When kids go to summer camp some feel as if they are being shipped off to get out of mom and dads hair, but that’s not the case in many instances. Usually both parents work and it’s the most feasible way to care for them.

This year why not do something different for the child that has gone to summer camp, why not send them a care package after they have been at camp for a week. Most kids are very jealous of their friends getting mail and packages. Lets face it everyone enjoys getting mail.

The care package does not have to be one that you put together. With your hectic schedule an already made one is best chosen. With retailers of today of care packages and gift baskets there are many to choose from.

You may want a simple care package, for example: animal cookies, single serve Oreo cookies, Single serve chocolate chips, sweet tarts, skittles, pretzels, starburst, peppermint patty, granola bars and some M & Ms to top it all off. Snack care packages as this are easily order through a retailer and you can designate the ship to address in the order. Most also allow for a message, such as love mom and dad.

So this summer when you send the kids off to camp and they whine about coming home, send them a great care package. It will show them they are missed and most of all loved. Maybe just maybe they will look forward to going to summer camp next year!

Author is Michele Rogers, owner of http://www.lilyputts.com Lilyputts Gift Baskets , an online gift basket retailer. Also hosted is a http://www.lilyputts.blogspot.com BLOG that reviews gifts and welcomes other comments as well. Please visit Lilyputts Gift Baskets for descriptions and product presentations. Please, if you use any portion herein be sure to email author first.

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Several people asked me to put together an article about running a successful summer camp. Along with other articles I have in mind, I would like to make them available to the greatest amount of people.

Running a summer camp takes gumption, even if it is for a week or two. It can be exhausting. It is not for the feint of heart or the hobbyists. It is of course for the professional business owner, a good option in extending their programs into the summer months.

Last year, I saw first hand how much joy and fun a summer camp could bring to the children whom I usually taught to dance.

I’ve generated a checklist of things to do before you go ahead with your summer camp plans.

1. Find a rental place and negotiate for an extension of hours. Kids sometimes need to be dropped off at seven in the morning and picked up as late as five thirty. That’s the nature of the business. So when you are trying to find a rental place, you will have to point out the fact that limited business hours don’t make sense. Try to get a package together that will suit both you and the renter.

2. Once you have a place in mind, get your fire check. Find out what if any kind of equiptment you need. Most small extinguishers are not even permitted as the main extinguishers in home daycare environments. So a fire inspection is an affordable way to find out quickly what you need to get. Often times, stoves that don’t have proper venting need to be fixed up. You can make this a condition of your lease.

3. Try to figure out affordable ways to advertise within the schools. Most static magazines ads don’t truly work. What does work is direct marketing. You will get farther just by personally handing out flyers or sending them through to schools than posting a huge ad in a newspaper.

4. Try to generate some newsworthliness to see if you can get some free advertising by the local TV station.

5. Consult provincial or state listings about age and also the amount of kids you can have. Then, wisely crunch the numbers and figure out how many staff you can have.

6. Hire your staff. Consider their qualifications in the area they will be instructing but also watch them around kids when they’re not ‘on’ to find out if they have compassionate hearts. If they don’t, you don’t need them. In as much as possible in this situation, realize that this is daycare and you will want to have adults for your staff as much as possible. On the one hand, it isn’t illegal to hire teenagers for these positions and I have personally worked with phenomenal teenagers. It’s about the liability factor. Adults tend to look at a situation and judge it for safety. That is a skills teenagers need to learn…so why not pair both adults and teenagers for maximum safety.

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There are many summer camps that now specialize in providing training in basketball skills and techniques. The instruction available ranges from basic to classes provided by professional players.

Some camps even specialize as to position such as basketball point guard camps. The more advanced camps usually are segregated as to basketball camp boys and basketball camp girls so training can be geared specifically to a level of competence.

Some are basketball overnight camps and some are day camps with no sleepover capabilities. If your child is an experienced and advanced player it’s likely they would prefer training by elite athletes, on the other hand if you are just concerned with aquainting your child with the game a more basic type of camp will probably suffice. THe costs are generally reflective of the quality of instructors as well.

One of the more renown summer basketball camps is the Michael Jordan Basketball Camp

I get quite a few questions asking if a boys summer camp or a girls summer camp is preferrable to a coed summer camp.

I don’t believe there is an all encompassing answer to this question but there are certain situations where a single gender camp may be a better choice for your child. Depending on your child’s age the single gender camp environment often allows the child to be themselves and not be concerned with impressing or competing with the opposite sex. You may also find that in many cases single gender camps gear programs to gender strengths and weaknesses.

I think it’s probably a good idea to discuss the two options with your child and you might be surprised that they may have there very own legitimate reason for preferring one type of camp to the other.

One consideration is that co-ed camps obviously mirror real life situations more closely but also remember that the camp experience is a very short portion of your child’s year.

Some sport specific summer camps may be geared to one gender or the other and some academic camps have reported the single sex environment provides fewer distractions to campers trying to grasp complex ideas in a short duration camp.

If you have an opinion on this topic, please leave a comment.

