Deciding Between Day Camp and Sleepaway

Sending your little one to camp can be fun and exciting. They’ll have the chance to make life-long friendships, create amazing works of art, and learn, explore, and play. There are many different summer camp options, including day camp, where your kids come home at the end of the day, and sleepaway camp, where they’re away for a week or more. Here are a few things to consider when deciding which camp is best for your family.

How Old is Your Kid?

Many sleepaway camps won’t start accepting kids until they’re at least eight years old and there’s a good reason for it. Sleepaway camp is a ton of fun, but it can be challenging to manage being away from home for so long and young kids just might not be ready. Day camp is an excellent way to get them excited about going to sleepaway in the future.

What Are Your Kid’s Interests?

There are a lot of specialized day camp programs for kids, both for the day and at sleepaway. Keep in mind options like art camp, music camp, sports camp, and adventure camp. You also want to remember that certain activities, like boating, archery, or camping, will be less available at a day camp, so factor in your child’s interests when deciding on the right camp for them.

What’s Your Schedule?

Unfortunately, our schedules do have to play a role in what kind of activities our children can enjoy. Sleepaway camp might be a better fit for your work or travel schedule but remember that pick-up and drop-off times are non-negotiable. If you love having dinner together every night, then day camp might be the better option for summer activities.

Where Are Their Friends Going?

Your child probably wants the opportunity to hang out with their friends this summer, which is why you want to keep this in mind when deciding where to sign up. It’s always a good idea to go to sleepaway camp with a friend or sibling, especially if it’s the very first time. Either way, it’s worth considering where the playgroup will be for the season.

What Do They Want?

At the end of the day, the most important thing to consider is what your child wants. If they say they’re not ready to go to a sleepaway camp, you’ll probably want to sit them down and have a serious conversation about why, but you don’t want to force them. Showcase all the exciting activities each program has to offer and let them pick for themselves.

You’ll find tons of great day camp and sleepaway camp options available right here at Ripplequest.com. You can search for day, or sleepaway camps and start planning your family’s epic summer adventures today.