SUMMER CAMP: MAKE IT A GIFT

By Cheryl Maguire

Many parents see summer camp as a great way for their kids to have fun, make new friends, learn new skills – and to help unglue them from their screens. But for some parents, making that camp experience happen can be tough. That’s where grandparents and others can step in and help, knowing that real-world adventures for kids are important! Camp is a gift that lasts a lifetime, offering a wealth of physical, mental, and emotional benefits that can have lasting impacts on their development.​

 

When Mary Beth Foster saw that a week-long Minecraft coding camp was being offered in her area, she thought it would be a great fit for her daughter.

 

“I thought she would love it, but the cost was pretty high,” says Foster. “The camp was happening the week of my daughter's birthday, so I had the idea to ask my mom to split it with me, and it could be a birthday gift for her,” she says. Her mom agreed to split the cost so for her granddaughter’s 10th birthday she received the gift of summer camp. “She loved the camp. She immediately asked me if she could go back for another week.”

​

Lauren Rowello has also given the gift of summer camp to her niece and nephew. ​“I've paid for their camps a few times, and that started when they were maybe 4 and 6,” she says. “My youngest kid was attending the day camp that they ended up going to as well, which is what gave me the idea to offer it.” 

 

In addition to gifting summer camp to family members, she likes supporting kids. “I've quietly paid for others sometimes too,” Rowello says. And sometimes the recipient didn’t even know where the gift came from.

 

WAYS TO GIVE THE GIFT OF SUMMER CAMP

Sometimes a little creativity is in order when attempting to make summer camp a gift.

​

The American Camp Association (ACA) suggests creating your own summer camp gift certificate and attaching it to a flashlight or putting it in a gift box on your child’s birthday. The ACA has an online printable gift certificate that you can use.

​

Many camps, such as through the YMCA, offer programs that allow you to pay for a child’s summer camp as a gift, as Rowello did.

​

“I was a single, teen parent and struggled financially when my oldest was really young,” she says. “So I know what it's like to not have that kind of support for my own family, and how much I would have appreciated and benefited from it personally. So now, when I know of a need that I think we can comfortably address, we just do that,” Rowella says.

​

She adds that if she knows of a parent who needs help but might not want a handout, she will pay for their kid’s camp without them knowing she paid for it.

​

“I just let them know that I know a free spot is available and coordinate with the camp director so the parents don't know where the scholarship came from,” she says.

​

Tips: Many camps offer payment plans, scholarships and financial assistance. And look for early-bird rates and sibling discounts if you are sending multiple kids to camp. Also, do family members or friends often ask what they can buy your child for their birthday? Let them contribute to camp.

 

WHAT DO KIDS GAIN FROM A CAMP EXPERIENCE?

The ACA conducted research using over 80 camps and family feedback to determine what kids learned while they were at summer camp. They found they learned many different skills and character traits such as:

​

New skills: Most camps offer activities such as swimming, archery or art. Kids can learn skills like how to swim that often are not taught in school.

Independence: If your child goes to day camp or sleep-away camp they develop a sense of independence and self-sufficiency from being away from home. They’ll need to keep track of their belongings such as their bathing suit, lunch, towel and backpack as they transition to different activities, too.

Friendship: When kids go to camp, they are often in social situations with kids they don’t know. By doing activities together they will develop new friendships and learn how to navigate conflicts in social situations. Often camps offer team sports that teach kids about sportsmanship and working together for a common goal. Rowello says that her niece has trouble making friends but was able to at camp. “She has a hard time maintaining friendships at school, but at camp, she met a friend who she still loves and spends a lot of solid time with even a few years later,” she says.

Leadership: Since camps offer a lot of team activities, it allows kids – even younger campers – the opportunity to develop leadership skills.

 

TYPES OF SUMMER CAMPS

There are camps for all ages and kinds of kids. You simply need to pick and choose.

​

• Traditional Day Camp: Usually six hours or so (half-day options may be available) with a variety of activities such as sports, swimming, outdoor exploration, arts and crafts, and music. These camps are located all over Alaska, indoors and out.

• Sports: Specialty sports camps usually are one sport such as baseball, gymnastics or soccer that the child plays either for three or six hours. Depending on where you go, there may be an option for tennis, golf or volleyball. These types of camps are typically owned by private organizations, parks and recreations departments, and schools.

• Art/Musical Theater: Specialty art or musical theater camps focus solely on the arts. Musical theater camps typically showcase full musical productions whereas in an art camp a child would use a variety of art mediums like painting or drawing. If your child is creative and prefers the indoors, these types of camps will be worth looking into. It may be a good way to introduce the arts to your child since many kids don’t get that need fully satisfied in their public school.

• Educational: An educational camp focuses on learning a new skill or subject matter. Since it is camp and not school, these types of camps tend to be hands-on, with an emphasis on fun. These camps are located at schools, museums, businesses, and colleges. If your child is curious and always asking questions about how/why things work, this may be a good match for them. If a child is interested in learning a new skill such as computer programming or speaking Spanish, some educational camps offer that as well.

• Sleepaway: Overnight camp can be a week-long session, or several weeks. These camps are located locally and all over the country, offering amazing and adventurous experiences for kids like boating, archery, horseback riding, and other unique endeavors. An overnight camp gives your child the chance to meet kids from different states and countries. There also is more time to do activities and foster independence compared to traditional day camps.

 

FIND A CAMP

Check out our Camps & Activities Guide for a list of great Alaska camps and to find one that’s right for your child.