Tips to Prepare Your Child for Co-Ed Sleepaway Camp in New York

Every year, millions of children attend one of the 12,000 summer camps in the United States. About 60% of these programs are sleepaway camps. While some children look forward to the time away from home, others may find it to be a scary, stressful experience.

For parents with children who will be attending sleepaway camp for the first time at Camp Kinder Ring in New York, here are some tips to ensure the child has a fun, exciting experience at co-ed sleepaway camp in New York.

• Practice being away from home with sleepovers. Choose a relative or close friend and have your child sleepover at their house to get used to being away from their own bed for a night.
• Visit summer camps. The fear of the not knowing anything about sleepaway camp is terrifying for first-time campers. Acquainting your children with a summer camp setting will assist in putting their minds at ease. Let them see what the sleepaway camp facilities look like and where important things such as the dining hall, bathrooms, and bunks are. Then choose the top three camps you feel comfortable sending your child to and allow your child to pick a camp from those three options. This helps them to feel involved in making their own choices, which will create a positive start to his or her camp experience.
• Meet the camp director. The sleepaway camp director will often make or break a child’s first impression of the summer sleepaway camp experience. Introduce them to each other and allow them to talk before camp begins.
• Offer reassurance. Even before you begin to pack up for camp, offer positive words of encouragement. DO NOT tell your child how much they will be missed back at home. Instead, keep the focus how much of a great time and all the fun memories he or she will make at sleepaway camp. Also, avoid calling your children at camp too often. This contact will interfere with their efforts to adjust to camp and possibly make he or she feel homesick.
• Send letters and care packages. Write and send a letter before summer camp starts so there will be a letter waiting for them when they get to camp. Make sure to answer their letters and send care packages in a timely manner, so your child is not left waiting around while the other children get letters and packages.
• Remember: this is meant to be a fun experience. You want your children to have an enjoyable experience filled with great memories at Camp Kinder Ring and with a positive attitude; they will have an amazing summer.

For more information on the best co-ed sleepaway camp in New York, Camp Kinder Ring, visit us or call (845)-221-2771.