Why you should attend a camp fair

Ten reasons to attend camp fairs and open houses

Despite the warmer weather still being a few weeks away, many of families are already thinking of summer camp. As the search begins, it is important to find the best match for your family, ensuring that you and your child have a satisfying and memorable experience. Summer camp fairs and open houses provide a hands-on and in-depth view of potential summer placements.

Here are 10 reasons to make them a part of your search:

1. Speak directly with directors and representatives – now is your chance to ask the most important questions on your mind.
2. Guided tours of the facility – with open houses, you and your child will be able to see exactly where they’ll be eating, sleeping, playing and learning.
3. Relieve nervousness and apprehension – one of the best ways to quell fear of the unknown is to become familiar with it. By meeting people from the camp and seeing the location itself, you and your child will have a better idea of what’s in store.
4. Give your child an opportunity to envision themselves at the camp – by allowing your child to view the camp in person, it will help them envision what they’ll experience.
5. Become familiar with the camp’s personality – does the camp program seem to address what your child is looking for in a camp? Now is the time to determine if the potential match is the right one.
6. Look at pictures and mementos from previous years – build your child’s excitement by seeing the smiling faces of previous campers and what the camp has done in the past.
7. Compare and contrast multiple options – camps will be putting their best foot forward to impress you. Use this time to see which one offers what you and your child need and want most in a camp.
8. Get applications and information in one place – instead of calling each camp individually and waiting to receive information, save time by getting everything you need in one place.
9. Gain a better understanding of the camp experience – representatives in attendance will tell you everything you need to know about what their camp offers. Some fairs and open houses will even have testimonials from past campers and their families available.
10. Admission is usually free – camp fairs and open houses provide valuable information and assistance to you at no cost.

For more information about summer camp fairs and open houses, check out the following websites:

• www.ACANewEngland.org
• www.CampParents.org 

--American Camp Association New England