Date Added: 26-01-2005

Sandra Kallio Wisconsin State Journal

While the snow accumulates, families search for the best summer camps for their children. With more than 6,000 overnight camps and 12,000 day camps around the country, the task would be overwhelming if not for several services, including through this newspaper.

The Wisconsin State Journal publishes the K-12 Summer Planner on the first Sunday of March - March 6 this year. This guide to summer programs for youth from kindergarten to graduating high school seniors in Madison and surrounding areas focuses on day camps.

Any camps, community centers and other programs wishing to submit information can do so online at www.madison.com through Tuesday. After March 6, the guide will be online and also will be distributed to libraries, community centers and Madison middle schools.

While that timing suits day camps, popular overnight camps may fill earlier.

"It'll start about a month from now that we'll start closing programs," says Jim Scherer, camp director of the YMCA Camp Anokijig in Plymouth.

"Now is really the time to start looking," says David Falck, president of Wisconsin Online, which offers detailed information for 243 Wisconsin camps from traditional residential camps to day camps at www.wisconline.com/ attractions/camps/index.html.

He does, however, add that some camp directors noted lower enrollments last year. "I can't really pinpoint why that is. . . . It could be because of the economy. The whole economy is actually turning around a little bit, so I think the enrollment will pick up again."

 
 
Prices vary, but many in- state residential camps run from $300 to $500 per week, considerably more than day camps. Price, of course, is just one of many factors families consider in choosing camps.

"It's always great to involve the children and have them take a look at the information that can be sent to them from the camps," Falck says, adding that the lightning bolt icon on some of the camp pages indicates a link to the individual camp site for more information. "Being part of the planning helps them think through what they want to do. It allows them to take responsibility for the decision, prepare them for the experience and get excited about it."

Through Wisconsin Online, families can search by program type, alphabetically by camp name or by region. "Some families want the geographic region where they're living, or maybe the children want to go farther away and," he adds, laughing, "maybe the parents want them farther away."

Whatever families are looking for, he advises spending the time on research until they "get a warm feeling" from a camp.

There are camps geared for the whole family, as well as "grand camps," a trend reflecting baby-boom grandparents' willing to lace up the hiking boots and camp with their grandchildren, according to the American Camp Association (formerly American Camping Association).

The association accredits day and residential camps based on 300 standards and lists them in a searchable database at www.acacamps.org/parents. This site also provides advice about picking the right camp, including several questions to help decide whether a child is ready for overnight camp:

• What is your child's age? Children under age 7 may not adjust easily to being away from home.
• How much persuasion is necessary from you?
• Has your child had positive overnight experiences away from home?
• What does your child expect to do at camp?

Also helpful are tips on choosing a short or long session, near or far camp, single sex or coed camp, and traditional, specialty or special needs camps, as well as questions to discuss during an interview with the camp director.

Scherer, of the YMCA camp, addresses the benefits of overnight programs: "Besides having an outrageously fun vacation - that's what the kids are looking at, the byproduct of the camp is that it starts to give the children a sense of independence, teaching them how to make choices. At our camp, we surround the kids with our value system. . . . It's a good foundation for later in life."

Contact Sandra Kallio at skallio@madison.com or 252-6181.

Source: http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/features/index.php?ntid=25945&ntpid=1