Friday, April 22

How to choose Summer Camps for kids in Dwarka

Summer is knocking the door and so is Summer Vacation. Parents in Dwarka must be thinking how to keep their wards busy during vacations. There are several ways through which you can keep your child occupied during vacations. Keeping children busy during vacations is extremely important where both parents are working professional. In subcity like Dwarka most families with working parents depend on a network of caregivers to manage work and family demands. Summer camp generally starts mid may. You will hear about several of camps which appear to be similar, but each camp has its own objective. In some apartment complex, Residents Welfare Association or Apartment Owners Association comes forward to organize a summer camp for the children in the apartment. Summer camp varies from day camps, sleep-away summer camp or month-long summer camps.

Most schools in Dwarka organize Summer camp. Generally they open it for their own students but many schools do allow kids from outside. Generally you have to make arrangements for droping & pick up the child from School which is generally painful & can actually mar all your plans for summer camp. If you have several kids from the same sector or apartment You can talk to the cab provide or even to the school & they will run a cab for you.Tips for Choosing Summer Camp


My advise, just consider this as a pass time activity with some byproduct of learning new skills. But generally it is for fun & keeping kids busy than watching TV all through the day or playing video games. If you keep too many expectations then you will feel the frustation.

DDA Sports complex also Oragnizes lot of summar camps like swimming, skating, TT, aerobics etc. Do contact them. You don't need DDAs membership to get your child registered there. It is generally cheaper than most schools as schools keep the fees same as the monthly tution fees. With Dwarka DDA sports complex you will have flexibility of timings, with schools you will not.


Summer Camp is not just camp that makes kids busy when parents are busy in their work. Summer camp allows kids to feel a sense of independence, builds self-esteem, try new things and provides your kids an opportunity to learn on nature and the outdoors. Therefore choosing a summer camp plays vital role. Following are some useful tips for choosing right summer camp.


» Decide together: Choosing Summer Camp is not merely deciding your budget and convenience. Summer Camp is a form of vacation, a learning experience, or a bit of both. Before you choose a Summer Camp, discuss with your kid whether your child would like to go to a day or overnight camp. Try to find out more about the likes and dislikes of your child. Discuss with your kids about special interests that your child wants to explore, expectations of the camp, fun and entertainment, learning new skills etc. Write down your goals and keep them in mind when planning camp activities. However, you should not force your child to take-up hobby classes or camp if your child is not interested.


» Make a List of Summer Camp: Choosing a summer camp program for your child involves some important research. Today there are number of summer camps such as hobby classes, Adventure Camp, Camp for awareness of nature and outdoor, learning new skills, arts and craft classes, cooking classes, computer courses etc. Check size of a camp, list of activities, whether day or overnight camp, Age of Kids, how close to home is the camp, cost of camp and discounts offered, opportunity to learn new skill, objective of camp etc. Make the list of service providers or Summer Camp organizers available in your city or neighborhood.


» Safety and emergency plans: The camp organizer must have provisions and medically trained staff to handle emergency or incase something goes wrong. You can ask for checklist or list of items you need to provide when your kid or children attending the summer camp. Find out what the camp’s rules and medical staff work at the camp.


» Ratio of staff members: Check that the staff-to-child ratio is appropriate for different age groups. It is recommended to have One staff member for every five campers ages 4 and 5,every six campers ages 6 to 8, every eight campers ages 9 to 14, every 10 campers ages 15 to 17 respectively.


» Ask Questions: Before you choose a summer camp ensure that the camp is safe, experienced and the camp will provide your kid an opportunity to learn new skills along with entertainment. You can ask questions to director of camp or counselors to clear your doubts. Ask questions such as how long it’s been operating, what licenses it has, How does the camp recruit staff, ratio of counselors to campers, Do counselors receive first-aid/CPR training, who will be driving kids on field trips, Duration of Camp, whether day camp or overnight camp etc. Ask about safety measures adopted, any previous accidents in camp etc. You can also ask referral of previous campers and schools attended summer camp last year. Familiarize yourself with any camp regulations regarding food and money.


» Choose One: Once you discussed and noted your kid’s likes and dislikes, shortlist 3 to 5 Summer Camp in your city or neighborhood that you feel best for this summer vacation. Eliminate one by one discussing with your kid and family members. Last you will have two or three summer camp which you can visit and talk to director or organizers of camp. Choose one summer camp that you feel your kid will enjoy and keep your kid busy this summer vacation.
When selecting a camp ask other parents, relatives or neighbor for recommendations. This can help you select a camp. Pick a camp according to your child’s interests. Taking a best friend along can be more than double the fun. Consider arranging for a first-time camper to attend with a close friend or relative. Tell your child about the activities offered and share brochures that you may have about the camp. Most summer camps provide supply lists. Pack according to what is listed.


You have another month to go before vacations start but it makes sense to start think about your options.


So kids get ready to enjoy your summer holidays this year!!!!

1 comment:

Kiran said...

Its an useful information on Summers Vacations and Activities but it could have been better if you would have given some specific details about the schools or institutes in and around dwarka who are actually offering the camping and activities in summer.

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