Good Age/Good Camp for 1st sleep away camp?

[Anonymous]

My DD is 8 and I'm thinking she might enjoy a sleep away camp. What is a good age to start this? Is it possible to do just a week or does it have to be longer than that? Are there good ones within a 1-2 hour drive of here? Is she too young? She is very outgoing and makes friends easily but has never been away from us overnight except with family members.

TIA.

[Anonymous]

There seem to be different approaches to this, perhaps based on the parents' experience with sleep away camp as kids, so I think you'll get a variety of responses. DS went for the first time last summer. He was 7, turned 8 a couple days after camp ended. He only went for a week and went with a friend from school (not a best friend so they weren't joined at the hip the entire time--they each chose different activities). Neither boy wanted to go longer than a week. They had a blast. They're going for 2 weeks this summer (although DS said he was going regardless of whether his friend decided to go). Neither DH nor I grew up going to sleep away camp.

He went to Hidden Meadows, which is among the cheaper camps. It is closer to 3.5 hours away but has a shuttle from McLean if you choose to use it. He had a great experience. You'll find a few somewhat negative experiences if you search. We offered to look at other options, but the boys wanted to go back there. I think it's a great option if your kid only wants to do a week. I think after going for 2 weeks this summer, the boys may want to find a different camp next year.

[Anonymous]

I went when I was 8/9, and agian at 11 I enjoyed it both times. I would send my kid younger depending on the personality of the child. Its good for autonomy, start with a shorter session if you are worried. DH and i plan on sending DC at age 7 to a sleep away camp 20mi from grandmas. We are then going on our first adult only vacation in 7 years!

[Anonymous]

I went to Camp Rim Rock in West Virginia at that age and loved it. The camp focuses on Horseback riding and at least when I went, it was very well run. It is also an all girls camp.

[Anonymous]

I think 1st- 2nd grade is too young but Jewish people would send them at birth if they could.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 1st- 2nd grade is too young but Jewish people would send them at birth if they could.

Wow, anti-semitic enough? I'm Jewish and my daughter is going for her first time at age nine going into 4th for 1 week. Sandy Hill Camp--non religious camp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 1st- 2nd grade is too young but Jewish people would send them at birth if they could.

Why do you feel the need to write this? What does it add to the conversation? How is your comment about Jewish people relevant?

[Anonymous]

I'm Jewish and my son went to a one week camp after 2nd grade. He loved it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There seem to be different approaches to this, perhaps based on the parents' experience with sleep away camp as kids, so I think you'll get a variety of responses. DS went for the first time last summer. He was 7, turned 8 a couple days after camp ended. He only went for a week and went with a friend from school (not a best friend so they weren't joined at the hip the entire time--they each chose different activities). Neither boy wanted to go longer than a week. They had a blast. They're going for 2 weeks this summer (although DS said he was going regardless of whether his friend decided to go). Neither DH nor I grew up going to sleep away camp.

He went to Hidden Meadows, which is among the cheaper camps. It is closer to 3.5 hours away but has a shuttle from McLean if you choose to use it. He had a great experience. You'll find a few somewhat negative experiences if you search. We offered to look at other options, but the boys wanted to go back there. I think it's a great option if your kid only wants to do a week. I think after going for 2 weeks this summer, the boys may want to find a different camp next year.

This is a great review. My DS just turned 8 last month and we are going this summer (also with friend from school). He wanted to go for two weeks and I'm pretty sure he will love it. We are not Jewish but I don't think it matters. I think they have it right. I am all for introducing some independence at this age. You'll see from the camp forum that 1st-3rd grades are very common years to begin sleep away (even non Jewish). Fwiw we have many Jewish friends that are going to start the year after we do (after we give reviews from this year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 1st- 2nd grade is too young but Jewish people would send them at birth if they could.

Is this supposed to be an insult? What's so bad about encouraging independence and offering up a cool experience if your kid is interested and you have the resources?

[Anonymous]

Hmm All the Jewish families I know are very close and loving even when their kids are older. Cannot say the same of all my Christian brethern..many had parents who would not let them do anything and now the friends do everything they can to avoid the parents. Maybe supporting independence is not a bad thing

[Anonymous]

I can't say enough good things about Camp Fernwood Cove in Maine. Its a 3.5 week camp (I think they have shorter sessions for first year campers) so there are two sessions each summer. Fantastic setting, amazing directors, and really nice kids from all over the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm Jewish and my son went to a one week camp after 2nd grade. He loved it!

Meant to write NOT Jewish.

[Anonymous]

We sent our (much) older girls to Camp Rim Rock mentioned above and our 7 yo DD will go for first time this year. The first year camp is just one week long and there is a higher counselor to camper ratio. It is an amazing place. My big girls have friends from all over the world from going there as well as from here! Very well run, was in same family for 50 years though sold to another almost 10 years ago (the original family stayed involved!) so many girls mothers and grandmothers grew up going there. My older girls suggested NOT to pair up with a friend to go as our DD will make great connections and bringing a friend from home even at this young age inhibits a bit. If I hadn't had such great experience w/older ones I might have waited until 8 (she'll be 7.5 in summer) but as I trust and know camp so much it feels good as a rising second grader. My only fear is that she will beg (as the others did!!) to either stay for another week(s) or ask to sign up later in summer but we have such a busy summer there won't be time to do. It is in West Virginia but really less than 30 minutes from Winchester.

[Anonymous]

Mine both tried it for the first time the summer after 4th grade. That seemed to be a good time. Turned out DS didn't like it but DD loved it. So now he doesn't go but she goes for 2 weeks.