Your children want to go to camp. You think that's a great idea. Before your children take off though, shere are some suggestions on how to prepare your children for camp, courtesy of the American Camping Association (ACA).
Involve your children. You and your potential campers should select the camp and prepare for it together.
Discuss the differences between day and resident camps. If your children don't feel ready for a resident camp, look at day camp alternatives. If they want to go to a resident camp, discuss how long they would like to stay.
Be sure to send the message "You get to go to camp," and not "You are being sent to camp."
Discuss what camp will be like. Talk about your own camp experiences and, if possible, talk with former campers and their families.
Encourage your children to ask them questions. Consider role playing anticipated camp situations such as using a flashlight to find the bathroom.
Be open. Answer any questions that come up. The more questions that are answered, the more confident your campers will be.
Set realistic expectations. Camp, like the rest of life, has high and low points. Not every moment is filled with excitement.
Encourage your children to have a reasonable view of the experience.
Be practical. As the first day of camp draws near, double-check the list of items your youngsters need.
A free directory of camps accredited by the ACA is available by calling (800) 362-2236 or on the World Wide Web: http://www.aca-camps.org.
Ameri~an Camping Association is the only organization in the United States providing accreditaho~ to all types of camps across the country. ACA accreditation verifies a camp complies with up to 300 individual health and safety and program-quality standards establishc,d for living areas, food service, emergency preparedness, program practices, health care, persc'rnel, transportation and administrative procedures.