by Cathy Ashby

It’s only March, but the clock is already ticking when it comes to the summer camp season of 2006. Start your planning now, so your children can find and attend the perfect camp. Here’s a timeline to help busy parents stay on schedule:

This is a good time to spend a few evenings at home curled up beside the family computer, researching potential camps and requesting camper information packets. Many camps are already accepting registrations at this point, so make sure you ask about deadlines and cut-off dates. This is also the time to decide what kinds of camps you’re looking for, how big (or small) your budget is, and what time frame is best for your family’s schedule.

Then comes the hard part: You have to narrow down your list and make a final decision. Call the camps on your short list, and talk with camp directors or administrators. Ask questions about safety, daily schedules, staff ratios and camper ages. Request names and telephone numbers of campers who have attended in the past, so you can speak with someone who has experienced the camp firsthand. Many camps will also supply you with a promotional video to give you and your camper a better idea of what the program is really like.

After you’ve chosen your camp, you’ll know what it’s going to cost and you can prepare a budget to take you from down payment to paid-in-full, with a few stops in between at clothing and supply stores.

If you haven’t done so already, send in your camp registration materials and deposit. Carefully read through the camp rules and regulations and complete all requested forms in a timely and thorough manner. Begin to plan your packing strategy. Will you pack a few items at a time, or will you attempt to throw everything together at the last minute?

April

Schedule a camp physical. Ask for an appointment as close to the camp’s deadline as possible, so you’ll be up-to-date on any new health developments as the summer draws near. Consider scheduling a physical even if the camp doesn’t require it. Regular checkups help you keep tabs on your child’s healthy development. Ask for refills on any necessary prescriptions so they’ll be ready when summer rolls around.

If possible, schedule a visit to the camp location so your child will feel more comfortable when summer arrives. Take a tour of the facilities and get the "lay of the land."

If your child is a first-time camper, talk about what she can expect while she’s away. Make sure she is involved in the planning and packing process. Remind her that feelings of homesickness are normal and that everyone at camp will have them. If outdoor camping is part of the program, go on a family camping trip or set up camp in the backyard or living room. Try to prep for whatever new experiences are on your camper’s horizon: practice doing laundry, finding the bathroom in the dark, and making telephone calls with a calling card.

Discuss with camp staff members any special medical or personal circumstances. Don’t wait until registration day, because camp staff may be too busy to listen carefully at that point.

Make camp travel arrangements. If other children from your area are attending the same camp as your child, consider carpooling. Finish last minute shopping and packing. Wash all new clothing and test all new gadgets, equipment and supplies. Don’t forget to put your child’s name on his clothes, towels, luggage, shoes and other personal belongings. Include a list of packed items in his suitcase or trunk, to make packing for home easier. Schedule a haircut for your child a week before camp begins. Seven days is plenty of time to settle into a new style, but not so long that it will begin to grow out.

Summer is here! Plan to send lots of mail and e-mail to your camper while she is away. Care packages are always a welcome treat. (Check with the camp to find out what care package items are acceptable.) Tell your child that you’ll miss her while she’s gone, but don’t overdo it. You don’t want her to worry about YOU while she’s at camp having fun.

Cathy Ashby is a former camp counselor and director.