What’s the camp’s ideology? Are you comfortable with this ? Is it a good fit for your child? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? What religious observances or practices are part of the program? I

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 Staff and Camper return rates? How many counselors are returning this year 50% is a good numbers. How many campers return? Fifty percent is good, and more is better. Still looking for that perfect camp Check out this

What’s the ratio of counselors to campers? ACA guidelines for overnight camps call for a 1:6 ratio for ages 7 and 8, 1:8 for ages 9-14; and 1:10 for ages 15-18. Day camp guidelines call for 1:8 for children ages 6-8; 1:10 for children ages 9-14; and 1:12 for ages 15-18.

What’s the Staff Ages ? Eighty 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. Are the staff a paid position or volunteers?

What about Health Care? Overnight camp have a licensed physician or registered nurse on the site daily, Day camps should be have direct phone access. Be sure you are comfortable that the camp will be able to handle your child’s special health care needs.

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.

Does the camp have vans for transportation? How often are camp vehicles inspected? Who will be driving them and what’s the training.

Ask for references. Finally and most important, get the names of parents with children the same age who have attended the camp.

Still looking for ideas to help you make an informed decision? Check out Summer Camp Advice A FREE Summer Camp Directory

About the authors: Jeff and Lonnie Lorenz are the Directors of Swift Nature Camp, a non-competitive, traditional Children’s Summer Camp in Wisconsin. Boys and Girls ages 6-15 enjoy playing in nature, caring for animals, and learning science. Traditional camping activities include canoe trips and more. SNC is so personal it seems like a Homeschool Summer Camp.