Sleep away camp, what is too young?
Like many families, we've begun to plan our summer activities. With the price of gas, there will be no major vacation this year. Last year I drove the kids from Missouri to Arizona to visit my family. My husband flew to AZ a week into our trip and after a visit to Disneyland; we made our way back to Missouri.
This year we'll focus on exploring Missouri and the many opportunities we have here locally. I've signed my 6 and 8 year old up for a two week program offered through the school district and swimming lessons.
But I am wondering; at what age are you sending your children to sleep away camp? Thinking back, my first overnight camp was in 6th grade when I went to Girl Scout Camp. After that trip, camps became more frequent from church camp to band camp.
In college, I spent the summers as a camp counselor at Campfire Camp Wamatochick in Prescott, Arizona. Even though I had the older girls in the summer I can remember the 2 cabins of 1st graders thinking how young they were! Now that I have a 1st grader, I wonder, is that really old enough for sleep away camp? We've never experienced separation anxiety with these two, but they have always stayed overnight with family or friends.
I found this YMCA Trout Lodge and Camp Lakewood and they offer a mini camp for ages 6-8.
(Co-ed) 4 days, 3 nights
For that first camp experience, we offer Mini Camp, a closely supervised introduction to camping with lots of individual attention. A ratio of at least one counselor per four campers is maintained. Cabin groups try out some of the camp's activities together, but kids also have the opportunity to choose a few activities on their own during Smorgasboard. Games, pony rides, arts and crafts, hiking, nature, swimming and more fill a camper's day. Understanding that this is possibly a child's first time away from home, our caring staff keeps them safe and ensures that they will have a wonderful time.
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