Summer is a time to experience the fun of camp, but how do you know if your preschooler is ready? Camp registration can start as early as the fall for the following summer, so it’s important to start your research early. We asked experts from camps around New Jersey for tips on how to find the right summer home for your preschooler.
SIGNS YOUR CHILD IS READY
Camp can be similar to starting preschool, says Jessie Tredinnick, owner and director of Harbor Haven in Scotch Plains. Your child should have some key skills developed before you consider sending them on their own for the day.
“Your child will need to have some areas of independence, like feeding themselves and staying engaged in different play activities without constant redirection or attention from an adult,” she says.
They need to be able to clearly communicate their wants and needs, be able to follow simple instructions in a group setting, and be ready to spend afternoons away from home. “Doing a full day takes stamina, and for preschoolers they need to be able to listen to instruction, focus on activities and be flexible—all while adjusting to the heat of the day,” says Stacey Antine, MS, RDN, founder and director of HealthBarn USA in Ridgewood. “Typically children with older siblings are ready sooner because they know what to expect.”
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Start your search by visiting camps in person and getting a preview of what your child’s activities and schedule will look like, Antine says. Bring your child with you on camp tours so you can gauge their interest and excitement. “Visiting the facility and meeting the manager of the camp is really important—especially with preschoolers,” she says. “You definitely want to connect with the team and feel that your child will have a personal experience.”
For preschool-aged kids, a mix of education and recreation is important. “Camp is supposed to be fun, but it’s also an opportunity to develop life and social skills in a relaxed format,” says Antine. “Engaging in a variety of activities, including cooking, gardening and nature exploration, excites campers of all ages.”
Camp should be developmentally appropriate for your child, which means programs should be catered to their age and skills, Tredinnick says. “Children learn best through play at the preschool age, so play should be part of the camp experience … [and] you want to make sure the camp program you choose has areas that interest your child,” she says. You can look into general day camp programs or ones that focus on specializations, such as dance camp or swim camp.
If your child has special needs, research programs that will adapt for them, she adds. For example, staff at inclusive camps are trained to work with neurodiverse kids.
When deciding on a camp, your best resource is probably your friends. “We recommend that families spend some time speaking with other parents who send their children to the camp of interest. Current campers and camp families can give the most honest and helpful reviews of a camp to assist you in identifying which camp program is the best fit,” says Alanna Steinberg, camp director for JCC Camp Ruach at the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum JCC in Bridgewater.
GET A FEEL FOR THE STAFF
Ask about the staff, who will spend time with the campers during the day, and the counselor-to-camper ratio, Antine says.
“The main counselor of the preschool group must be experienced, patient and kind with children,” Antine says. “With preschoolers it’s more about helping them organize themselves to move to the next activity safely and on time than it is about making the perfect craft. It’s also important to know when the group or camper needs some downtime which may include reading a story or just having unstructured play. That’s where the counselor’s experience is necessary.”
Make sure there is a nurse on site, staff who are trained to work with young children and have basic first aid and CPR training, and a campus that is physically safe for children, Tredinnick says. “Never be afraid to ask about safety measures the camp has in place such as emergency procedures,” she says.
Steinberg said to make sure you find a place where your child feels loved, and will thrive. Part of that is communication with camp staff; JCC Camp Ruach has an app that shares daily notes on the camper group as a whole and on the individual camper, shares photos, uses a text message system, and also provides parents with the cell phone number of the unit.
“We recognize that guardians place a lot of trust in JCC Camp Ruach to care for their children and we want to ensure the lines of communication remain open and robust in detail throughout their experience,” she says.
PREP FOR DAY ONE
It’s natural for your preschooler to feel anxious after you choose a camp, which is why going on a tour, taking pictures while there and talking about the camp experience in the weeks leading up to camp are important, Tredinnick says.
“If your child has a positive relationship with school, you can relate it to preschool,” she says. You can also try to enroll your child with a friend they already know, that way making new friends isn’t as intimidating. Pack their camp backpack together and label everything. Send them with a little note of confidence on their first day, or every day if they need it.”
If you do your research first and involve your child in the process, you’re more likely to set the stage for a summer of fun. “The better campers can envision their experience at camp ahead of time, the more successful their transition will be,” Steinberg says.
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