Keeping kids busy during the summer has turned into seriously big business for camp organizers. But as a parent, it’s a seriously difficult choice. The word camp is loosely used to describe a variety of activities ranging from summer day care to specialty camps (science, art, cooking, coding) to sports to outdoor camp experiences. One thing is for certain though, I want to get the best camp BANG for my hard earned BUCK.
Soccer or Horseback riding? Science or art? Sleep away or day camp? The questions filling my mind like fog, I decided to ask the experts. Other parents. The responses varied almost as much as the different camps available. Like many, COST and CONVENIENCE were major concerns as well as INTEREST. But I kept thinking there has to be more to worry about than just paying for it and getting there on time.
In my line of work, I am lucky to have a slightly different perspective because sadly, I come in contact with some pretty shady camp situations and I am not talking about the ‘sitting under a tree’ kind of shady. Is there some rating scale? Or list of ‘best camps’? Atlanta Parent publishes a camp guide. So do many of the neighborhood magazines (the East Cobber, The Townelaker, Sixes Living, Points North, etc). However, my research shows that there’s no ‘minimum requirement’ to be included other than paying the advertising fees! Anyone can PAY for advertising but how can I separate the men from the boys, so to speak?
Finally in the wee hours one morning, I found the GEORGIA CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION website and there on my screen was exactly what I was looking for, a checklist of sorts:
• Mandatory satisfactory criminal background checks on all employees
• Lead teacher certifications and minimum age of 18
• Minimum of 50% of staff certified in CPR/1st aid, all bus drivers and swimming supervisors
• Mandatory ratios for child and teacher including lower ratios for water safety
• Oversight inspections from state licensing 2x per year
• Meals and snacks to meet USDA guidelines
• Equipment and toys inspected to be clean, safe and free of hazards.
• Transportation procedures that involve checking campers on and off vehicles and mandatory safety restraint systems in accordance with NHSFTA.
Also, once you’ve chosen a camp where these requirements are met, ask to see the daily schedule. If you are paying for a ‘specialty camp’ like sports, science, coding, etc, make sure you are getting what you pay for. I found some camps that offered both half and full day camps. However, there were no extra ‘specialty’ activities beyond the half-day mark; the extra time is filled with indoor gym play, outdoor recess, and movie time.
I am proud to say that High Touch High Tech of Greater Atlanta meets all of the ‘good camp’ requirements set by the Georgia Child Care Association and then some! Whether providing hands-on science experiences to actual day care centers or our own full day science camp, all of our lead instructors are also degreed professional educators. Our full day camp boasts a whopping TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY minutes of guided science experimentation DAILY. Not to mention FREE EXPLORATION time with science equipment, materials and gadgets.
If only my kids wanted to attend science camp all summer ….
SINGLE MOMSTER 