How to Choose a Summer Camp for Your Child

You're not going to Camp, your child is! Sound Advice to find the right fit!

How do you decide which summer camp is best for your child? It is all about finding the right fit for your child! Remember they are the ones going to camp, not you, so listen intently to what they are telling you. Here are helpful tips and resources to find a summer camp or program that meets the needs of your child, and the needs of your family.

1. Start Early!

Ideally, begin your camp search the summer before your child will attend camp. This provides the time to tour camps, see them in action, and meet camp directors and other staff. Even if you cannot attend an Open House or tour all camps being considered, there are plenty of ways to explore whether your child will thrive there. Attend local Camp Fairs and visit websites with your children to involve them in the selection process and make a decision as to which ones would be right for them.

2. Consider and List Camp Expectations.

Determine what type of summer camp you will need for your family's particular situation. Ask yourself, "what does the ideal camp experience include for me and for my child?":

  • Unparalleled fun and learning?
  • The opportunity for new experiences?
  • To develop new skills?
  • Family tradition?
  • The need for child care?

List your expectations and the camper’s.Which are non-negotiable and which are preferences? For example, does a camp have to be single-sex, offer four week sessions, or be located in a particular area? Parents, guardians and children themselves are the experts in determining interests and educational goals that is a basis for finding the right summer camp for them. Relatives, coaches and counselors can often offer additional assistance and perspective.

A big mistake parents make is to send a child to a camp the parent wants them to experience, not the child. If your child doesn't enjoy computers, for example, you should not send them to computer camp just because you want them to learn more about computers. This can make for a miserable experience for both of you. Instead, involve your child in the selection process by discussing with them what types of summer camps would interest them as a basis for beginning your camp search.

3. What is your budget for camp tuition?

It is important that you determine in advance how much of a budget you are willing to allocate towards the summer camp experience for your child. Camp remains an affordable option for almost everyone, an for those families that do find it unaffordable many camps offer financial assistance. Financial aid procedures vary from camp to camp, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. Read camps’ brochures and websites carefully for information and application instructions, too.

4. Determine if the program is American Camp Association New England (ACA) accredited or state licensed.

Camps are unique worlds unto themselves, created especially for children and full of fun and learning. Not all states require camps to be licensed. This is very important information to know about the summer camp you choose for your child as there are different standards that must be met in order to be state licensed or ACA accredited.

If the camp is ACA accredited, this means their program has undergone a thorough review and met up to 300 standards in terms of staff qualifications and training to emergency management. Furthermore, their standards exceed state licensing requirements. ACA accreditation is excellent evidence that a camp is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment. Look for the ACA-accredited camp logo on a camp’s website, in their literature or displayed on a sign posted at camp; this is the most important logo a summer camp can show.

5. Use All the Resources Available

Ask for recommendations from friends or look for feedback or reviews on the web for the program your child is interested in. If you can find someone who has been to a particular summer camp that you fin interesting, it would be wise to try and get some feedback as to what their experience was to aid in making an informed decision with your child.

Many camp marketing materials are easy to review online; others are easily requested. Look carefully at the ways camps present themselves online and in print. Attend camp fairs and open houses to meet camp directors and staff face-to-face to learn what a camp has to offer. Ask trusted friends and family. Relatives, friends, coaches, and guidance counselors may have suggestions of camps that might work well for your child.

When reviewing recommendations, keep in mind that a camp experience is based not only on the what the camp provides, its also highly influenced by the individual having the camp experience, so try to consider the source of any recommendations.

Helpful Summer Camp websites to help you decide on a camp that is right for your family:

  • North Shore Kid Camp Guide
    • We have developed this searchable online camp guide as an easy to use, extensive resource for parents looking for camps and Summer Programs on the North Shore of Massachusetts, Cape Ann, Boston and beyond.
Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

April Vacation at Cape Ann Art Haven

April Vacation Programs at Art Haven in Gloucester Massachusetts
Cape Ann Art Haven has a week full of fun activities planned for kids during April Vacation week. There are programs for kids k-5th grade that will appeal to many styles of artistic expression with morning classes from 9am to Noon or 9am to 3pm. Scholarships are available. Open to elementary...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

April Vacation at MIT Museum

Kids will have a blast at the MIT Museum in Cambridge Massachusetts during April Vacation Week!
Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities and pop-up surprises planned for the week of April 17-23. See our week-at-glance calendar to view the extended hours and additions for our drop-in...
Where: MIT Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Tuesday, April 22

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

April Vacation at Cape Ann Art Haven

April Vacation Programs at Art Haven in Gloucester Massachusetts
Cape Ann Art Haven has a week full of fun activities planned for kids during April Vacation week. There are programs for kids k-5th grade that will appeal to many styles of artistic expression with morning classes from 9am to Noon or 9am to 3pm. Scholarships are available. Open to elementary...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

April Vacation at MIT Museum

Kids will have a blast at the MIT Museum in Cambridge Massachusetts during April Vacation Week!
Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities and pop-up surprises planned for the week of April 17-23. See our week-at-glance calendar to view the extended hours and additions for our drop-in...
Where: MIT Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Music Together - Tuesday in Marblehead

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® of Salem classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms

Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our...
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Chess Club at Salem Public Library

Salem Public Library hosts a weekly chess club for all ages on Tuesday evenings.
Salem Public Library the library is hosting weekly chess nights where players of all ages can play and learn from each other.  Whether you're new to the game or a veteran player, all skill levels welcome, and basic instruction
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Wednesday, April 23

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

April Vacation at Cape Ann Art Haven

April Vacation Programs at Art Haven in Gloucester Massachusetts
Cape Ann Art Haven has a week full of fun activities planned for kids during April Vacation week. There are programs for kids k-5th grade that will appeal to many styles of artistic expression with morning classes from 9am to Noon or 9am to 3pm. Scholarships are available. Open to elementary...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Music Together - Wednesday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
9:30 am to 11:15 am