skeeterbug Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Total of four nights away from home. Camp is a couple of hours away. This is my 8yo, the camp is for 8-12yos. It's part of a church kids club that is similar to Awana. My ds has never spent the night anywhere other than his grandparents. I don't think he'd be very homesick though I can't be sure. I can't remember how old I was the first time I went to camp. Maybe 10? He wants to go, is excited. I just can't believe I have a child old enough for this! :crying: What age did you first consider an overnight camp for your kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sahm99 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I find it difficult to decide without more infos. First of all, I'm generally not comfortable with my kids being among the younger ones. They should be at least in the middle segment, and honestly, unless there were "special circumstances" I would want them to be among the older kids in the group. Those special situations might be having an older sibling in the group, or having some adult supervise with whom my child is VERY intimate. The ease with which my child could reach me does play a minor role for me - we have found that any exchange during camp is not very representative about what REALLY goes on (our kids can have an amazingly diverting perception about what is significant:lol:) Camps have their very own dynamic, and A LOT can happen in four days... Btw, this comes from a very relaxed mother...at least by American standards! (I am comparing with what I have learned here on the boards...):) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I wouldn't have considered it for my ds when he was 8, and particularly not a camp that was a few hours away from home. Honestly, I wouldn't send my child to any overnight camp without my dh or me being there to supervise. And as sahm99 has already mentioned, it would concern me that your ds will be one of the youngest kids there. How well do you and your ds know the other kids and parents that will be at the camp? I know a lot of parents wouldn't hesitate to send their 8yos to overnight camp, but I wouldn't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My youngest dd went to her first sleep-over camp at 8. She loved it. But, than she is the one who asked me 'why are you still here?' when I dropped her off for her first day of kindy and I was hanging around for a few minutes -mostly because I didn't want the other moms to think I was horrible for rushing off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 There is a great gymnastics camp a few hours away, but I'm not considering sending Rebecca until about 13. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Depends on the child and the camp. In my family one dc went at 10 and another went at 8 to one week scout camps. The biggest thing I worried about fr both was food allergies, but that worked out fine because of the leg work I did ahead. You'll have to think about your dc, how he handles independence, and the adults involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Does he have friends in the group he's going with? My daughter was 9 the first year she went to church camp but she went with one other good friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I went on Brownie camp at seven and a half. I was polite enough not to ask my mother why she was still hanging around, but I think my sister did at the same age. My mother is the only one in our family prone to homesickness... No idea when I'll send mine. They don't like staying without me, even if it's with their dad. I guess I'm their best favourite mamma. :D I wouldn't like my kiddies' first camps to be more than two nights. Four seems a bit long for a first try, unless they are somewhere close by. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My kids first went to overnight camp when they were six, but it was a camp for kids with a certain medical issue, and I had worked for the camp previously, and I knew and trusted all the staff. If it were not that situation, I would probably say 10. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Do you know everyone at the camp well enough to trust them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 10-12 is the right age for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) I sent my kids to a 4 or 5-night camp (can't remember exactly) together when they were 7 and 8. It was with the local science museum and was designed for first-time campers. They loved it. I think they were too young to be nervous and homesick - my older gets homesick when away at camp now! But he didn't when he was younger. So much depends on the child and the situation. Edited November 10, 2012 by marbel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamarie Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My church camp is for kids who have finished grades 3-6. It's a week long. DS went at age 7 a year early because my DH went on staff and got to bring DS as a tagalong--DS spent his days with a cabin, but slept in a camper with DH. While DS loved it and had a great time, this summer when he was true camper age and stayed in a cabin with the same counselors as last year, the counselors said that he did way better this summer and was a lot more mature. I guess my answer is I think leaving 3rd grade is probably old enough IF you know most/all of the staff, IF you know most of the kids they'll be with, and IF you are okay with that. While I would send my kids to our church camp, I would not send them to some random church camp where I didn't know the people or sports camp that was overnight until they were 12. Maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My DD went to an overnight 4-H camp at a college in a nearby town at 9. It was only 3 days/2 nights, and she enjoyed it. I felt better knowing she wasn't hours away from home, and it wasn't long enough for her to feel homesick. My younger DD can go to the same one next summer, and I wouldn't have a problem with it if she decides she wants to go. (She'll be 7 but going into 3rd grade at that point.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My ds is 8 years old and he'll probably go to camp this coming summer. He has spent the night away from us many times. He recently went on a one night retreat with his youth choir and had a blast. He was actually the youngest boy in attendance and the older kids really watched out for him. I suppose it depends on the kid, but mine would love a summer camp experience and be fine. We're hoping to find something nearby (LOTS of camps within an hour's drive from here) that is just 3-4 days long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Depends on the kid. My oldest had been begging for overnight camp for several years, so we sent her for a week at age 8.5. We didn't know anyone there, but it was a well regarded camp. She loved it. My youngest, on the other hand, is shy and anxious. No way on Earth would we send her anytime soon. My vote is when the child really wants to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshin Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I did my first one week sleep away when I was 7. DS12 did his first at 10, he just wasn't mature enough. I would send DS7 to a sleep away, though, and may next summer if he wants.He's already done sleepovers at friend's homes just fine. He's just more emotionally mature and seems to have a lot more common sense at this age than his brother did. So although I don't think 8 is too young, I think a lot depends on the maturity of the kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 it really just depends on the child imho. for us, the first overnight camp will be the summer before 7th grade (age 12 for my