At what age would you send your child to overnight camp?

↑ amother ↓

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 7:18 am

OP here, I meant to ask about sending a fifth-grade daughter. With boys it's different.
So, will you be sending your fifth-grade daughter to camp this summer?

↑ cindy324

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 7:24 am

My DD was in 5th grade last summer and she was dying to go. A lot of kids her age went, so it's definitely not too young.

we're seriously considering sending her this year especially because she really wants to go.

↑ Imaonwheels

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 7:26 am

What's the difference? My dd went to camp as well and went on to be a counselor. They love the team spirit and belongimg. I have found the whole difference is will they have friends.

↑ TzenaRena

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 7:45 am

I sent both girls starting in fourth grade. At that time my older daughter was 10, the younger one was soon turning ten. My younger daughter went with her older sister being a counselor for the first two summers. She had a great time, and good counselors.

melalyse

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 11:27 am

I started going to sleep away camp the summer after 4th grade. My camp had bunks for after 3rd. It was totally fine.

lamplighter

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 1:36 pm

as a teacher of 5th grade girls, I would say that out of a class of 25 about 2/3rds go to overnight camp (usually for the 1st time and usually jsut 1 month. Has she expressed interest? wen her friends want to go so will she, if she does not want to go dont feel like u need to push or or that if you dont encourage it, u are depriving her. She will have many more opportunities.
its interesting to note that every year around the tiem to apply for camp I get many calls from parents asking, "is she ready?" "who should she go with or not be with?" should I encourage her to go?"......
teachers are a very valuable source of information regarding your daughters social growth. feel free to ask them, you might be pleasently surprised at thier insight.

jewgal84

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 1:51 pm

I don't have a 5th grade daugheter, yet, but here our my 2 cents!!

I went since 2nd grade, loved it, went back for many years after that and as a waitress and counselor too!

I think it depends on the girl herself, I was an adventrous one, so I benefited from camp, my friends didn't neccessarily go until after 5th or 6th grade.

If she shows no interest, I wouldn't push her and let her be miserable, though you can give her the option of trying out for a month at a time.

In addition, you may want to find out if and where her friends are going for camp, that might make her excited knowing she's going with a handful of friends...

dr pepper

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 1:58 pm

I went since 10, my younger sister since 8 and we loved it. As a kid I wish I had started even earlier.

withhumor

Tue, Dec 19 2006, 2:53 pm

My third grader was born for this. She wants to go away but the camp doesn’t accept before 5th grade.

↑ amother ↓

Sat, Jan 13 2007, 8:20 pm

So, I'm getting nudged by my 9 (turning 10 soon) year old son that he wants to go to sleep away camp this summer for a week or two.

Have mixed feelings. He's a great kid, pretty mature, but it still feels awfully young to me. On the other hand, when I think back, I know that friends of mine went to sleep away camp b/n 4th and 5th grade, so maybe he's not...

↑ amother

Sat, Jan 13 2007, 8:31 pm

I've worked at overnight camps for the past 16 years and from my experience older children do much better. That said, it really does come down to the individual child. Just remember, you want it to be a very positive experience. Never send a child that doesn't want to go or who is not ready. They will not make it and will be afraid to try again another summer.

Some children are ready entering 4th grade, however, I find that the 4th grade bunks tend to be chaotic despite great staffing.

That said, good luck.

Mirabelle

Sat, Jan 13 2007, 9:25 pm

I think it depends on the kid. I also nudged my parents to let me go away to sleep away camp when I was 10, and I went for four weeks and had a great time. My brother on the other hand, was never interested. I think if your son is nudging you and its only for a week or two, its probably a fine idea.

MyKidsRQte

Sat, Jan 13 2007, 9:57 pm

my daughter went to camp this past summer (she was 10 turning 11) for 4 weeks after 6 months of begging. I was very nervous, because generally she is a bookworm, and I was scared she wasnt going to have any friends. BH it worked out very well. She is planning on going back for the full summer.

MommyLuv

Sun, Jan 14 2007, 11:54 am

I went to camp at seven years old (gasp) BUT my older sister was there as well and she was my "advocate."

Personally, I think its way too young!!
But then again, I loved it (between bouts of homesickness...)

I guess it really depends on the child's maturity and ability to handle new situations without their parents' security.

healthymama

Sun, Jan 14 2007, 12:05 pm

What are the difference between camps ? A friend of mine is thinking where to send her 9 year old this year and she is as far from detroit as from emunah and doesn't know a lot about either one. Can anyone who has send their daughter to either camp comment on her experience ? Are there any other options ?

HealthCoach

Sun, Jan 14 2007, 12:48 pm

I would have liked to send my dd going into fourth grade. She did not want to go until going into 6th, and I think that has become the standard in our family.