Prepare Your Child For Their First Summer Camp Experience
If you were anything like my mother the first day of school you stayed by the door and watched your kid to make sure that they were okay all day on their first day. Summer camp is a very similar experience and it causes a lot of anxiety and stress to the parent that doesn’t need to be there. Summer Camp is meant to be a good experience for the kids and this article will help with the fears and anxieties of sending you child off to Summer Camp as well as help you choose which one to pick. Thank you Summer Survival Guide for the following article that will help so many parents.
A young child may find it difficult to verbalize the anxieties they have about going to summer camp. Parents should be very attentive to what may either be subtle changes in behavior to outright defiance. Even a child who has gone to daycare or school may find the experience intimidating and frightening especially if your child doesn’t know any other children this could result in clinginess, separation anxiety or even the child acting out toward the camp counselors or other children. It’s important to let your child know what to expect from the experience Talk to them about the daily routines and extracurricular activities they will be involved with. You know your child best. Highlight those areas of interest that will excite the, or at least encourage their curiosity.
Although the location of the camp may be important, consider the type of camp your child will enjoy the most from where he or she can meet other children with common interests. Include your child in the research of the camps in your area.
When a camp is chosen they will feel some sense of control about what they are doing, which will take some of the stress away and create an excitement. You can build on that excitement by talking about what it is that made them choose that camp over the others. It's a good idea to call the camp beforehand to find out what kind of experience your child will have. Will it be a structured environment, with activities all day or will there be time for free play? Are the children in specific groups they must remain in for the duration or are they allowed to meet a variety of children? This will help you decide which camp to choose, based on what experience you want your child to have.
Talking to the camp ahead of time will also help you prepare yourself for the natural anxiety of sending your child away to camp for the first time. Asking about health care facilities sleeping arrangements menus and the experience and qualifications of the camp counselors will ease your mind as you put your child in their hands. It is important to find out what you are allowed to send with your child as some foods and snacks such as peanut butter are strictly prohibited in some cases, due to the sharing of food with children who may have allergies.
Allowing the child to help you shop and pack for camp items will help them feel more prepared if they know they have everything they will need when they get there. It may also be helpful to find out they are allowed to pack a special toy or blanket that may be a comfort, especially in the beginning.
Most importantly, expect that there will be a degree of homesickness. It is the rule not the exception and tear will likely flow. Be calm and reassuring without dismissing their concerns. Just remind them of all the preparations they have helped you make and the fin activities they can expect. Write to them often and try to keep your tears at bay until you have waved goodbye!
A couple of the recommended Summer Camps on the Coast are:
Onslow County
ONSLOW COUNTY—The Onslow County Parks and Recreation Department and the Onslow County Board of Education are sponsoring a Summer Day Camp Program at various school sites. Campsites are: Dixon Middle School, Hunters Creek Middle School, Southwest Middle, Swansboro Middle and Summersill Elementary School. (Registration is open for session I and II. The eight weeks of camp includes a full day of scheduled field trips, games, activities and arts. Camp is Monday-Friday, June 18-Aug. 10 from 7:45 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. Cost is $120 per child with each additional child from the same family paying only $110 per child to attend each four week Session. For more information, call 910-347-5332 or visit onslowcountync.gov/parks.
Lanier's Waterside Campground
1161 Spot Lane, Surf City
910-328-9431
Surf City Family Camp Ground
2460 Island Drive Sneads Ferry NC
Carteret County
Arrowhead Campground
1550 Salter Path Road,
Atlantic Beach
Good Creek Family Resort
350, Red Barn Road, Newport
Whispering Pines Campground
24 Whispering Pines Newport
Cedar Creek Campground and Marina
11 Canal Drive, Sealevel
White Oak Shores
400 Wetherigton Landing Road,
Stella, NC
Camp Ocean Forest
Emerald Isle
Craven County
Pamlico Pines Family Campground
51 Black Bear Lane, New Bern
New Bern KOA
1565 B Street, Bridgeton
Lenoir County
Maxwell Mill Campground
142 Maxwell Mill Camping Road
Pink Hill
Pamlico County
Camp Don Lee
252-249-1106. Arapahoe
Camp Sea Gull for Boys
252-249-1111, Arapahoe
Camp Sea Gull for Girls
252-249-1212, Arapahoe
Camp Carolina
252-249-1992, Arapahoe
Camp Vandermere
252-745-3171
Another very good article from Sheknows.com can be read below I highly suggest this one as well:
Summer Camp Without The Cost
Shocked by the high price of summer camp? Want your child to have fun this summer without taking on an extra job to pay for it? Why not make your own camp? Yes, if your circumstances are right, your child can play with other campers, be involved in fun activities, and be well cared for, at absolutely no cost!
Getting started
I too was blown away by the astronomical price of camp last summer so I took matters in my own hands. I joined forces with four of my friends with kids my daughter's age and started our own camp. We called it "Camp Cookie Dough" and one day a week, each of us would be in charge of all the kids (a total of 6). On our given day, we put together and supervised one craft (we painted a "Camp Cookie Dough" t-shirt, decorated a popsicle stick frame to house a group photo, painted a flower pot and planted a seed, etc.), and organized an activity (a scavenger hunt, a water balloon fight, making actual cookie dough, etc.). There'd even be lunch with each camper bringing his or her own pre-packed meal.Customize your camp
Depending on the age of your child and how many close friends you have, you can customize your camp! If you have less than four trustworthy friends, or there are too many children for one mom to carefully supervise, scale it down and have camp fewer days or fewer hours. If the kids are older, the activities can be age appropriate (a swim in a pool or a bike ride to a nearby park). You can schedule your camp to start any time and for however many hours a day that works for your group. I know it may seem overwhelming to take care of a gaggle of kids, and at times it was (I contemplated having my tubes tied on several different occasions). But, it can also be overwhelming just to take care of my own child (I've contemplated having my tubes tied on several different occasions as well). Besides, other people's kids are usually better behaved than your own kids. They do what they're told and they don't ask for money. Plus, the four days of that week that I got the house to myself for a few hours, made it totally worth it!The requirements
Of course, this plan doesn't work for everyone. You have to be at home for several hours one day a week and have friends that you can trust enough to care for your child. Your camp can't have so many children that they can't be cared for properly or be made up of a group of kids (or moms for that matter) that don't get along. But, if you have enough kids, and enough good friends, you can have a summer that's fun for both you and your kids (and, did I mention, you get the house to yourself for a few hours!)Although it's been almost a year since Camp Cookie Dough was in session, my daughter occasionally wears her camp t-shirt and smiles as she looks at the group photo in her popsicle stick frame. And I smile too when I think about the hundreds upon hundreds of dollars I saved by sending my kid to camp!
Tips for a successful camp
If you want to start your own camp, here are some tips: • Avoid having very young children who need constant supervision. We moms are amazing, but even we can't run in five different directions at all times.• Safety first! Be sure you know any food allergies, or health concerns of the children in advance. And each home must be properly child proofed and safe.
• Set up discipline rules. Talk to the other moms about how you'd like your child to be disciplined when they're in their care, and how you should discipline theirs if need be.
• Have each craft and activity prepared in advance so you don't have to multi-task between watching campers and prepping the ingredients for make-your-own-play-doh.
• Have a list of emergency phone numbers close at hand as well as a list of contact numbers for each parent in case you need to reach them at a moments notice.
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