When Will Your Child Be Ready For Overnight Camp?

Summer camps have been an American phenomenon for several decades. According to the National Camp Association, more than 6,000,000 children attend 10,000 summer camps in the U.S. every year. Sixty percent of them are sleep-away camps.

So when are children ready for an overnight camp?  And when are parents ready to send their kids away?

The second oldest overnight camp in the U.S. is right here in Alabama. Camp Winnataska in Leeds opened its doors in 1918.  This summer, some fourth generation campers are doing some of the same activities their grandparents and great-grandparents did.  But overnight camp isn’t for everyone.

“The Parent Trap,” the first overnight summer camp movie of its kind.  It has had sequels, been re-made, different versions of it… but nothing beats the original. “The Parent Trap” captured a culture that’s still alive today.

This is seven year old Graham Day’s second summer at Camp Winnataska.

“These are all my pajamas. I have Power Rangers,“ Graham said. “My favorite thing, is the first thing we do is go swimming.“

Yes, there’s swimming, archery, hiking and more.

But one thing you won’t find at Camp Winnataska is cell phones. You know, kids love to talk on the phone with their friends and text message each other, but these phones are out of bounds here at Camp Winnataska.

“That’s one of the things we’d like them to leave at home and forget about,“ Program Director Mary Margaret Shepherd said.

And instead enjoy a new list of favorite things to do.

Graham said, “My favorite thing is going canoeing, it’s just like kayaking, I like to go kayaking.“

Yes, Graham has a lot of favorite things to do and while this is his second year, his 9-year-old sister will stay home this summer.

Graham said, “Well, last year she cried for Mommy.“

Amy is their mother. “She decided not to come back,“ Amy said. “She enjoyed it but she worried a lot about how we were doing.“

As a camper in Girl Scouts, Amy felt it was important for her children to experience summer camp.

“When they were born and raised in the same town and pretty much known the same children year after year, and meeting new people, learning how to integrate themselves into that new community is a very valuable lesson for them,“ Amy said.

So when is your child ready for overnight camp?

“They have to be completely responsible from everything to their shampoo and their socks and bathing suits,“ Shepard said.

As for the overnight part, child psychologist Dr. Renee Myers recommends allowing your children to spend the night with grandparents, other relatives and friends. That may help pave the way for overnight camp.

“But you certainly wouldn’t want that to be your first time away from you, for an extended period of time, it could be traumatic,“ Myers said.

Amy asks Graham, “Which side are you going to have your head on?”

No trauma here for Graham, just like in “The Parent Trap,” he’s ready to enjoy the week with new friends, all away from mom and dad.

College and high school students help campers avoid homesickness by getting to know them and keeping them busy. If you’re tempted as a parent to pick up your child in the middle of summer camp week, Dr. Myers advises it’s best—unless there’s been a traumatic event—to let your child work it out on his or her own.