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START NOW?
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“Sleepaway camp
is the best. It teaches
kids to be their best
self, to grow
independently, to be part of a
community and
explore their
identity in ways
that are deep and
meaningful and
make friends
for life.”
CAMP GRAPHIC: PHOTOCO;
CAMPERS: FATCAMERA/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS;
ABOVE: COURTESY OF CLUB SCIKIDZ MD
12 Washington FAMILY JANUARY 2023
—JAMIE SIMON
I t may not be the first thing that comes
to mind as the snow begins to pile up
in the Mid-Atlantic, but winter may be
the best time to lock in a summer camp
program for your child.

While there is “no wrong time to look
for a camp,” according to the American
Camp Association (ACA), open enrollment
for many camps starts in January, so it’s
a good idea to have your preferred camp
options narrowed down before then.

“Some camps fill quickly, so there
may be waitlists,” notes an ACA spokes-
person. And the enrollment period is
earlier than ever. Some camps even began
registering kids at the end of last summer.

At Club SciKidz MD, a science and
technology camp which has several
locales throughout Maryland including in
Baltimore and Anne Arundel County, reg-
istration began right after Thanksgiving on
Small Business Saturday. And, according to
co-owner Andrea Gibble, “We had the big-
gest opening week ever. While there are
still plenty of spots available, a few camps
are sold out already— in Howard County
we are almost 50% full!”
Last year, following two years of COVID-
19 pandemic precautions, parents eager for
their children to have fun registered them
for camps as early as possible. That meant
some longtime campers were shut out of
their summer home for lack of space.

That’s what happened to the Lisa family
of Broomall, Pennsylvania last summer.

“We’ve been going for years to one
camp, and I didn’t usually register my kids
until February or March,” Stephanie Lisa