What to Look for in a Summer Camp
How do you choose a summer camp? If you were a kid before the digital age, you might have attended the camp that came highly recommended by your best friend. Or maybe you went to the one a short drive away, just in case of homesickness.
But today… the options are endless! And the ability to conduct research online can make the selection process a bit overwhelming for parents and youth leaders. With so many things to consider, where do you even begin?
First and foremost, you should start by learning about the missions of the camps you’re considering: What are they all about? What’s their focus? Why do they exist?
Once you’ve made a short list of camps whose missions match your family’s or group’s desired outcomes, you might consider these other factors to help you settle on the right choice.
Location
The camp’s location will not only affect the experience but also how you get there, which in turn, can affect your budget. If you feel comfortable sending your camper to faraway places, you might have to take some travel expenses into consideration. If your family isn’t quite ready for that, a camp close to home could be a good fit and save you some money, too.
Our main campus is tucked away in the towering green pines of Auburn, Washington, just one hour southeast of Seattle. With 160 acres of creeks and trails to explore, our location gives campers the opportunity to escape, have loads of fun, and connect with God and others outside of their everyday norm.
Activities
It’s smart to choose a camp that offers a wide range of activities. This keeps boredom at bay and empowers kids to test their limitations and try new things. Great activities also lend themselves to the making of lifelong memories, which we think are the best souvenirs a camper will ever take home, especially when they’re infused with Biblical truth.
At Black Diamond Camps, we offer everything from arts and crafts to ziplining. Some of our most-loved activities include swimming, rappelling, black light dodgeball, and drift trikes. There’s truly something for every age and ability here.
Programs
Some camps are focused on niches like STEM learning, sports, or ballet. But most offer multiple programs that meet the needs of a diverse population of campers.
A quick evaluation of your desires, combined with a little bit of mission statement research, should lead you in the right direction. But still, it helps to know what each camp provides in terms of programming. And if their mission statement resonates with you, you can feel good knowing that their Day Camp programming (or Group Camp or Family Camp, etc.) is founded on what matters most to you.
Policies
When you’re entrusting a camp with your child for a summer, a week, or just one day, you’ll want to find out if they have good policies in place that protect your child from harm.
At Black Diamond, we know that safety is more than life jackets and helmets – although we take that seriously, too! When choosing a camp, you should always make sure they have a Child Protection Plan, like we do, and a staff that is vigilant in preventing abusive incidents of any kind. You can read more about our health and safety policies here, or call us directly.
Think Black Diamond is the place for you? Click below to explore dates and rates.