How to choose a camp

Los Angeles is rich with a host of summer camp opportunities for your child. But choosing the right camp can be a challenging and sometimes overwhelming task. There's a seemingly endless variety of choices to consider, and matching the ideal camp to your child's interests, personality, and busy summer schedule can be daunting. Furthermore, as a parent, you are responsibile for ensuring the camp you choose is operated in a safe and appropriate manner for your child's age and skill levels.

The following is a camp selection check list for parents developed by Eric D. Naftulin, an American Camp Association ambassador and owner/operator of Aloha Beach Camp, a Los Angeles, California summer beach and surf camp for kids and teens between 5 and 15.

Naftulin has been operating summer camps in the Los Angeles area for over 20 years. With 22 years of camp experience, Naftulin understands the challenges parents face during camp enrollment season and offers the following tips to help guide them through the camp selection process:

1. Identify the camp's program emphasis. Every camp has a different philosophy and program emphasis. Some camps promote structured group activities, while others give campers more individualized freedom to pick and choose the individual activities that appeal to them. Some camps offer strictly traditional activities, while others may focus exclusively on sports or drama or surfing. Or, maybe your child would flourish in a competitive camp environment, whereas another child would be better off participating in a non-competitive camp activities. By knowing your child's personality, interests, personality traits and learning style, you can better identify the right camp for you.

2. Confirm that the camp is ACA accredited. In order to pass accreditation by the American Camp Association (ACA), camps must comply with up to 300 standards relating to camper health, safety and program matters important to a camp's operation.

3. Ask about the camp director's background. To ensure that the camp director is qualified, make sure they meet the minimum standards set by the ACA. Such standards recommend that camp directors hold a bachelor's degree, have in-depth experience in camp administration, and performed in-service training during the last three years.

4. Camper-to-counselor ratios. To make sure your child is getting the individual attention and supervision he or she needs for his or her age, compare the camp's counselor-to-camper ratio to ACA standards. For day camps, the general ratios range from 8:1 for 6, 7 and 8 year olds, to 10:1 for 9 to 14 year olds, and 12:1 for campers ages 15 to 17. For sleepaway camps, the general recommended ratio is 6:1 for 7 and 8 year olds, 8:1 for 9 to 14 year olds and 10:1 for campers ages 15 to 17. 

(Please note, the above-cited child-to-counselor ratio standards are only ACA's general, MINIMUM recommendations and may vary depending on various situations and/or conditions. Moreover, there could be additional standards relating to specific programs and/or activities where more supervision may be prudent, if not required. Accordingly, you should use your own judgement and conduct your own research to decide what is appropriate for you and your child.)

5. Inquire about camp staff: Counselors can make or break a child's camp experience. In addition to facilitating camp activities, counselors serve as role models and should be dependable, trustworthy, and show enthusiasm for their role. For safety reasons, counselors should also be CPR and First Aid-Certified, and have undergone criminal background checks prior to employment by the camp.

6. Accommodation of special needs. If your child has special needs due to a medical condition or allergy, be sure to ask if the camp is equipped to handle these special requirements for your child.

7. Find out about how the camp handles discipline. As in any organization, rules are needed, and the camp's disciplinary approach should be fair and openly communicated. Positive reinforcement, a sense of fair play and assertive role-modeling are important things to look for. If penalties apply to certain violations, camp staff should apply them fairly, calmly and without unnecessary criticism.

8. Check the camp's references. References can provide you with a glimpse of the experiences others have had at a camp, and they are an important way of checking out a camp's track record and reputation. Camp directors should be willing to provide references upon request.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact us at info@lasummercamps.com