What a First Class Summer Camp for Girls Should Offer

Date: 2010-03-11 13:52:11

By Stephen Daniels

For many adult women, some of their most vivid childhood memories involve time spent at a summer camp for girls. This type of experience provides young women with the opportunity to meet new people, establish life-long friendships, learn new skills or hone skills they already have, interact with nature, and build self-confidence. A week or two away from home among other girls and counselors can be an exceptional experience that a young girl can carry into her adult years.

Location is often a concern for the whole family. Many parents feel more comfortable if their daughter stays relatively close to home, while others are more concerned about the type of experience than the location. A visit to another part of the country can be a great opportunity if the young girl is ready for it. An equally if not more important issue for many parents is proximity to a medical facility. Accidents can happen anywhere and though many camps have a nurse or doctor on staff, it is important that injured girls can be quickly transported to an emergency room if the need arises. Parents must provide emergency contact information, a detailed medical history, and often proof of insurance to the camp's administrators.

However, parents should inquire about staffing standards at the campground. What is the minimum age requirement for counselors? Is every counselor certified in first aid and CPR? Are counselors screened for criminal records and/or drug tested? Parents should not be afraid to ask questions concerning the people charged with the welfare of their daughter at her home away from home.

For some of the more adventurous young women, there are many facilities geared toward risk-taking or outdoor activities. A camp specializing in mountain climbing, for example, must have counselors with documented skills in teaching and climbing as well as rescue training. Activities with higher risk levels require corresponding skill levels in personnel.

Child to staff ratio varies at each camp. Sites that cater to younger children should have a much higher ratio of counselors to girls, as should a special needs camp, or one with large numbers of activities for the girls to choose from. Any type of activity that carries more risk should also require a higher ratio of trained counselors to girls to be certain everyone is safe and trained properly. For example, a site focusing on drama will not require nearly as many counselors as a facilities focusing on sports.

Some facilities have a large variety of activities so the girls will have the opportunity to try lots of new experiences. Many also offer leisure time and physical activities in addition to subjects like drama, computers, math, foreign language, or music. As the site of many long-lasting memories, the cabins or tents are another important part of the experience. Sleeping arrangements should be comfortable, clean, and easily accessed by counselors. For younger girls, there should be a counselor assigned to share the tent or cabin.

There are a lot of questions to be answered when trying to find the perfect place to send your daughter on her summer vacation, so sitting down to discuss options with your child is an important step before making a final decision. This should be a positive, enriching experience that encourages a young woman to grow while making great memories.


Author

Premiere girl's camp , Fernwood Cove provides outdoor and creative activities for young women aged 7-15. Located in Harrison, Maine, this summer camp promotes participation, exploration and self discovery in two three and a half week sessions. Girls enjoy cooking, outdoor activities and community building. Powered by SEO 2.0 ServicesDistributed by ContentCrooner.com. This articles came from MoreArticles.net.


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