News & Resources

Campers love to receive letters from home & letter writing has long been a very popular form of communication used by campers to send and receive information from family and friends while at a sleepover camp.  In recent years, many camps now offer the ability for parents, family, and friends to send a “one way” email  – which is in turn printed and given to a camper during the course of the regular mail call.

Every camp is different, so it is important to obtain the specific details about an “Email A Camper” service your camp might offer — from either the official website or a direct inquiry to the camp director or staff member.  Depending upon how an “email a camper” system has been setup, it is possible there might be a nominal fee associated with sending email messages … since there are costs involved in so far as setting up the system, the actual printing (paper, toner, etc.), and time involved by staff.

It is possible you might need to register for an account online or receive a pre-approval code allowing you to submit an email via a designated form — linked directly from the camp’s website.  Some camp programs might have a particular direct email address established for one-way communication whereby the camp will only receive, print, and distribute emails to campers; however, campers are typically unable to reply via email … as most traditional residential camps (but not all) try to encourage activities other than being tethered to electronic devices 24×7.

Camps might have a particular day and time set as a designated “cut-off” in order for messages to be delivered to campers by the pre-determined mail call.  It is important to understand the particular protocol being used by your camp if you’d like to insure emails are received in a timely fashion.   Due to both time and other constraints, some camps might place restrictions on the frequency of emails you’re allowed to send, such as one per day.

It is important to note that printed emails are typically viewed by staff to some extent in the course of being printed and ultimately their delivery should not be considered confidential.

One way email service may also include staff members as well.   Day camps and “travel camps” typically do not offer such services due to the particular nature of the programs.

If your camp does not offer an email service, don’t dispair the U.S. Postal Service is still in operation and is capable of delivering letters the old fashioned way — there is always something special with respect to a hand written letter which has the easily recognized handwritting of a loved one or close friend!

At it’s very essence, football is a highly competitive team sport which incorporates individual physical strength, agility, speed, coordination; all in the context of an integrated team dynamic which relies upon a coordinated effort in the context of an overall strategy or “game plan”.

Summer camps which focus exclusively on the sport of football will invariably carry over such a competitive undertone to some extent and may vary in their approach to the sport in terms of a camp program.

Although it can vary, many football camps allow campers as young as 6 or 7 and as old as 18 years of age. When there is a wide variation of ages, campers are normally broken up into age appropriate groups.

A few basic questions to consider when choosing a football camp:

• Are you seeking a football camp which offers full contact or non-contact?

• Are you interested in attending a residential football camp (sleepover), or do you plan to commute from home on a daily basis? The latter requires you to live within driving distance of the camp facilities; however, you can attend a sleepover camp in just about any location … although such programs typically involve added expenses such as transportation, room & board, and more supervision by counselors or staff.

• How long of a session(s) throughout the summer are you seeking to spend at a football camp?  Many football camps offer single week sessions; however, there is no across the board rule about any sort of standard session length.  You might find some programs which offer an abbreviated session over a long weekend, while others are multiple weeks in duration.  It really depends upon the particular program.  If you are seeking to attend multiple sessions at the same camp, you may wish to ask about the nature of the different sessions and whether they differ substantially in programming or even if there’s a “progression” of sessions where it’s necessary to have taken Session 1 to advance to Session 2.

• Most importantly, you may wish to evaluate the general nature and scope of any given football program which is of interest to you in light of your personal goals and objectives.   Some football camps are extremely competitive and geared toward players who have aspirations to not only improve their current skills, but to advance and continue playing at the collegiate level and perhaps beyond.    Other programs – while still competitive in their basic nature – might be a bit more rounded in their approach.

While most football camp programs will include some degree of on field instruction with respect to either offense skills or defensive skills, they may differ in regard to the specific area of focus. Some football camps might be specifically billed as a “quarterback camp”, while others might include a wider focus of “passing & receiving”. Likewise, there are kicking & punting camps as well as programs tailored specifically to being a lineman. Just as there are programs which focus on position specific skills, there are also a great number of football camps which cover all positions and skills across the entire gridiron.

