Why send my child to an overnight camp?
An overnight camp experience can prove one of the most significant growth experiences for a child. Living in close quarters with cabinmates and counselors, participating in a wide range of activities and being away from mom and dad gives kids a chance to learn things like respect for others, teamwork, self-confidence and independence. AND they have fun while they learn!
How do I know if my child is ready for camp?
Deciding whether or not your child is ready for overnight camp isn’t an exact science, but there are some good indicators.
1. Has your child spent the night away from home at a non-relatives house (best friend, etc.); how did he/she do?
2. Is your child talking about camp? Does he/she seem eager to attend camp?
If your child has spent the night away and done well, and if he/she seems eager to go to camp, these are great signs that he/she might be ready. But if you’re still unsure, take the time to call us at camp--based on our experience, we may be able to help you determine your child’s readiness!
Can I call and visit my child at camp?
One of the most significant elements of the camp experience is learning independence. We know it’s hard (especially for parents) to be apart for 2, 3 or 4 weeks; however, our experience has taught us that kids adjust to camp life much more easily if they don’t hear or see mom & dad while they’re at camp. Especially if a camper is or was homesick, hearing a parent’s voice can intensify sad feelings. Therefore, we do not have campers talk to parents on the phone, and we don’t have parent visiting days until the last day of camp.
We do, however, stay in contact with you while your child is at camp. You’ll receive a call from one of your child’s counselors during the first week of his/her stay, to let you know how he/she is doing. If any problem arises, we’ll contact you immediately.
We also provide a summer web site just for our camp families, called CAMParent. On this site, you can access pictures and articles about what’s happening at camp. You may not be able to attend camp with your child, but CAMParent’s the next best thing!
And finally, we invite you to call us at any time, just to check and see how your child is doing. We know that sending a child to camp can be more difficult for parents than for the camper! We want to work together with you to make sure your child has the best experience possible!
What is the right term length for my child?
Like many of the best things in life, camp takes time. It is not a fast-acting pill, nor is it something to rush through and check off the list. In fact, the more time you give camp, the better experience it will be. For this reason, we strongly believe that two weeks of camp is infinitely better than one.
However, our experience is that longer terms give most children a more rewarding camp experience. Our camper families confirm this: a meaningfully higher percentage of our three-week (Triple Play) and four-week (Triple Play + Home Run) campers come back to camp year after year. That’s no accident. No single factor can explain this--but a combination of factors blend together over the course of a longer term to leave an indelible imprint on our three- and four-week campers. Camp holds a special magic for them. For more in-depth information, click here!
Do you offer any 1-week terms? We have a one week “starter term” designed especially for children finishing Kindergarten and 1st grade called “Batter Up!”. In this session, we introduce campers to the traditions and activities of camp in an age-appropriate way that they love.
We do not offer one week terms for older campers (2nd grade and older). The reason for this is simple: the best camp experiences happen over time. Typically, if a camper gets homesick, they’ll get over it by about Thursday or Friday of the first week of camp, once they’ve gotten into a rhythm. But if they attend for just 1 week, they have no time left to really enjoy the camp activities and friendships. We have designed our Batter Up program to avoid homesickness by providing almost constant activity, but this provides less time for self-discovery and relationship building - both critical aspects of our camp experience. A longer term allows campers to get over homesickness and still leave feeling positive about camp. It’s no accident that the majority of our Camp Champions campers come for three weeks--and that a higher percentage of campers return year after year from our three-week terms.
What sets Camp Champions apart from other camps?
Our uncompromising dedication to help kids grow into CHAMPIONS. Look, we know that when it comes to selecting a camp for your child, you have a lot of choices. Do we have a beautiful setting? Yes, but so do a lot of other camps - and certainly a lot of other areas of the country will have more striking physical beauty than a camp in Texas. Great facilities? Sure - and perhaps the best waterfront in Texas - but you can find great facilities at other camps as well. These things are important, but they are not the heart of what we do.
What truly sets us apart is our drive to help kids learn what it is to live life as a CHAMPION. To treat others with RESPECT, to take RESPONSIBILITY for their actions, to live lives of INTEGRITY, to take RISKS that stretch themselves. We’ve built our entire program, the way we hire counselors, the criteria for every decision, on our desire to help kids grow into CHAMPIONS.
That’s why, when you call our office at any time during the year, there’s sure to be someone who knows your son or daughter and who is excited to talk with you about him/her. And that’s why we spend so much time selecting just the right counselors, spend so much time getting to know our campers, spend so much time after the summer staying in contact with our campers through newsletters and reunions. We want to be our campers’ biggest fans and cheerleaders - and we know that EVERY one of them has what it takes to become a CHAMPION.
It’s why campers keep coming back, year after year. It’s why we can prove such a valuable teammate for parents in helping their kids grow.
And it’s why we won’t ever stop improving, pushing the envelope, finding new ways to help kids grow into CHAMPIONS...
Where do your counselors come from?
Universities all over the Southwest-primarily Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kansas and New Mexico. Each year, we’ll recruit actively on about 40 college campuses (including the major universities in all of these states). Word-of-mouth from former campers and counselors also helps us find counselors from other regions of the country; and often even from some other countries.
We aggressively try to hire an ethnically diverse group of counselors. We believe it’s great for kids to see a group of people from various backgrounds who work together, care about each other, live by a high set of standards and values, and pour themselves out for campers. It’s a powerful statement to our campers.
In addition to the rigorous application and interview process, all counselors commit to a strict “no alcohol” policy during the summer, even on their time off. It’s part of our counselors’ demonstrated commitment that they’re at camp for our KIDS, first and foremost, and not for some alternative reason-like partying all summer!
