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Is Your Child Ready for Sleep Away Camp?

How can you tell if your child is ready for sleep away camp? Although there's no magic age of readiness, many children start showing interest in a camping experience at age 9 or 10, some a little younger.

No matter what age your child is, it's important to consider your child's stage of development when determining camp readiness. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Has your child expressed an interest in sleep away camp? If she has not only expressed an interest in camp, but a specific kind of camp such as a horseback riding camp, she is showing readiness for this experience. How has your child handled sleepovers with friends or family? If there have been problems with sleeping away in the past, he may not be ready for camp.



• How easily does your child make friends when in new situations? Children who make friends quickly in new situations tend to adjust to sleep away camp more easily than those who take some time to warm up to other children.



• Is your child able to handle all of her personal care? Before going to a sleep away camp, children must be able to handle all self-care needs, such as tooth brushing, dressing and shoe-tying, and keeping track of belongings.



• Does your child have special needs? You may want to postpone sleepover camp for a child with special needs, unless you are very sure that camp staff is equipped to deal with them.

One good way to introduce your child to a camp experience is to begin with a day camp, where your child can enjoy activities and return home at night. If he does well with this experience, he may be ready for sleep over camp the following year.

Ready to begin your search for an overnight summer camp? Return to the Summer Camps Directory to start now >>