Most programs will include drills, scrimmages, game play, and on field instruction. Some may get into great depth about strategy and team play – depending upon the particular program. Similarly, fitness, strengthening, and agility training may also be components of an overall program to one degree or another.  It is important to inquire with the director about the amount of time allocated to any given facet which might be of interest to you, since activities and the time dedicated to such can vary greatly from camp to camp.

Some programs are geared for athletes who have aspirations of playing football at the college level and may offer the opportunity for recruiting connections.  Likewise, many colleges and universities offer football camps which are affiliated with their school or coaching staff.   Some professional football players and coaches run camps and may even take a daily role or make special appearances.

In your quest to find the best football camp for your interests, you may also find there are also many “general sports camps” and other non-specific football camps which offer very strong football programs while also offering other sports or activities – providing a bit more variety.

Ultimately, most football camps will seek to offer a general environment which allows campers to learn about teamwork, self-discipline, and to simply have fun playing football … regardless of the level of competitiveness.

Since there a great number and wide variety programs offered, you may wish to search the Camp Channel for a football camp which is of interest to you.

Typically, a camper is responsible for bringing their own helmet, mouth piece, cleats, as well as other clothing items; however, it is important to ask the director about what particular equipment a camper will be responsible for bringing along and which will be furnished. Often there is list provided by the program.

Summer is quickly approaching and many people already have their summer plans in place with respect to both employment and recreation. If you’ve found yourself procrastinating or perhaps circumstance has dealt you a joker from the deck, rest assured it’s not too late to find a fun and rewarding summer camp staff position.

While Memorial Day is often considered the unofficial start to the summer, most residential summer camps don’t get underway until the second or third week of June.

It is important to understand that most camp directors have started to change their primary focus of recruiting campers and hiring staff to the chores of actually setting up the day-to-day operations of camp. This can be an extremely significant undertaking; often encompassing a broad range of activities such as lining up transportation, food deliveries, basic utilities, etc. in addition to setting up essential facilities which might require significant maintenance after having been packed away for the winter.

Although most directors will likely be in a “high gear multi-tasking mode” at the moment, it is certainly possible there are still a few positions which need to be filled. Time permitting, most directors will be open to correspond with interested and qualified candidates; however, you might find yourself playing phone tag or perhaps trying to communicate with a director who is busy “in the field” engaged with other individuals or contending with important tasks at hand. Don’t let any of this discourage you, since it is a very typical circumstance with summer fast approaching.

In fact, conveying a respectful understanding of a director’s current hectic situation might help to illustrate you are considerate and a good team player. If you do happen to have an initial conversation of any length, it is important to be concise, on target, and efficient in communicating information about yourself … while gathering any information related to all possible work situations which are currently available.

In all likelihood, the majority of a camp’s positions have already been earmarked for other individuals; however, there might be a few remaining positions still available. It is also possible the director might have some reservations regarding the suitability of some of the existing staff members they’ve selected for particular positions. In such a case, if you’re truly an exceptionally qualified candidate for a particular position, it’s possible the director might hire you and re-assign the original individual to another position. This sort of re-shuffle scenario is ultimately a matter of chance and is not really something which you can anticipate or “try for” – other than to confidently express your qualifications and areas of expertise from the outset.

On the other hand, zeroing in on what might be the few remaining positions available is something which can be more actively addressed by an interested applicant for a summer camp job. You might already be aware of the remaining positions available, or a director may have simply rattled them off during the course of an initial conversation. Often at this stage of the season, and depending upon the particular nature the camp program, the remaining positions are typically those which require a relatively high degree or specialized set of qualifications (i.e. Nurse, Lifeguard, etc.), or positions which aren’t as “popular” (i.e. Office, Maintenance, Kitchen, etc.).