dd). that is when our church starts it. any younger, my kids and i wouldn't be able to handle it probably...but that's just us:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I agree with others that say it completely depends on the child. Neither of my kids would have been ready before the age of 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I had an 8yo in my cabin the year I was a counselor for the 8, 9, 10 and 11yo's and she did well. It was obvious she was the youngest because she was the slowest at getting ready to go anywhere and she needed more time to eat and get dressed, but she kept up with the big kids well. I also never let any girls push each other around, so she was in a safe place. She knew the other girls in her cabin and she knew many of the other leaders besides me, so that was a big help. One thing: her mom sent her with waaayyy to much stuff. I think her mother was worried that she might need something. Her mom sent her with a lot of money to buy snacks, and so she felt she needed to spend it all. Her mom sent her with enough clothes to change three times a day and she could not fit it all back in her bag for cabin clean up. It is hard for an 8yo to manage too much stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My middle daughter was 8 yrs old when she first went to sleep-a-way camp. It was about 6 hours away in another state. It was for 6 days, five nights. The only reason we started so young was that it was a camp for kids with medical conditions. In our town, medical condition equals disability and I didn't want her growing up with that mindset. At camp she was able to have other kids around her with the same medical condition who had all sorts of hobbies and interests. We were both homesick for each other, but she comes home every summer loving it, feeling empowered and a bit more independent. For her, it's great. My youngest will be 8 next month and I don't see her spending the night away for quite a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAIMOM Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Total of four nights away from home. Camp is a couple of hours away. This is my 8yo, the camp is for 8-12yos. What age did you first consider an overnight camp for your kids? I think the wide age range would be my main concern. There is huge difference in life experience and world perspectives between 8 yr old and 12 yr old. I mean we are talking a bout elementary kids and middle school kids. Some 12 year olds may be in 8th grad while the 8 year old may be in 3rd grade. HUGE difference. My kids have gone to church camp since 7 years old but the ages were close together. I considered who my kids were going with and as I prayed I was sensitive to any concern I had. I have only had one time that I just felt restless about a camp (we move so they have gone to church camps in 5 diff states). I just did not have a peace so they did not go to that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 If the kid was ready and you like the camp, I'd do it. It's nice that it's 4 nights. Many camps are 2 weeks, which would be too long for my 8 yos. But 4 nights I would jump at. In fact... hm... summer camp... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Our oldest did summer camp a couple weeks after turning 8. It was church camp and he went all by himself!! Ages were 8-10, he was mature, and ready to do it. He has gone every year since and is now 13. Our youngest went at 9 and we were concerned, as he is prone to insecurity. However he had 2 buddies along and did great with it. It also helped him to see he actually could make it four days on his own. Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My older daughter and I went to a mother-daughter camp at age 5 and 6 and she went alone to the same camp at 6 for three nights and loved it... My younger daughter and I went to a mother-daughter camp at age 6 and then she went alone to a camp for four nights at 7. Both my girls adore resident camps. They'd like to go for as long as possible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeterbug Posted November 12, 2012 Author Share Posted November 12, 2012 Thank you everyone for your responses on this. I trust the adults that will be there, I think the only hesitation I have is the age range. I really think he would do fine away from home for four nights (but can't know for sure), it would all be an adventure for him and he was excited when he found out about it. He was excited to not have school for a whole week! (I didn't remind him it would be the middle of summer anyway!) If this was all 8-10yos I wouldn't be so hesitant. I think I will ask them if they break up the cabins by age at all and think on it some more. On club nights they break the groups up into K-3 and 4-6. He is finishing grade two (in Australia we school on a calendar year). So he has one more year in the younger club before he moves up. If we wait a year to send him to camp then when he comes back he'd be in the older group and mixing with the older kids anyway. Right now he has very little contact with kids older than about ten, that's as high in age as our homeschool group and other various activities go. So if we decide against this for this year then we might just make a rule that in our house you have to be in the older group before you can go to camp. It won't hurt him to wait a year, and that rule will work better for my younger ds when he gets there, because I'm sensing he's a bit less mature than my oldest. :biggrinjester: He's a middle child all the way! We'll still be thinking about it though, camp isn't for a couple more months so we don't have to decide immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Decided for me had less to do with the age of the child, than their maturity. Ds9 was scheduled to attend sleep away bible camp for a week when he was a few weeks away from turning 8, he was in an accident and broke his leg the day before camp so he did not go. But this spring break at age 9 he is going for a week to a Tim Horton's childrens camp. He has been away from home though for shorter 1-2 night camps with cub scouts, and for a week to disneyland with uncle. dd13 was 10 when I put her on a plane and sent her half way across the country for a spring break tim hortons camp; she had done only shorter 1-2 night camps at that point. I would look into how they screen camp counsellors and what precautions there are to prevent anything untoward happening. Although I let dd go across the country at 10, when she was 9 and attended a daycamp at the zoo she was molested by a fellow camper. I won't get into all the details, but being sure what sort of campers they have attending, supervision/ratios etc. The risk of something happening are small but you have to know you and your child are ready for the repercussions if something does happen. It was a daycamp she was assaulted at. It was a family camp, where I sent my son off with counsellors and kids, that ds's leg was broken. 1 situation was due to allowing in a child that should not have been permitted. The other the camp could have done nothing to prevent the accident. They were fabulous in tending to him and my other kids. Before deciding if your child is ready to attend camp, determine your child's maturity level. Would your child speak up if something was not okay? Can you do some practice runs having the child sleep over at someone else's house so they get used to it? Are you able to relinquish control of your child and know that bad things can happen and be able to deal with them calmly if they do? Does your child have any medical conditions that may impact his experience at camp? What about food allergies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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