S/O sleepaway camp - what age?

[candaceb]

My 12 year old lives all year for summer camp. He loves camp more than anything and I'm very happy for him to have those connections and friendships. He goes to a small Jewish camp in Indiana.
His first year was the summer before 4th grade for 2 weeks; the following year was COVID; and then the last 2 summers he was there for a month and he'll go again for a month this year. He has every intention of being there through college as a counselor though I don't know if that will actually happen. I think the year before 4th grade was a good time to start. He was homesick that year, but stuck it out. The summer before I don't know if he would be ready.
I think it is the best thing you can do for your kid. It teaches them independence and separates them from the everyday. It is HUGE that my kid has no screens for a month.

[mm123]

My 12 year old lives all year for summer camp. He loves camp more than anything and I'm very happy for him to have those connections and friendships. He goes to a small Jewish camp in Indiana.
His first year was the summer before 4th grade for 2 weeks; the following year was COVID; and then the last 2 summers he was there for a month and he'll go again for a month this year. He has every intention of being there through college as a counselor though I don't know if that will actually happen. I think the year before 4th grade was a good time to start. He was homesick that year, but stuck it out. The summer before I don't know if he would be ready.
I think it is the best thing you can do for your kid. It teaches them independence and separates them from the everyday. It is HUGE that my kid has no screens for a month.

Similar for my kids- they LOVE sleep away camp. I myself got sent to 3 sleep away camps as a child, and hated them all. I do think you have to find the right camp fit for your child.

For my kids, the countdown for the next summer starts pretty much the day they come home from camp. They started after grade 3 (10 days), and now at ages 12 and 14, are up to going for 6 weeks. Both of them plan to eventually be counsellors there as well.

It is very expensive, but so worth it for us. Both of my kids have anxiety, and one has ADHD. I am not exaggerating when I say that one summer of camp does more for their mental health than 9 months of therapy. It has been absolutely incredible for their confidence, independence and social skills. They have a MUCH needed break from screens (no screens allowed at their camp). The sense of belonging and community is also amazing- they feel closer and more connected to their camp friends than to their school friends.

I don’t know how much truth there is to it, but I also once read somewhere that kids who have been to sleep away camp tend to have a bit of an easier time their first year of university away from home.

[erosenst]

Same camp as candaceb. First year of sleep away she was 8 (summer before third grade), for two weeks. She was totally ready and had a great time - the only prep we had to do was making sure she could take care of her long, very curly hair. (As it turns out - common concern and the counselors really help this age). At the time, 9 year olds went for two weeks too, then a month til 17 when it was 10 weeks. Last year she was a counselor for the summer. We live close enough that she started as a day camper at 4. Very very odd to know that she isn't going back this summer after 15 years - but it's still one of the best decisions we've made to send her there.

One funny thing - she, like many, realized how much more ready she was for college than many others. She knew how to do her laundry, find food when she was hungry outside of mealtimes/had to miss mealtimes, manage ongoing and 'as needed' meds on her own, etc. They really/ appropriately gave the counselors a lot of freedom so she had already done this - in addition to living with three other girls in a SMALL space as a counselor.

[kijip]

My older son was able to do sleep away camp starting the summer he turned 15. He’s autistic and it wasn’t really feasible for him before that. He usually did a 9-10 day session. Never one of those all month or all summer ones. Those aren’t super common where we live.

Younger son has gone since he was 12 but he had some struggles with it when he was 13. We are cutting back on the number of camps this summer (he’s 14).

[hillview]

both my boys have gone to an awesome boys camp in new hampshire. DS1 went when the summer he turned 14. DS2 went when he turned 13. It has been an amazing experience and both boys talk about it often.

[dogmom]

Meh, both my kids went once to a 3 days sleep over thing via the boys/girl scouts. Eldest liked it, but didn't want to do it again. Youngest didn't get along with everyone in the tent. They declined all other options and would prefer to hang out and do their own thing during the summer. Eldest is in his second year of college and seem to have adjusted just fine. Youngest I think will do fine also. I don't feel they missed much and I certainly didn't do anything but offer every year. There were some summer day camps they like, they just wanted to sleep in their own bed, have their pets and see us. Probably in that order.