If you happen to be highly qualified in a particular niche or skill set, you might be in luck with respect to your immediate first choice in a camp; however, if your skills or expertise are in high demand, then you might also do well to seek out such a specific summer staff position by widening your search for summer camp jobs across a much wider spectrum of camps – in both type and location … especially if you have the ability to pick up and move for the summer.

If you don’t happen to posses expertise which is in high demand, yet still have an interest to work at a camp in some capacity, it never hurts to inquire about any openings.

If none of your “first choice” positions are available at a camp you’ve contacted, you can always look to another camp which might still be hiring or inquire to see if the camp has a “wait list” for particular positions. You might have luck at very large camps which often hire a great number of staff members in order to maintain a low camper to counselor ratio.

Alternatively, you may wish to consider pursuing any available staff position which you feel you’re qualified and have at least some level of genuine interest. While you might have preferred another position or role, it is important to understand that it is relatively late in the season & you won’t be afforded the same amount of choices had you embarked upon your quest earlier in the year. If you are flexible and maintain a positive attitude, you may find yourself working in a role which is rewarding in ways you hadn’t initially considered – aside from simply having fun and being able to make ends meet for the summer.

By accepting literally any position at a summer camp (whether it’s a general camp counselor, kitchen staff, nurse, etc), you will have effectively entered their extended “camp family” … which has it’s own intangible rewards, and may also allow you to more easily move to an alternate position of your liking in the future after having demonstrated a solid work ethic and general love of the camp community and the bonds it creates.

To get started on your summer camp job search, try visiting the Camp Channel’s Camp Jobs section.

So you know that you or your child is very much interested in attending a music camp this summer, but might be asking yourself “How do I find the right program?”

Generally speaking, music camps are typically non-competitive and often take place in beautiful natural settings, as well as within urban environments – including Colleges/Universities and other more specialized “Schools of Music”. Many music camps are operated by professional instructors and sometimes will feature well known musicians to offer workshops and assist in courses.

Given the wide variety of musical genres, there likewise exists a broad selection of different types of music camps: classical, jazz, blues, rock, funk, hip-hop, bluegrass, choir, gospel, traditional “band camp”, and “jam camps” to name a few broad categories. Some programs may focus on a single style or genre of music, while others may offer a much broader program offering which includes a wide variety of musical genres. Similarly, a music camp might be dedicated entirely to a particular instrument (i.e. guitar, piano, drums, vocals, etc.) or to a family of instruments (i.e. strings, brass, percussion, etc.).

There are also differences in programming related to activities other than music which ought to be considered. At some music camps, the entire summer curriculum might be dedicated almost exclusively to music, while other camps may offer a much more general activity selection – while still maintaining music as a focal point. Along these lines, some music programs may “pair” music with another major activity set such as “Music and Dance”, “Music and Arts”, “Music and Sports”, “Music and Farming”, etc.

Since all camps are different, it is important to ask the director regarding genres, instruments, as well as the amount of time allocated to music in relation to other activities; however, it is ultimately up to you as a prospective camper and parent to decide what sort of program profile is most suitable for your goals, as well as your general nature, in terms of how you’d like to spend your time. Some individuals are focused on a specific style of music and or instrument, while others might be interested in exploring a greater range of possibilities. While some might be able to “live and breath music 24 hours a day”, others might benefit more from taking a “set break” every now and again throughout the course of the day and participate in an activity other than music (i.e. swimming, sports, computers, field trips, etc.) – which may allow one come back to music more invigorated/energized and perhaps with a different perspective.

