Summer camp is an important rite of passage for children. For countless parents, it’s essential and their form of childcare while school is out. Even stay-at-home-parents benefit from a well-deserved break. However, children — including preschoolers — are the ultimate winners because summer camp is not only fun, but an educational opportunity. Below you’ll find questions to ask throughout the camp process, as well as camp options for your preschooler.
Is your preschooler ready?
Before you begin, there’s one crucial question to answer. Is your preschooler ready for camp? For starters, many camps require that children be fully potty trained. Meaning, they can do everything in the bathroom independently. Potty training is a mixed bag for this age group. It can also be a long process until little ones can confidently go to the bathroom truly alone. Don’t stress or feel the need to rush if your child isn’t ready. There will be several other summers to fill with camps.
Next, what’s their attachment level to caregivers? Is your child attached to your hip when out in public? If so, ease them into the experience of a stranger supervising them. A good transition process could involve having a familiar family member babysit. Then transition to a babysitter, who is less familiar, like a teenage neighbor. You could even work or do chores in the home as a way to ease your child’s comfort level. You want to ensure you’re not spending money on a camp for your child to sit in your lap the entire time.
Additionally, verbal skills are an important aspect to consider. Can family members, teachers, or other kids understand your child? There’s nothing more frustrating than when counselors and children can’t understand each other.
What’s available?
When most think of summer camp, the great outdoors, log cabins, and water activities are often images that first come to mind. A traditional sleepaway summer camp isn’t something your toddler is ready for.
Surprisingly, ballet and gymnastic camps are wonderful options for this age group. I’ve also coached lacrosse through the Annapolis-based program, Annapolax, specifically built for preschool-aged children. In time, toddlers as young as two could scoop balls, cradle, and even score goals. Introductory camps like these often incorporate other popular, age-appropriate activities like coloring.
Additionally, there are numerous nontraditional options perfect and affordable for your preschooler.
- Church Camps: Personally, these are always at the top of my list for my kids. They’re usually reasonably priced. They often don’t require you to be a church member, so you can attend multiple local ones.
- The YMCA is one of the largest preschool, afterschool, and camp providers serving families in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia. They offer outdoor games, crafts, STEM activities, water play, and more. Swimming camps are such an important investment. Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for kids one to four years old. Toddlers are naturally curious, and prioritizing this life-saving skill is critical.
- Library Programs: Whether your child is ready for camp or not, public libraries are one of the best resources for parents. Often events and activities like storytime are free. Visit your county libraries’ website, and read their pamphlets or other literature to discover what’s happening. Libraries offer different activities with varying schedules, so you can always visit more than the library closest to home.
- Nature Centers provide opportunities for children to get outside for naturalist-led activities, hikes, games, and more.
Camp Accreditation
One question needs to be asked before you choose a camp. Is the camp accredited? Here are three organizations to look to.
The American Camp Association (ACA) provides research, education, and training to promote safe and healthy camp experiences for all families. For more than 100 years, ACA has shared knowledge to ensure the quality of camp programs. Their stamp of approval can give reassurance to parents, especially those of young, vulnerable children.
Anne Arundel County’s Department of Recreation and Parks offers organizational accreditation for youth sports-related programming and recreational activities such as Girl Scouts, Eagle Scouts, etc. They seek to ensure the quality and diversity of athletic and recreational programming in the county. Accreditation allows organizations to access facilities and fields using the facility scheduling process, provided they have met departmental standards and policies.
Thirdly, the Maryland Department of Health Youth Camps Program regulates and licenses all youth camps statewide to protect the health and safety of kids attending Maryland youth camps.
Once you’re confident that your child is ready for camp and you’ve done your research, the last thing to do is to sign up. Visit the camp directory for a camp based on your location.