How to Choose the Best Summer Camp?
Yes, it is that time. The youngsters are excited for the upcoming holidays, and parents are searching meticulously through the Internet what the best summer activities for their children are. We know how much energy it can take choosing the right camp for your child.
But how do you settle for one summer camp when there are so many great opportunities? Most importantly, would your child feel safe in a new country he or she will spend the summer camp in?
We’ve gathered some points of attention that every parent should bear in mind when deciding on a mind-blowing summer adventure for their children:
Location: Where Are The Best Summer Camps?
Where is your child off to? According to World Camps, the most camps are located in Switzerland and the United States of America. Every parent wants their child to have that great international experience. This is why we would like to also bring to your attention the magnificent and diverse country of France. We see an uprising interest for France exactly because of the many possibilities – one moment your child will be spending time in nature, and the next he or she will be on a catamaran in Corsica. So, ‘where are we off to’ is a valid question to consider before going further with your research.
An Invincible Programme
The main point of sending your child to a summer camp is for them to explore and have a well-thought and well-balanced programme. Points that would distinguish a good camp from an astonishing one are the diversity of their programme and trained staff. Would the execution of the programme allow your child to get the best out of her or his summer adventure? Is there a good balance between educational aspects and entertainment? If both questions are ticked with a ‘yes’, then it might be a camp worth considering. A summer camp should be able to offer your son or daughter trips, expeditions, challenges and great fun. At the end of the day, during that time your child will build long-lasting friendship, develop her or his cultural awareness, and explore her or his limits.
An Astounding Balance Between Familiar And Unfamiliar Summer Activities
Children enjoy things they have passion for. Allowing children to do what they love during their summer vacation would open up a world of interesting self-growth moments. Why, you might ask. A great camp should be able to understand the wishes of children and their families. Undoubtedly, every parent wants their child to have fun at a summer camp, but also to explore new challenges and adventures. Therefore, looking for a summer camp that has adopted the mentality of continuous growth by learning and doing is paramount. Allowing children to develop themselves through a variety of activities – ones that are within their comfort zone, and others that are not, would allow your child to discover complete new horizons and become a better version of themselves. But what do we mean by ‘variety of activities’? Think of interactive and educational games & challenges in the morning, mountain hike, rock climbing, canyoning, excursions, or ice climbing in the afternoon, and karaoke or karting in the evening.
Why Does The Type of Summer Camp Matter?
Every child is different, unique in their own way, and most importantly, every child deserves the utmost attention in discovering their abilities. Thus, gathering information about different types of camps might be useful. For example, is the camp organiser that you have in your top priority list experienced in delivering different types of camps – educational & academic, more relaxed & soft-skills oriented, more adventurous & athletic, or perhaps artsy? Provided that the camp has had experience with different types of students would mean that your child is going to be in skillful hands – the trainers and personnel would be delivering the right combination of finesse and adventure in their summer camp programmes.
‘Say Hello From The Other Side’
Getting in touch with a camp provider might be a great way of having a peak into their services. A camp that is willing to go to great lengths to accommodate your wishes and answer all your questions might just be what you are looking for. Exactly as you would expect a Les Clefs d’Or concierge to accommodate your wishes, your child’s summer experience should be treated with the similar high standards. In short, seek for a camp that values personal contact and that personalised touch throughout your journey.
Well-being And Health At Camp
The ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic has created new concerns for parents that are looking into summer camp experiences for their children. Flying your child to a camp destination also means that you have to trust the camp provider. We would recommend you to search for camps that look further than the usual Covid-19 safety measures – distancing, wearing masks and regular testing.
You might want to consider boutique summer camps. In the past few years they have become increasingly popular due to their relatively small and selective number of participants. They tend to organise small-scale, but high impact camps. Naturally, a small-scale camp would suggest your child will not be exposed to crowds and would be in a social bubble.
Also, look at camps that value their staff and recruit mostly regular trainers (and not seasonal workers). This would ensure that those trainers would be well-familiar with all policies in relation to placing preventative measures to ensure everyone’s health.
Our Top 5 Summer Camp Recommendations To Look For
Proudly presenting you the five camps we think are worth your attention. Who knows, perhaps your child is about to experience something unique this summer?
- Champittet Summer Leadership Camp in Switzerland
The camp is no longer hosted at this location
Considered one of the best summer leadership camps in Switzerland, Collège Champittet and the Swiss Leadership Camp embarked on a journey to create a highly tailored and convivial camp for children that are ready to set about self-discovering with fun challenges and breathtaking expeditions in the bespoke realm of the Alps. - Sea & Island Adventure in Corsica, France
If you want your child to explore a unique way of camping, you might want to consider the mind-blowing combination of summer camping that the Sea & Island Adventure in Corsica brings. One moment your child will be enjoying the sun on a luxury yacht sailing through the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the next moment will be visiting the historical city of Bonifacio or rock climbing with other international friends. - Gstaad Summer Leadership Camp in Switzerland
This summer camp in Switzerland is the product of many years of consideration and experience in delivering excellent leadership and personal development programmes to students from all over the world. Throughout the camp, students will tap into various domains of their personal growth such as communication, goal setting, prioritisation, teamwork and more while enjoying the most spectacular summer activities.
- Creative & Entrepreneurial Summer Camp in France
A unique creative and entrepreneurial journey on the French Riviera, paired with a pioneering concept. The camp offers students the opportunity to sample many different experiences, gain new ideas, skills and insights and discover themselves, but also delve deeply in a specific area of their interest, thereby providing both breadth and depth. Students experiment with visual and performing arts, media training, storytelling, filmmaking, photography, entrepreneurship and amazing outdoor activities while working towards their personal camp projects. - Timber Lake Camp in the United States of America
Located in a stunning environment nestled in an area with two lakes and the Catskills Mountains, Timber Lake Camp offers activities from candle making, programming, robotics to a diverse array of water sports.