Courtesy photo.
With so many summer camp options near and far, it can be daunting to sift through the choices and decide where your child’s summer will be best spent. Choosing a summer camp that fits your family’s needs and helps develop your child, while keeping them safe, is at the top of most parent’s to-do lists this time of year. The Channel Islands YMCA offers 10 critical things to consider when seeking care for children throughout the summer months.
1. Safety
A camp that has been accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) provides parents a layer of credibility and trust. Accredited camps are reviewed in 250 areas to ensure they comply with standards in health, safety and program quality. All Channel Islands YMCA camps are accredited by the ACA and safety is a top priority.
2. Staff-to-camper ratios
A quality camp will meet staff-to-camper ratios for each age group. ACA ratios are 1:6 for ages 4-5, 1:8 for ages 6-8, 1:10 for ages 9-14, and 1:12 for ages 15-18. Ratios ensure that children are supervised properly and that they receive the attention that they need on a daily basis.
3. Include your child in the process
Reviewing websites and brochures with children can help guide the decision-making process. When included in the process, children will be able to ask questions and share what looks exciting to them. Kids don’t like to be bored and parents want to keep kids stimulated physically and mentally throughout the summer.
4. Good communication
Staff, parents and children must have ample two-way communication every day. Channel Islands YMCA camp surveys show communication is something parents appreciate. Parents are provided “Good Day” “Bad Day” reports and are kept up-to-date with e-newsletters, weekly schedules and social media posts.
5. Acceptance
Children of all ages need to feel that they fit in—that they belong. Values, citizenship and interpersonal skills are developed in children of all ages at all YMCA summer camps – emphasizing the Y four CORE VALUES – Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility.
6. Brains and bodies engaged
Summer break can lead to learning loss in students as well as unintended weight gain as children may not eat as well, exercise less and spend more time in front of the screen. The Y is committed to supporting healthy living by adopting a set of Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards for camps with thoughtful snacks, meals, family engagement, water and lots of daily movement. Through camps and other youth development programs, the Y works to keep kids active and address gaps in learning when school is not in session.
7. Hours of operation and ease of registration
For a more enjoyable summer for you as well as the kids, make sure the hours of operation coincide with your work schedule. Ask how early can kids be dropped off and when can you pick them up. Take note of when registration ends and if it is flexible to allow for family vacations and to allow the kids to pick which weeks they want to attend.
8. Affordability
Keeping kids active, engaged and safe can come at a price all year long, and especially in the summer. At the Y, financial assistance is available for families and individuals in need to give children a chance to reach their potential, regardless of financial status.
9. Attentive, enthusiastic and caring counselors
Research indicates that mentors are a powerful influence in the lives of adolescent youth. All YMCA staff are 18 or older, trained in CPR and First Aid, and are provided leadership and development opportunities, empowering them to serve as role models.
10. Reputation and longevity
Ask your friends and neighbors about their experiences and recommendations. Pay attention to how long a camp has been operating – this will give you an idea of their fiscal responsibility. For decades, the Y has provided camp experiences that instill values, character, developmental skills and a love for nature.
Registration for Channel Islands YMCA summer camp is now open. Camps are offered at the Camarillo, Lompoc, Montecito, Santa Barbara, Stuart C. Gildred (Santa Ynez), and Ventura branches of the Channel Islands YMCA. To learn more about day camps, specialty camps and sleepaway camps, visit ciymca.org or call your local branch. Like all Y programs, camp is open to all, with financial assistance available.
About the Channel Islands YMCA: Established in 1887, the Channel Islands YMCA is a charitable organization of seven YMCA branches serving Santa Barbara and Ventura counties including: Camarillo Family YMCA, Lompoc Family YMCA, Montecito Family YMCA, Santa Barbara Family YMCA, Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA in Santa Ynez, Ventura Family YMCA, and Youth and Family Services YMCA which operates Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter, the St. George Family Youth Center and My Home.
The Y is the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Channel Islands YMCA serves over 46,000 individuals and provides over $1.3 million in financial assistance to families in need for child care, YMCA memberships, away and day camps, youth sports, and teen after-school programs. For more information, visit http://www.ciymca.org or call (805) 569-1103.