Checking Out The Culture Of An Overnight Summer Camp

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(No Transcript)
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Checking Out the Culture of an Overnight Summer
Camp
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• So, your child will be taking the big step this
  summer to spending hot, happy months at sleepaway
  camp.

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• There are of course many things to take into
  consideration when choosing an overnight camp,
  but perhaps one of the most important from the
  standpoint of each individual child is the
  overall culture of the camp.

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Is it more geared toward sports?
Is it large or small?
What kinds of kids tend to go?
Will your youngster feel like hell fit in?
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Ask Around
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• Although youll have to take into consideration
  the source of any information, its a great idea
  to check with other parents of campers at a
  potential camp.

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• Often, your child will have classmates or
  neighbors who have attended the camp,
  particularly if its not that far away.

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• Of course one childs idea of camp heaven may be
  quite different from anothers, but you can get
  an overall impression of camper/counselor
  interaction, how engaged kids are in camp
  activities, safety and supervision.

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• If lots of parents report their child cant wait
  until next summer, youve probably got a winner.

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Traditional or Modern?
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• With the incredible amount of camps out there,
  you can choose anything from rustic lakeside
  retreats with few of the luxuries of home

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• to upscale modern summer meccas with everything
  from Internet access to cell phone privileges.

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• Clearly, the culture of a camp brimming with
  contemporary comforts will be far different from
  that of a traditional style sleepaway camp.

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Peruse the Websites
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Needless to say, every camp is putting its best
foot - or hiking boot forward on the Internet,
but these websites are super places to get basics
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Camper/counselor ratio
Camp size
Number of kids in each cabin
A typical day at camp
Rules on communicating with home and amount of
structure
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• If you feel your child would be lost in the
  crowds of a big camp and might do better with
  small groups, or if they might flounder with too
  much unstructured time

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• you can look for camps set up for smaller
  groups of campers and a more structured schedule
  of activities.

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• See if you can find out the return rate of
  campers, summer after summer it says a lot about
  the camps overall culture.

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Take a Camp Tour
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• Pile the family in the car and take a summer camp
  tour the summer before your child will go to
  camp.

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• This is where good planning comes in, as youll
  want to go while camps in session to get the
  best feel for the overall vibe of the place.

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• Naturally, the tour guide will be showing all the
  high points, but try to see if your child can get
  a chance to chat with some of the campers.

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• Look around. Do the kids seem happy and engaged
  in the activities? Are the counselors
  enthusiastic and involved?

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• Are the facilities clean and well-maintained? Do
  waterfront activities in particular seem well
  supervised?

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• Ask plenty of questions of camp staff youll
  have your own unique concerns for your child.

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• Once youre back in the car, listen carefully to
  your childs feelings about the camp, and dont
  let your own enthusiasm or lack thereof influence
  his or her decision shell be the one spending
  the summer there, not you!

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• If you're considering sending your child to an
  overnight summer camp, be sure to visit our site
  to learn about Camp Walt Whitman.

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• Located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire,
  Camp Walt Whitman offers a safe, nurturing
  environment in a beautiful mountain setting.

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• Our camp is a coed sleepaway camp, with separate
  areas for boys and girls. The kids have a blast,
  and make friendships that can last a lifetime.

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• www.campwalt.com

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Camp Walt Whitman 1000 Cape Moonshine
Rd Piermont, NH 03779 603-764-5521 cww_at_campwalt.co
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