Preparing for camp

A parent’s guide to knowing when your child is ready

One of the most common questions we receive is, “How do I know if my child is ready for overnight camp?” Here are a few guidelines that can help you decide.

In general, any typically-developing child who is 8 or older is probably ready for camp. Even if they never had a sleepover, they are generally mature enough to be successful at camp. There might be a little homesickness at first, but the beauty of camp is in the growing: By experiencing the challenge of being away and figuring out how to have fun regardless, kids learn that they are capable and believe in themselves. Many children younger than 8 are ready too, but that may be on a more individualized basis.

To have a successful experience at any overnight camp, a child must have reached certain developmental milestones. These apply mostly for our younger campers, but are good guidelines for everyone.

First, can your child shower and reliably toilet on their own, including communicating to someone when they need to go? Most of our activities at Falcon Camp, for example, are approximately a three-minute walk from a restroom. If your child still needs to be reminded to go to the bathroom, they might not be ready for camp yet.

Second, can your child dress and undress themself? Staff are always happy to help with a particularly difficult button, but your child should be able to get dressed without assistance.

Third, can your child follow two- or three-step directions? We train our staff to give accessible and straightforward instructions using different methods, but it is important that a camper can remember two or three steps at a time. This helps support their ability to follow a schedule and make activity choices.

Finally, does your child sleep in their own bed, and can they generally fall asleep without support? Each cabin creates a unique bedtime routine that frequently involves cabin chats, singing and reading, and staff remain just outside the cabin as campers fall asleep. However, if your child is used to falling asleep with you in bed, or while you rub their back for 20 minutes, that is going to create some unnecessary stress for them at camp.

Your attitude and preparation also has a huge impact on whether or not your child is ready for camp. Spending the time leading up to camp discussing the fun, acknowledging the challenge and reiterating your child’s abilities can help set them up for success. It might not feel obvious, but when you tell your child that you’ll pick them up if they are homesick, the message your child ultimately receives is that you think they can’t do this. Instead, we need to prepare future campers by talking about the hard things, and reminding them that we know they’ll be OK. You can also provide tools, like reviewing who your camper can approach if they are struggling (their counselor, a director, the camp nurse). Having your child participate in packing can also help set them up for success. They will feel more secure because they know what they are bringing, where belongings are, and it provides a great opportunity to talk about fun activities.

I started off by saying most typically-developing 8-year-olds can likely be successful. So what about a more neurodivergent child? The same developmental skills apply (toileting, dressing, following instructions), but there are a few others we might look for. What general level of support does your child have for everyday activities? What accommodations or modifications does your child use at school to ensure success? How is your child’s social development? Are they interested in interacting and playing with others? What about behavior? Camp staff are well-trained, but they still are mostly college students. They competently handle many different behaviors, but if your child has a one-on-one aide or is in a behavior classroom at school, they might not be ready for the excitement of camp yet. That is not to say they can never go to camp! There are many camps designed for children who need more support if you’re considering camp right now, or wait a year or two and see where things stand.

The truth is, your child probably is ready! It is most often parents who are not ready to send their children to camp, rather than a child who is not ready to go. But sending your child to camp is a difficult decision, and one you shouldn’t make lightly. If you are questioning your child’s readiness, reach out to a camp director and talk it over. PJC

Tali Cornblath is a psychologist and the assistant director at Falcon Camp.