOR OVERNIGHT CAMP?
If you can, take your child to the camp ahead of time so that he or she can meet the people there and become familiar with the surroundings. Once you take away that feeling of it being a foreign experience, it makes the child feel a whole lot better. Let your child ask you questions, and be honest in your answers. If your child asks you, “What do I do if I’m homesick?” telling them, “Of course you won’t be homesick!” is the wrong answer. Chances are they will be homesick, so work through it with them: “You can talk to your counselor; you can talk to someone in your bunk; you can write us a letter.” [Read more]