Regardless of the extent to which some music camps might integrate non-musical; activities, there are also major differences with respect to how any given camp may approach the general topic of music. Some programs may focus more upon learning musical theory in a traditional manner and others may emphasize practice, performance, and learning improvisational techniques and methods to a greater extent. Along these lines, it may help if you or your child evaluates the importance of some of these topics, such as:

• Learning music theory
• Instruction and workshops on technique and effective practice regimens
• Songwriting, arrangement, and composition
• Playing an instrument by oneself (solo) or with others (in a band)
• Learning about live sound / engineering
• Recording audio tracks in a studio
• Creation & recording of music videos
• Live performance

Another aspect to consider is that of session length, which is often one or two weeks in duration; however, some programs may last all summer long and might be comprised of a single 4 or 8 week session, while other programs may string together multiple single or two week sessions in a sequence. Depending upon the particular camp, some session offerings are “linear & progressive” and might require having taken a pre-requisite(s) or the necessary skill level to advance to the next session in a sequence, while others are more of a “stand alone” nature and can be taken regardless of having attended any other related sessions.

A big question to consider is whether you’re seeking to attend a resident (sleepaway) music camp or a day camp? Residential camps can be a little bit more expensive than day camps … since room and board, as well as more extensive programming & supervision are required. While it could be argued that a residential music camp program might provide a more immersive experience, a day camp which is attended on a regular basis may also provide sufficient exposure for learning, fun, and flexibility regarding other plans for the summer. However, one of the major limitations regarding a day camp is that it needs to be located within relative close proximity to one’s home in order to be able to commute on a regular basis. On the other hand, a child may attend a residential camp at virtually any location away from home.

While it seems the majority of music camps are coed, there certainly exists programs which are either all girls or all boys if this is an important factor regarding your selection decision.

There’s often a live performance aspect to music camps which takes the form of a recital, concert, or band performance … often in a festive context which may allow for the attendance of family & friends, and might be recorded as an audio track or on DVD (or both).

You are able to search for a music camp on the Camp Channel as well filter by state (if you scroll to the very bottom).

We’ll be back in just a little bit.

There are many camps, conference centers, and retreats which offer special sessions tailored specifically for parent child participation.  Often these mini sessions occur sometime just before or after the regularly scheduled core summer camp session and typically span the course of a long weekend.  Some religious affiliated summer programs may offer more extensive parent-child programming options throughout the course of the summer season.

Such programs are often gender specific (Mother-Daughter or Father-Son), but most seem to be flexible as far as the allowance for a guardian or “special mentor” to accompany a child in lieu of  a mother or father.  Similarly, multiple children of the same gender are typically allowed to attend with a single parent.   However, one of the major differences between a typical parent-child program vs. a typical family camp is that a parent-child camp is normally limited to a single parent.  ( There are other differences, which may be addressed at a later date.)

Many parent-child programs allow for relatively younger children to attend — whereas normally they wouldn’t be old enough to attend a sleepaway camp independently.    In this sense, parent-child programs might allow some younger children to get a “sneak preview” as well as to make what might be considered a smoother transition into living away from home at a residential summer camp in the future by having a “safety net” of a parent being close at hand while discovering a new environment.

Perhaps of greatest importance is the opportunity for a child to be engaged directly with one of their parents in a one-on-one (as well as group) situation which is conducive to a meaningful bonding experience which may carry over into everyday life outside of the context of camp.

Father-Son or Mother-Daughter pairs will typically participate in a relatively wide range of individual, group, and all-camp activities …. as well as communal dining, camp fires, games, and other special events  – which will vary depending upon the particular nature of the hosting camp/facility and their general profile regarding programming in general.    So, if a parent-child weekend is taking place at a traditional overnight camp, one might expect to experience a more rounded and general program offering vs. a father son weekend at a football camp (as one example) where the primary emphasis would be focused upon football and related activities.  Similarly, religious camps may also incorporate religious or spiritual activities to some extent as a part of their parent-child program offering.   The best way to find out about a particular program is to inquire upon the camp director and ask for an itinerary or schedule of activities/events.

In addition to spending quality time and creating life long memories, such programs might also offer parents a chance to be a kid again and escape the routine of “everyday life” for some special quality time with their kids in a unique setting.

