Summer might still seem a ways off, but it will be here before you know it. And for parents of kids who have gone to summer camp before or are planning to in the upcoming summer, it’s never too early to get started on your camp planning for the year.
At Smart Kids Development Center, we’re happy to offer a variety of child care services, including summer camp programs for Salt Lake City and surrounding residents. Whether you’re looking at our programs or any others for your children, what are some of the top priorities you should keep in mind as you get started on summer camp planning? Here are several tips we offer.
First and foremost, especially if you’re the parent of a child who has not been to a summer camp before and doesn’t have a legacy spot that’s often reserved for past participants, it’s important to get started on your camp planning well in advance. Summer camps, especially the good ones like ours, fill up extremely quickly, and waiting too long might mean your top choices don’t have any spots left.
In addition, signing up early may have financial benefits. Some camps offer incentives for singing up before a certain date, for instance.
Depending on your summer time commitments and themes like vacations, you should check with any prospective camp about minimum time requirements. Some camps run two-week segments, others run three, and some even run a single week at a time, allowing maximum parent flexibility. Be sure you know these requirements – for some parents, their kids will attend either the same camp or different camps for multiple segments in a summer, broken up by family vacations or other events.
This one is an extremely personal factor that will vary for each family. Do you have multiple kids attending different camps, for instance, or is everyone going to the same location? Think about the daily commute you’ll have and how this factors into your work schedule, plus whether friends with kids of a similar age might be up for joining the same program and working out some kind of carpool arrangement.
You also want to inquire specifically about the type of program you’re signing your child up for. There are many general summer camps, but then also many with specialties for certain skills or activities. There are also competitive camps for certain sports, but you should be sure your child is truly interested in this before signing them up.
In addition, check on general hours of operation and program details. Ask about billing and when you’re charged, plus note the dates camps begin and end and how these might interact with your summer travel plans.
For more on choosing an ideal Salt Lake City summer camp for your child this year, or to learn about any of our preschool, daycare or other child care services, speak to the staff at Smart Kids Development Center today.