[anonomom]

All three of my kids started out in a week-long Y Camp, which was really only six nights. They all started around 7 or 8 years old and had generally good experiences, though there were some aspects of that particular camp's experience that I wasn't real fond of. Still, it was nearby, it was short, and it always felt like a good "training wheels" kind of program.


Now two of my kids have been to camps that last 3 weeks (starting at ages 13 and 15). I was really worried last summer, sending my 13yo to a 3-week-long camp where there's absolutely no electronic communication, especially since she didn't write once while she was gone. I was so worried that my quiet, introverted kid was miserable! But when camp ended and we went to pick her up at her cabin, we found her right in the middle of a massive dogpile of cabin-mates, happier than I have literally ever seen her. She adored it, as did my eldest child).

I will say, I am still really worried about the camp DS will be attending for 4 weeks this coming summer. I'm not at all convinced it's a good fit for his personality. But he really wants to try it, and I figure I have to let him try. If all else fails, he'll learn how to deal with an imperfect situation for a few weeks.

[DualvansMommy]

I’m a big proponent of sleepaway camps in general as I have great memories of attending different camps growing up. Domestic and within Europe.

Covid delayed things but my oldest went to his speciality sleepaway camp at 5th grade for 2.5 weeks, apart from being little homesick first 2 days he LOVED it! Youngest will go next summer for his age group which is shorter with just one week as they do 2 weeks and longer after 11th birthday. DS2 is really looking forward to that as he saw when he went with us to drop DS1 off. DS1 also did one week long soccer camp with his friend so they could room together and liked it. He wants to do that this summer. We see our kids doing the speciality camps every 2 summers or so.


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[ncat]

DD went to a two night "try it" Girl Scout camp when she was going into 2nd or 3rd grade (so long ago!), then did full weeks in subsequent summers. DS1 went for two weeks the summer before 5th grade. I wish we had sent him a little earlier, it was really good for him. I really loved the camp we picked for him, but they shut down forever after the pandemic. We sent both DS1 and 2 to a ymca camp last summer - DS1 went for 2 weeks and DS2 went for just one week. DS2 had just turned 9. We will do the full two weeks this summer. I missed them so much, but it was a good experience for them.

[carolinacool]

My memory is slightly fuzzy but I think DSs started sleepaway camp around 2nd-4th grade. DD was a rising 1st grader and barely 6 years old her first year - the camp's youngest age. She's a third kid, outgoing and her best friend went along but I'm not sure most kids would be ready at 6. I think the key is to attend with a friend. It doesn't have to be a best friend but someone familiar. DS1 and DD were always more independent but DS2 grumbled about going every year until he was around middle school. We sent him anyway and it was a good push for him. He reported having a few nights with tears at bedtime since his mind and body were calm but it was a growing experience. Now he loves camp and last year even went without a friend since his buddy backed out. Tried new activities and had a blast. We send them to traditional camps - no electronics allowed - swimming in lakes, campfire sign-a-longs, obstacle courses, camp games, rustic cabins, and the works.



I'm pretty sure you are talking about the camp my kids have attended for years, although DS1 (junior counselor this year) and DD switched over to the big Y camp in the mountains due to friends. DS2 is enrolled for this summer in WF. My boys have also done the sleepover sports camps at the local universities. While they were good, they are completely different than the traditional summer camps. For a kid who is hesitant, I highly suggest the one in WF over sports camps. The counselors are specifically trained to help kids apprehensive about being there. Homesickness is normal and handled. The sports camps run the training sessions, meal sessions and a few other activities but our experience is that the boys were on their own more and downtime was full of kids on their phones. There wasn't as much structure - more hanging out. Not necessarily a negative but I would think kids hesitant towards sleepaway camp have more success in a traditional camp. Registration opens sometime in October and fills pretty quickly.

Thanks! I'm going to PM you with another question because this is helpful info.