Keeping Summer Camps Safe: Things That Parents Should Be Pondering
When it comes to being a kid and enjoying the summer, there’s nothing more exciting than camp. Whether it’s just day camp or overnight camp, there are going to be a lot of activities for them to get into! Camp allows your children to get into swimming, sports, bird-watching and an abundance of other things – it also allows them to socialize and create friendships that may last a lifetime. It allows your children to feel a sense of independence, which can be important when it comes to expanding their mental horizons. Summer camp is great for many different reasons, but you always want to ensure that your children is being put in the proper hands. You wouldn’t just drop them off at a shady-looking summer camp on the side of the road; which is why we’re going to talk about summer camp safety (and the things you should be looking out for) today.
When it comes to questions that you should be asking (before you send your child off to camp), there are quite a few of them. Soak up the following information as best you can, because you never know when it’s going to be come useful.
Questions
Do They Screen the Staff? – Of course, every single summer camp that’s legitimate and certified is going to screen their camp operators. They’ll ensure that they understand first-aid techniques, as well as be capable of monitoring an abundance of children at once. It’s a lot of responsibility, which is why it’s important to hire more than just your average person. They need the right references, licenses and certifications before they should be able to operate at any particular summer camp.
Staff to Children Ratio? – When it comes to the senior counselors of the camp, they should have a ratio of one senior counselor for every 6 children that are under the age of six (one for every nine children that are between the ages of 6 and 7, while one for every twelve children that are 8 and older is suitable). The camp should also tell you about the supervision process, and the things they put in place to ensure that your kids are always going to be given their proper amount of attention.
What Activities Are Available? – It’s important to know which activities are going to be available, as well as how safe these particular activities happen to be. If they have helmet-less jet-skiing without any supervision, it’s probably going to be a hard pass!
The more you know, the better of a choice you’re capable of making. Ask questions, and don’t be afraid to find an alternative when it comes to the right summer camp.