Marian Edelman Borden wrote Summer Fun, The Parents' Complete Guide to Day Camps, Overnight Camps, Specialty Camps, and Teen Tours to give parents an idea of what to look for, what questions to ask, and what to consider when choose camps for their children. She covers a wide variety of camps including day camp, resident or overnight camps, camps for special needs children, camps that focus on particular activities and programs designed for teenagers who might need more than a summer camp.
The first two chapters of
Summer Fun cover day camp and overnight camp. Borden goes over many aspects of choosing the right camp for your children's ages and propensities. She includes lists of questions to ask camp directors and gives advice on how to tour the camps. Some of the issues are the same, and to an extent I found these two chapters a bit redundant, but overnight camp has more to consider than day camp, and the author covers these well.
Borden follows this up with chapters on preparing your child for camp, both physically and emotionally, and communicating with and visiting your child at camp. She includes details many parents might not consider, I know I wouldn't! And provides a lot of basic information to make the trip more enjoyable.
Borden's chapter on specialty camps includes both those camps that focus on particular activities and those camps designed to meet special needs your child might have. I feel she rather skimmed these issues, although many of the considerations are the same as for mainstream camps. However, parents of children with special considerations such as handicaps or illnesses might need more information that is provided here.
The final chapter in
Summer Fun deals with teenagers and their summer plans. Borden understands that teenagers might not want to participate in a regular camp. She includes ideas of what a teenager might do if she chooses to stay at home including getting a job, helping at home, or doing volunteer work. Then she moves on to discuss the type of program that a teen away from home might experience -- a teen tour or adventure that perhaps takes the child further from home and allows her to participate in things she may not get to otherwise experience. Borden deals with some of the special concerns that the teenage years bring, such as boyfriends and girlfriends, alcohol, learning to budget and suggests ways to learn how a potential teen tour might handle these, and other, issues.
Overall, Summer Fun, The Parents' Complete Guide to Day Camps, Overnight Camps, Specialty Camps and Teen Tours is full of information to help parents make informed decisions about the camps to which they will send their children. It is an easy read and a useful book to keep on hand because, as the author emphasizes, the decision is different with each year and each child. If you're a parent trying to decide which camp is right for your child, get your hands on this book. Borden will help guide you through the decision making process.
