Hey, Camp Seekers!
Are you searching for the right summer camp to send your little darling/s? You want it to be just right for them, of course. Well, if you’ve come across this Blog post, then you’re in luck because it’s chock-full of great advice. Borrowing the 
excellent information available in ‘The Summer Camp Handbook,’—written by camp experts, Dr. Chris Thurber and Dr. Jon Malinowski—today’s post is the first in a four-part series called ‘Choose the Right Camp’ every Monday in March.
Each installment of this series will pose a question that will help you to narrow your search among the multitudes of camps that are an option for you. Today’s question:
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO CAMP?
Geographically speaking, that is, do you want a camp that’s close to home, far from home, far from home but close to family…? Each choice has its own advantages. You might think that attending a camp closer to home would decrease any chances of your kid feeling homesick. But the distance really has nothing to do with feelings of homesickness. Feeling homesick is really just how kids feel when they’re away from mom and dad.
Close to Home
• It’s an easier time visiting the camp for evaluation, drop-off, pick-up, and visiting days
• There’s a better chance of finding parents you know who’ve already sent their kids to that camp
• Makes for less expensive travel
• There’s potential for an in-state tuition discount
• There’s also potential for cabin mates to be friends from school or hometown
• Letters only take a couple days of travel
Far from Home
• You have more choices from which to choose
• Kids (teenagers especially) like making long trips to go stay on their own
• A camp that’s a ways away from home is likely to provide a new environment. This opportunity could expose your kid to worldly wonders that may not be a part of their everyday life (depending on where you live) like 
mountains, lakes, snow, warm weather, the ocean, or even a non-English-speaking country!
• Excuse for family vacation when camp is over.
Far from Home but Close to Family
Far from home but close to family is another option for you and your kid. It can be a comfort to both camper and parent to send their kid to a faraway camp that’s close to grandparents, aunts and uncles, or other close relatives.
You should also consider the unique advantages of certain geographical locations such as climate, landscape, and bodies of water that your child will need in order to do the activities that he or she is interested in.
I hope you’ve found these tips useful when you embark upon your search! Tune in for more great tips and advice next Monday and, as always, thanks for reading!
- John