One of the recent trends in specialty summer camps is the introduction of weight loss camps with curriculums specifically tailored to overweight children and teens. These camps have been unfortunately and insentively referred to as fat camps by some.

The general ideology behind these weight camps is to manage carefully the dietary intake of the campers while introducing appropriate levels of activity in order to reduce body fat levels.

It’s important to note that when camp ends the lessons learned at camp should be continued to insure the loss of weight is maintained and continued through healthy lifestyle choices.

My personal recommendation is a program introduced by WellSpring Weight Loss Camps who recommend a series of questions you should pose to prospective weight loss camp directors:

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If you haven’t started yet it’s time to get serious if you wish to secure a summer camps job for the upcoming 2007 season. Summer Camp positions are ideal jobs for teenagers

Thousands of students across the country are searching for summer camp jobs and the savvy summer job seekers understand that getting those applications in early means more chance of getting the camp job you really want in the location you prefer. The earlier you begin your job search the better your chances that you can find your ideal job, and close to home as an added bonus!

Recent statistics indicate that camp enrollment is increasing by 10% annually according to the American Camping Association so there are more jobs than ever available in the United States and even more opportunities in other countries.

You may wonder if you have the background and qualifications to secure one of the many summer camps jobs open today. Just what do camp directors and administrators look for in prospective councellors?

• Do you sincerely enjoy working with children and display an enthusiasm when dealing with them on a continuous basis? Remember overnight summer camp means you’ll be dealing with these children 24/7

Have you any experience working with children and under what circumstances?
While it is often not absolutely essential to have extensive experience with children the Camp Director will likely expect you to have done perhaps baby-sitting, coaching, volunteer work, or other supervisory interaction with kids. Obviously the more experience you have the more serious consideration your application will receive.

• Do you enjoy being and working outdoors??
  While there are some indoor summer camps, even academic and specialty camps usually incorporate an outdoor element such as hiking, swimming or camping. Most camps will outline what to expect in the application. Applicants are often asked if they can handle hiking up to a certain distance so a certain level of fitness is required and expected. Applicants need to understand that sleeping outside means dealing with close proximity to trees, grasses and pollen so allergies may be a consideration.

Do you have a preference as to the type of camp you want to work at? Residential camps will allow you to live on site and usually provide lodging and meals as part of your contract. Day camps normally pay more but you will be responsible for your own lodging and some meals. It’s also important that your values are in coordination with the camp you will be working with. Some camps stress competition among councellors while other camps emphasize cooperation and teamwork. Specialty camps may have other unique philosophies you must mesh with. Find out ahead of time because if you are not a good fit your employment may be difficult and challenging rather than a rewarding experience.

If you are planning to send a child to summer camp this year, it’s time to start your selection process or book your reservations if you’ve alredy decided on a destination.

Many parents simply wait too long to begin looking into summer camp options and because more children are interested each year, it’s imperative to start early to insure your child is not disappointed.

Much of your research can be conducted online using websites and blogs just like this to give you some guidance and solid information as you do your summer camp selection research.

Over the next several weeks I’ll be posting ideas and resources to assist you and if you have specific questions don’t be afraid to ask.

Many job seekers wait far too long to submit applications for the upcoming summer camp season. It’s a fact that many summer camps are aware of new staff requirements right after the season ends and so to put yourself in a position to secure the best available jobs you should apply now.

The summer camp 2007 season will be upon us very soon and so now is the time to decide where you want to work, what type of position interests you and start the process of submitting your applications either online or via the mail.

The summer camps activitiesthat your child will be involved in, will of course vary from camp to camp but there are usually a core group of summercamp activities that are generally found at most summer camps. You can count on a number of athletic or sports related activities at traditional kids summer camps such as swimming, canoeing and team sports but remember that if you have decided on a specialty camp these activities may be limited or non existent.

The traditional camps also normally include arts and crafts programs and most camps have games designed by the counsellors that promote creativity and team buliding. It’s a good idea to check with your camp in advance to find out if your child will require any special equipment or clothing in order to participate in any unusual activities. Most camps try to supply the necessary equipment for specialized activities but it’s always a good idea to find out ahead of time.

It’s really not necessary to prepare your child for summer camp activities since most camps usually have introductory or beginner groups to familiarize your child to any activities new to them.

Technorati Tags: summer camp, summer camp activities, traditional summer camp

I’ve had several questions about the YMCA Summer Camps Programs both in America and Canada. The YMCA has a long and highly recommended summer camp program with both day camps and overnight camp programs available at many locations.

The best way to obtain information about YMCA summer camps is to contact your local YMCA to find out the specific programs in your given area.

The YMCA has run summer camps for 110 years so you know there is a long and proud history associated with the organization. The YMCA integrate strong moral values in their programs and strive to develop leadership and independence in the children and teens attending the camps.

Because I received so many specific location requests for information I’ve compiled a list which are linked to online resources that you can explore further:

YMCA Camp Tockwogh

YMCA Camp Woodstock

YMCA Camp Kern

YMCA Camp Olsen

Deer Valley YMCA Camp

YMCA Camp Duncan

YMCA Camp
Collins

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