Is Overnight Camp Right for your Kids?

Summer break is just around the corner-- do you have plans for your children yet? With camps that focus on the arts, academics, sports, and more, trying to choose the right one for your child can be confusing. Throw in the question of day camp versus overnight camp and it quickly becomes overwhelming. As you contemplate your family and individual kid’s needs, consider the benefits of overnight camp. Several local families have shared their overnight camp experiences with us, and the parents all agree that overnight camp has fostered con-fidence and independence in their children. We’ve also included profiles of two overnight camps for kids with special needs, so they don’t have to miss out on any of the fun.

How do you know?

The big question for most families comes down to this: How do you know if your child is ready for an overnight camp adventure? There’s no easy answer, and it differs from family to family. Leigh Ann Newman (Neapolitan Family co-publisher) decided to keep the first overnight camp experience for her daughter Rachel close to home. “Rachel went to volleyball camp at FGCU when she was 11 years old,” Newman said. “It was a two-night camp, so it was a good way to ease her into the experience.”

Rachel continued her overnight camp experience by attending Irish dance camp in upstate New York last summer. “That was harder for me because her dad and stepmom took her there, so I didn’t get to see where she was staying or help her settle in,” Newman explained. “There also was a strict no-cell phone policy at camp. That was difficult for both of us because she couldn’t check in with me at night. But I think it made her a stronger person because she had to deal with some difficult issues by herself.”

to overnight camp was missing out on time in the summer with her daughter. “And the expense,” she added. “Overnight camp is obviously more expensive than day camp.”“I don’t think overnight camp is a right fit for every kid. But it can be a great learning experience, as it gives kids independence that they don’t have at home, and forces them to figure things out themselves. Specialty camps also give kids a chance to focus on their pas-sion, and be surrounded by other kids who love to do what they love to do.”

The Chahwan family

The three Chahwan children go to a three-week overnight camp in North Carolina every summer.“We chose to send them to overnight camp so they can have a different kind of summer than being here in Naples,” said Gabriela Chahwan. “The scen-ery and different activities offered at camp are very interesting, and being without a family member teaches them to rely on themselves. The experience empowers them and helps them develop confidence.” 

Mateo (14) and Martina (13) started camp in the summer of 2014, with Mateo attending Camp Highlander (co-ed) and Martina at Camp Illahee (all girls). Marcos (11) followed Mateo to Camp Highlander a year later.

There were some challenges the first year, according to Chahwan. “For our chil-dren (and for us), the biggest challenge was being away from home for that long without being able to talk to either their dad or me. We could send them emails every day, but they could only write letters to us and send them by mail. I was very nervous about be-ing so far away from them. But, our children had a great experience. I remember the day I picked up my son from camp – he gave me a big hug and asked me right away if he could come back the following year. That’s when I felt we had made the right decision to send them to overnight camp.”

And it’s been a positive experience for the Chahwan family ever since. “Every year they go to camp, they mature a little more,” Chahwan said. “I am the type of mom that does everything for them when they are home, so going to camp definitely helps them learn responsibility and independence. For my daughter, Martina, going to an all girls’ camp is great! She has two brothers at home, and its good for her to be surrounded by female friends.”

The Browner family

Alicia Browner began sending her two boys to Camp Blue Star in North Carolina when they were 9 and 10 years old because she wanted a camp with longer hours and more engaging experiences. While the cost for overnight camp was prohibitive, she found some help. “The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples made it possible for me to give my boys the experience of overnight camp,” she said.

Browner’s sons are second-generation campers at Camp Blue Star. “I wanted my boys to experience new things by living as a part of a community with kids from all over the world,” Browner explained. “They’re in the  mountains  and have the opportunity to learn about themselves in a safe environment, but with new freedoms.”

 Browner noted that her sons were noticeably changed after each summer at camp. “The kids came back from North Carolina full of stories of  mountain adventures, camp outs, white water rafting, mountain biking, exploring the woods, and new friends. They have made both simple and complex choices for themselves and they have started learning about who they want to be as independent young men. In short, a few weeks in camp each year has given them an opportunity to explore who they are, and who they want to be.”

That’s not to say that camp is all camp-fires and s’mores. Browner’s younger son broke his arm two days before the end of camp one summer. “It was devastating being so far away when he was hurt,” Browner said, “but this was old hat to the camp and doctors in the area. They kept in constant contact with me throughout the ordeal. The camp was very professional, and my son had one heck of a story to tell!”

The Kuhl Family

Kuhl cited her childhood experiences as one of the reasons she sends her children to overnight camp: “I had the opportunity to go to sleepaway camp as a child and loved it. I wanted the kids to be able to make memories of their own. Camp allows kids to be kids, playing outside in a safe environment without electronic devices. They are active all day long – they don’t have time to be bored.”

While Kuhl was nervous sending her kids to camp the first time, she “knew they were in great hands. We met with the owner of the camp and knew the rigorous screening process they had in place for hiring counselors. The counselors also called home a few days into the three-week session to let us know how the kids were doing, which definitely put our minds at ease. The camp also posted pictures on their website twice a day. We got to see how much fun our kids were having!”

For kids with special needs

For families with children who have special needs, many op-tions exist for overnight camp experiences. We have profiled two below, including one in Florida and one in Ohio.

 Easter Seals Florida Camp Challenge, a 61-acre camp located in Sor-rento, Florida, provides both overnight summer camp and weekend camps throughout the year.The staff is highly trained to meet the needs of a variety of campers at Camp Challenge.

“All of our staff members receive training in not only camping programs and skills, but in the spe-cial needs of our campers,” said Maggie Denk, director of Camp Challenge. Training addresses behavioral and physical disabilities, as well as issues unique to each camper, such as dietary restrictions, medication management, and communication skills.

Denk said the key to Camp Challenge’s success is the low ratio of campers to counselors. “In our overnight camp there is one counselor for every three campers. As camp serves both children and adults, we have watched many of our campers return to Camp Challenge for many summers and gain independence, form lifelong friendships, and have experiences that would otherwise be unavailable to them.”

One family has been attending Camp Challenge for 15 years! Mom Diane loves the experiences Camp Challenge has given Meghan (26), Molly (22), and Maddie (21). “They’ve been able to have fun, try new activities, and make lifelong friends,” Diane said. “They can grow in a loving environment. It gives my husband and me time to regroup and some much-needed rest. Our girls are well taken care of at camp, which allows us to just enjoy some free time.”

Amp Camp

Paddy Rossbach Youth Camp in Ohio offers six-day programs for children ages 10-17 with limb loss and limb difference. “The focus is on the campers,” said Tonya Osborne-Simpson, director of peer support programs for the Amputee Coalition. “We plan and train in preparation. But most importantly, we take the time to select an exceptional group of camp counselors. Many of them are former campers or have served as one of our counselors in past years, and all of them are living with limb loss or limb difference.”

Campers grow and develop in new ways, according to Os-borne-Simpson. “This past year, one of our campers had been used to having a parent available for most activities of daily life, including bathing. At camp, the counselors quickly helped this camper learn to bathe independently. This has the obvious benefit of a new skill, but it also adds to self-confidence and problem-solving abilities, too.”

 Campers experience this type of increased confidence as they make friends with others who have similar challenges. “Every year, campers tell us how amazing it is to feel normal, and that ‘Amp Camp’ self-esteem boosts last throughout the year, as do the friendships they make,” said Osborne-Simpson.