When is my child ready for camp?
This is a question that I'm sure nearly every parent has asked as they sign their child up for camp. I truly wish I had a good answer for it. All I have are experiences of seeing homesickness hit nearly every age imaginable (including my adult staff!). I can tell you this - and it surprises a lot of folks. The age where homesickness is the most severe - most unsolvable is our Trail Blazer age (campers going into grades 5-7). Strange, right? We chalk that up to families who worry that their child isn't ready in the elementary years and then send them for the first time when they may have little experience sleeping away from home. Though there may not be the perfect age to start camp - the earlier a child can get into camp, the greater experience they have building independence, resilience, and confidence to succeed. A bit of a disclaimer as you read through the indicators : 5 to 8 year old do not have to have mastered these skills listed below before they come to camp