Most programs will have at least a minimal complement of staff on hand to address:  safety issues, meal service, general operations, as well as provide assistance with particular activities and to help coordinate special events.

While most camps are thrilled to make available their general facilities, it is important to ask the director if it’s expected of you to bring along any particular or special personal equipment such as sleeping bags, baseball gloves, special shoes, etc.

Costs will vary from camp to camp, but are often reasonable in light of the fact that rates may include:  lodging, meals, scheduled activities, and general use of the camp facilities.    Fees for additional children are also sometimes discounted.

Now is a great time to look into options regarding either a Father & Son camp or a Mother & Daughter camp for this summer!

Given the wide variety of session options being offered by summer camps, selecting the most appropriate session option & overall duration for your child’s summer at camp is an important decision which may be influenced by a number of factors.

At one end of the spectrum, a traditional sleepaway camp season may extend through a good portion of the summer – lasting for 8 or more weeks. Often, such camps will also offer more limited sessions of a shorter duration, such as for half of the summer (4 weeks), as well as even shorter 1-week session increments. In the context of overnight residential camps, shorter 1 or 2 week sessions are sometimes marketed as a “mini-camp” or “1st time camper” program – allowing (especially younger) kids to obtain an initial taste of what camp life is all about while being away from home. A few things to consider about camps which offer multiple sessions:

• Some campers stay for the entire summer
• Some campers arrive at the beginning of the summer and leave during the middle.
• Some campers arrive during the middle and leave at the end of the summer
• Programming and specific summer activities can vary from week to week

The scenarios listed above have important consequences as far as how your child adapts to the overall summer program as well as how he or she interacts with other campers who may be staying longer or leaving sooner.

Cost of enrollment and family budget is often a concern, especially if faced with a decision where each week represents a greater expenditure; however, some camps will offer a better rate for the full summer.

Switching gears, at the other end of the spectrum there are also residential camp programs which offer one or two week sessions which are a bit more independent of one another vs. the steady progression of an eight week camp which builds upon and takes into account prior weeks’ experiences in terms of camp activities and other programming aspects. Such camps may offer multiple shorter sessions over the course of the summer season, but there is a lesser degree of continuity in so far as the population of campers as well as perhaps repetition of programming from prior sessions (unless sessions are divided into ability levels or some other metric). Specialty camps such as Horse Camps, Film Camps, Football Camps (as a few examples), as well as travel camps or teen tours may offer such shorter sessions.

In addition to choosing which weeks you’d like your child to attend, some day camps will allow you to select which days of the week to enroll your child. If your family budget is of concern, this can help financially in so far as allowing your child to attend a summer program for the full length of the summer @ 3 days a week vs. every day of the week for only part of the summer. In busy households, registration for only part of the week may allow for parents to better adjust their work schedule to facilitate an optimum balance.

All camp listings on the Camp Channel will reflect session information in 1 week increment blocks; however, this is a very general indicator and it’s always important to contact the camp director at your camp for the specific details pertaining to their respective program.

Start your search for summer camps on the Camp Channel now!

While an overnight camp is a great opportunity for a child to live away from home and gain a sense of independence, many residential summer camps offer parents and other family members the opportunity to visit at camp during the summer, and possibly to spend some time alone as a family away from camp on what is commonly referred to as “Visiting Day”.

Not all camps offer a visiting day, so it is important to contact the camp director to determine if your camp has a such a day and to plan accordingly. If your camp does in fact host a visiting day, it’s a good idea to obtain all the necessary details to make the day go as smoothly as possible and be enjoyable for all parties.

Obtain the date(s) in advance – planning may entail making travel and lodging arrangements in an area which may have limited accommodations given that camps tend to be located in relatively remote areas. You may also find out that you are competing for space at a handful of local motels with parents who have children attending other camps in the region who hold visiting day on the same date.

