Specialty or Traditional?
Name Your Summer Camp Fun

by Tish Davidson

"Camping With Horses," trumpets one camp brochure. "High Tech Camp," says another. "Traditional Camping Experience" and "True Camp Values," advertise others. The range of sleep away camp experiences is enormous. How can parents decide which one is best? Will your child be happier at a camp that reinforces his or her special interests or have more fun at a traditional camp where campers are encouraged to try a variety of activities?

Although there have always been arts camps and sports camps, the choice of specialty camps has grown dramatically over the past decade. NRA Wittington Adventure in New Mexico is a camp for boys and girls ages 13-17 devoted to learning the fundamentals of hunting and using firearms. French Woods in New York offers a circus skills program, while Willow Hill, on the New York-Vermont border is all horses, all the time. If a child has an interest, there is almost certain to be a specialty camp to support and develop it.

On the other side of the camp experience are general camps that offer a wide mix of "traditional" camp experiences such as swimming instruction, arts and crafts, team and individual sports, nature study and outdoor challenges. Many general camps also have one or two specialized activities such as horseback riding, ceramics or computers. These camps tend to emphasize social growth and the opportunity to try new activities over the development of specific skills.

Finding the best fit between your child and a camp is a very individual decision. "Know Your Child" is the Golden Rule of successful camp selection according to Laurie Edelman, former executive director of the American Camping Association. "Parents may want their child to go to a tennis camp to improve their tennis game, but if the child isn't terribly interested in tennis, that child is going to have a tough time," she says.

When considering a specialty camp, it is important for parents to find out just how extensive instruction in the specialty is. Some questions to ask include:

This last question, according to Edelman, is crucial. "Many instructional programs call themselves ‘camps’ but really are not," she says. These programs are more like intensive schools and, in fact, are often held on college or private school campuses. When the child is not participating in the specialty, there may not be many other choices of supervised activities. Genuine camps – whether general or specialty – offer a variety of supervised experiences even when they concentrate on one particular area such as science, sports or the performing arts.

One concern parents sometimes express about specialty camps is that their child may spend too much time on one activity and limit the new activities he or she will try. Don Wacker, director of a science camp for boys in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, acknowledges that this can be a problem, especially for children with limited social skills.

"We have two long periods of science in the morning and there are a lot of traditional activities in the afternoon," he explains. "Although we give boys a choice of activities, we make sure that in the afternoon they only have choices that will get them outside doing non-science activities part of the time. We guide them into varying their activities without telling them what to do."

Traditional camps offer the most variety of all camp programs. These camps have a smorgasbord of activities that children can try. Some, like swimming, are offered daily. Others may be scheduled weekly or intermittently, a disadvantage if the child suddenly discovers an enthusiasm for horseback riding, archery or juggling.

One strength of a traditional camp is that children can try new things that they would not be exposed to at home without committing themselves to intense, daily participation and without being expected to have a background in the activity. General camps also tend to promote teamwork and developing friendships and social skills over competition and acquisition of physical skills.

Cost is also a factor in determining which camp is right for your child. Specialty camps tend to be more expensive, although some traditional private camps are just as costly. Intensive skill instruction requires a low staff-to-camper ratio, investment in specialized equipment, and a more highly skilled staff. General camps run by the YMCA, Boy and Girl Scouts, churches, and social organizations tend to be some of the least expensive overnight camps.

Before you sign your child up for a camp, talk together about what he or she wants to get out of the camp experience. You may be surprised that your future major leaguer or budding actress would really enjoy trying something different. Whether your child wants to concentrate on one area of interest of explore a variety of activities, a well-chosen sleep away camp will provide opportunities for growth and fun.

Tish Davidson is a freelance writer living in Fremont, Calif.