Will you send your kids to summer camp?

Melett

By our house they have several nice day summer camps. One is at a nature center that has archery , zip lining, swimming , canoeing etc.. They also teach the kids about rehabilitating animals since they also do this. I would like my kids to possibly attend 1-2 weeks per summer at a day camp because I think it would be fun for them. So ds will be old enough this summer , but he says no way. He is like that with everything.. Should I wait until he is older (he's 5 , will be going into 1st next year)? Or push him into it gently somehow? They do have a day in may you can go check it out at..I remember being more timid like him and hating to try new things but at the same time I want him to get used to trying new things.. He does activities during the year but how do I introduce the camp thing or should I wait until he's ready? Thanks for any insight!

summerbrideDC

Ethan will be doing some kind of camp, but it will not be a "nature" type camp--it will be programs run by local schools or kid-places like Little Gym.  My parents had me attend a nature-y day camp when I was this age (maybe 1st grade?) and I hated it. If a parent could have gone w/ me and done the program with me I may have liked it, but I was completely out of my element, didn't know anyone & was shy. I am almost 40 years old and I remember how much I didn't want to go.  

If DS asked us if he could go to a camp like that? Absolutely, we'd let him.  But if he expressed any concern about it at all, I wouldn't push it.  They're so young; plenty of time for that as they get older.   

Temp108743750006959

My kid went to camp last year for seven weeks: swimming instruction, art, nature, drama, sports - he loved it. He will go again this year and I really hopes he likes it again. He will be five in November.

Angela814

We had planned to this whole summer. The day camps through the YMCA are about the same cost as full time daycare. Now I'm going to be working only 3 days/week so we probably won't be able to afford camp. Plus I'll now be able to do some fun trips with the kids during the day. I suppose we could probably do 1-2 weeks of day camp. Annalise was excited about going.

hikerbeth

DD will go to 3 (non-consecutive) weeks of daycamp at our local rec. center.  For her age group, it's only 3 hours in the morning.  Each week has a different theme.  She loves it and it really breaks up the summer.

J&A2008

I wouldn't push him into it.  My boys go to the scouts camps, but they're there with me or parents we know.

I wouldn't send them to camp where they don't know anyone until they're a little older.

jlw2505

DH and I both attended and then later worked at day camps and sleep over camps and we really hope to send our girls.  I started going to sleepover camp when I was 6 and DH was a few years older as he did more years of day camps.  For us, the where and when details will really depend on schedules of day camps since we both work and of course cost.  DH really wants the girls to go to the over night he went to (The one I went to is in a different state since I'm not here so its not an option but if we lived where I grew up, that is where they would go).  I think camps, day or sleep over are great for kids in so many ways.