Obtain a visiting day schedule from camp – most importantly, there will be an official “start time” and an “end time” (it’s important to be on time), but there may also be planned events which allow you to watch or participate with your child in activities at camp. Ask your child if there are any particular events they would really like you to watch.

Will there be meals served – or will parents be responsible for bringing in food? In either case, it helps to be able to plan accordingly.

Are you able to leave camp with your child? – while your child may be eager to show you what they’ve been doing at camp over the summer, they also might be just as excited to leave camp for a little while in order to “return to civilization” … perhaps to enjoy a slice of pizza in town or visit to the local candy store.

What are the camp rules on bringing back food/gifts? – it’s a pretty sure bet that most camps won’t allow “outside food” to remain at camp very long past visiting day, so be sure to find out the particulars of the camp policy and keep this in mind before purchasing what might be in excess of what is allowed. Similarly, there may be rules regarding what other sorts of non-food items might be prohibited or frowned upon.

If you haven’t already found a suitable summer camp, feel free to search or browse the Camp Channel’s directory of summer camps!

Search or browse for sport camps on the Camp Channel via a new feature update. We’ve recently changed the title of the program emphasis formerly known as “Athletic Camp” to that of “Sport Camp”. We have found that visitors and camp director’s alike seem to prefer the new terminology pertains to the type of camp which offers youth sports as a primary program emphasis.

Visit our main directory index of sport camps.

Sports camps will also be indexed on each U.S. State or Canadian Province page as well as incorporated into our full interactive camp search.

Please keep in mind that whether you refer to such summer programs as either athletic camps or sports camps, they often vary in terms of the spectrum and scope of sports offered as well as the degree to which any given sport is of a particular focal point. It is often best to get in touch with the camp director to determine the precise nature of any given sports camp.

While searching or browsing the Camp Channel’s directory of summer camps, you may come across various maps displayed which are associated with a set of search results or a particular page such as a U.S. State or Canadian Province. You may also notice small colored markers positioned over various locations on such maps. These markers have numbers which correspond to the listing results displayed below the map and allow you to visually discern the locations of some of the camps listed on that page. Click on the link below for an example:

Summer Camps In California

On the California state map displayed on the page above, if you click on any of the numbered markers you will notice a small popup window which contains summary information about the corresponding camp listing to the numbered result which appears in the list of all camps in California. Within the small popup window you may also see multi-media elements such as photo thumbnail images which appear alongside the summary information. Also within the small popup window, there is always a link to the listing’s full record titled “Click Here To View This Camp’s Complete Listing”. By clicking on this link you will be able to view the full record for that particular camp listing.

Please note that not all listings have markers which appear on any given map and that marker numbers corresponding to particular listings will change from page to page and even from search to search. Moreover, not all searches or pages have corresponding maps.

For those camp listings which do reflect a map location, you can access an individual map of their particular location directly from the search results by clicking on the small link titled “Map” directly under the button titled “More info” on the far right of all search results. Likewise, if you’re in the midst of viewing the full listing for any given camp, you can also access an individual map (if present) of their particular location by clicking on the link titled “View Map” which appears on the right hand side of the aqua/blue bar at the top of the listing. Similar to viewing a camp’s individual map directly from the search results, this will invoke a small popup window reflecting the camp’s location; however, since there is only a single location denoted, the marker does not have a number in this case.

While it might be sad news to some that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and winter weather might not release it’s grip for some time, it’s never too early to start planning for summer camp. In fact, making firm arrangements at this time of the year might translate into a bit of a savings on your child’s summer enrollment fees in the form of what’s often referred to as an “Early Bird Discount”.

Many summer camps will offer parents the opportunity to either submit a deposit or payment in full in the months prior to camp in exchange for a lower rate. Typically, there is a “cut off” date or deadline which separates early bird and standard regular season rates. The existence and details of early bird discounts varies from camp to camp, so it’s important to contact your camp director to learn whether such a program exists and if so what are the specific requirements and other details.