The following article has been kindly supplied by Super Camps, RAW Adventure Camps and A Passion for … Holiday Workshops.

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With winter behind us, parents’ thoughts are turning to summer. Our children are looking forward to six or more weeks off school. We parents are looking for ways to fill our children’s holidays with action, adventure and fun, and are hoping that the chorus of “Mummy, I’m bored!” won’t start within days of the school gates closing for the summer! Summer Camp is a great way of packing your child’s summer holidays with action, adventure and fun, whilst also helping you get some well-earned “you time” or simply go to work knowing your children are enjoying their holidays in a safe environment.

For many families summer camp is an important part of the summer holidays. But, how do you choose the right summer camp for your child? There are a few simple things you can look for:

What does your child enjoy doing?
Involving your child in choosing their summer camp is the key to ensuring that your child goes to camp happily and is ready to join in the camp programme when they get there. Children are more likely to enjoy camp if they have helped choose it!

If your child enjoys a bit of everything, then why not choose a Multi Activity Day Camp. A typical day at a multi activity camp might include archery, swimming, model making, quad biking, tennis, football, art activities and aqua slide.

If your child is a budding sports star, then why not choose a camp that lets them devote a week of their summer holidays to their favourite sport. For example, a child who loves tennis would enjoy a week at a tennis camp, or a child who is football mad would enjoy developing their skills at a football camp. Some children simply love being outside. Children who happily spend hours on end building dens, or going off on adventures might enjoy a camp that gives them a chance to learn the skills they need to survive and thrive in the outdoors.

What if they want to be with friends?
Camp is a great place to make new friends, as children are typically put into groups with children of a similar age, and activities are designed to help children get to know each other, so don’t worry if your child is going to camp on their own. They certainly won’t be the only one on their own at the start of the week. Don’t be surprised if your child makes lots of new friends. Making new friends is an important skill for life.

But, if you know your child will settle better at camp if their best mate is there too, talk to other parents and try and book the same camp – providers will often let you make "friend requests."

Work-Life Balance

For working parents, picking a camp that gives them the right work-life balance is an important factor. Parents might like to think about

• A camp near home or a camp near work?
• Does the camp have good access to major roads for an easy commute?
• Does the camp offer free extended hours e.g. from 08:00 – 18:00?
• Do you need to send your child to camp for occasional days or a week?
• Does the camp accept Childcare vouchers?
• Do they offer a Holiday Protection Scheme?
• Does the camp reward multiple bookings or offer loyalty points?

Find Out About the Options Available:
The internet is a great starting point to find out about the camps running in your area. You can find out a lot about the camps by simply visiting the camp’s website. Talk to other parents; find out what camps they have used and what they think of them.

If you’re not sure if a camp is right for your child, telephone them and talk it through with their Customer Services team, and they’ll be able to tell you more about the camp so you can decide if it is the right one for your child.

When To Book?

Our advice would be to book as early as possible. If you get summer camp booked now, you know it’s sorted and it’s one less thing to worry as the summer term always seems to fly by! Some companies give parents the flexibility to move dates around before camp, which can be really useful if you don’t yet know what your work commitments will be over the summer or if you’re waiting to see if you are trying to fit in visits to family and friends and a family holiday as well. Many companies also offer Holiday Protection Schemes that will refund the cost of camp if you or your child fall ill and they can’t get to camp. Booking early also has advantages in that there are some great deals out there for people who book early.