Summer is approaching again, and you have no idea what you’re going to do with your child during his or her summer vacation until you finally settle on participating in a local summer camp.  Unfortunately, you haven’t been able to pick one out yet. You worry that if you make the wrong choice, your child will never want to spend the summer being social again.

Hopefully, these six assets of great summer camps will help you make an informed and accurate choice that your child will love.

1. The staff is motivated, involved, and experienced.

 When you met with staff members for the first time, you had a really great feeling about the camp overall. The men and women were motivated to help your child learn, involved in the planning process, and experienced in working with young children. Not only were staff members willing to answer your questions, but they seemed genuinely concerned about the wellbeing of your child. This is an important asset of any professional summer camp.

2. There are a variety of fun and informative activities.

 Far too many camps rely on children entertaining themselves. When you tour each camp, you should be inundated with fun activities that could help your child grow and learn, like swimming, hiking, sports, arts and crafts and more. It’s rare that a child continues his or her education during the summer. If you have a chance to mix work with play, take advantage of it. Once your child is old enough to stay home alone, the moment will pass.

3. Your child will be grouped with children his or her age.

There’s nothing more uncomfortable than leaving your child for a summer camp session, only to learn that your nine-year-old son is spending more time with teenagers than children his own age. Great summer camps will split children into separate age groups, keeping preteens, teenagers, and young child separate. Eah group will take part in age appropriate activities and learning experiences – thus ensuring the comfort and safety of your child.

4. The meals and snacks are healthy.

 Just as parents expect schools to serve healthy food, you expect your child’s summer camp to serve healthy meals and snacks during the day. A proper summer camp will share information about food from the beginning by giving a menu to each family or by giving children the choice to pack their own lunches. There is a big difference between a summer camp that serves pizza on a daily basis and a summer camp that serves fresh fruit, salads, and whole grain.

5. The camp is in a safe location.

 You’ll quickly find that most professional summer camps are located in a safe area with plenty of space, fences, and nature. You should avoid any outdoor camp located near a major roadway. This is a recipe for disaster – gates or not. Besides, it can be difficult to take part in popular summer camp activities without access to a wooded area or an open field. Travel offers more warning signs that your child’s summer camp may not be as safe as it seems.

6. The counselors have experience with special needs children.

 Even if your child doesn’t have special needs, the best summer camps have qualified staff members who are prepared to be accommodating. You never know when you might need to take advantage of these accommodations – so take note from the beginning.

You can find other signs of a good summer camp through Planet Smarty. Stick to these signs, and your child will have an unforgettable summer experience – all thanks to you.