CAMP COUNSELOR & SOCCER: KALI9/E+/GETTY IMAGES
explains. “Then, last year, the camp was
fully booked in December. It didn’t matter
if you were a returning camper. I was very
upset about it, but they couldn’t add any
bunks or more kids.”
Although Lisa ended up finding a much
different camp that year that her boys
loved, to avoid being put in the same posi-
tion again, she is already on the hunt for
the right camp experience this summer for
her sons Steven, 10, and Elliott, 8.

She’s also weighing the all-important
question: Are they ready for sleepaway camp?
“I’ve toured four sleepaway camps, did
research on two more and then the same
thing with two day camps,” Lisa says.

“It’s almost like interviewing for a private
school or a college. You need to make sure
the atmosphere, the personality of the peo-
ple working there and the program itself
offer what your kids need and like.”
“Sleepaway camp is the best,” says Jamie
Simon, senior advisor of camps and talent
at the national JCC Association. “It teaches
kids to be their best self, to grow inde-
pendently, to be part of a community and
explore their identity in ways that are deep
and meaningful and make friends for life.”
Simon, also the CEO of Camp Tawonga
in California, suggests parents use
sleepovers to test if their kids are ready for
a sleepaway camp.

If your kids have never slept away from
home and can’t get to sleep without you
being there, it’s probably not the year to
try overnight camp, says Simon, who con-
sults with camps across the East Coast.

“But if they go on sleepovers, and they like
sleeping away from home, that’s a sign they
might be ready.”
Rachel Steinberg, of Fort Washington,
Pennsylvania, who serves as manager of
new family engagement and community
at Camp Harlam, also in Pennsylvania,
says when looking for a camp, it’s import-
ant to consider your goals for your child’s
summer experience.

“There are hundreds of amazing camp
options to consider, so it’s important to
hone in on the things that are import-
ant to you and them. That could be things
like values, the facility, program offer-
ings, inclusion, etc.,” she says. “There are
traditional camps that offer diverse pro-
grammatic experiences and specialty
camps that offer kids more depth in their
experience around a particular interest
area like sports or arts.”
Catoctin Quaker Camp, based in Thur-
mont, Maryland, makes it easier for
families torn between day camps and sleep-
away opportunities. Though kids still stay
at camp base for a week, the program com-
bines camp days with activities including
games, arts and crafts and swimming and
two-day overnight excursions where kids
bring their own bedding, food and gear.

Some families might also factor in the
experience level a camp program has into
their decisions. Catoctin Quaker Camp
just reached its 100th summer in 2022.

Another Thurmont camp—Camp Airy, a
Jewish camp for boys— will reach its 100th
anniversary in 2024.

“There are big camps and small camps,
religious camps,
outdoor-adventure camps, etc.,” Steinburg says. “Ultimately,
I would encourage families to find a camp
that they think will be the best for their
child and their family; a place where
they believe their child will be set up
for success.”
Gibble, who co-owns Club SciKidz
MD with Matt Bogusz, agrees that
parents need to take each child
into account, as what works for
one may not work for all.

“Think about what situ-
ations and environments
your child is successful in.

If they do better with a
schedule and set activities,
a traditional day camp with
lots of unstructured free
time probably isn’t the best
fit,” she explains. “If your child
loves being rough and tumble
and being outdoors and can always
‘find something to do,’ an outdoor
camp that offers sports, swimming and
good ol’ day camp fun may be the right fit.”
“Camp, is not
something to do to
keep kids busy for
the summer;it’s a
significant investment
in helping your
child grow.”
—STEPHANIE LISA
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