Children's Summer Camps Guide


Children's Summer Camps Guide

Children's Summer Camps Guide

All you need to know about summer camps


Summer activity camps are an excellent way to provide care for your child during school holidays, camps provide activities throughout the day to entertain your child and provide them with a healthy diet and plenty of fresh air and exercise.



Safety at day camps and play schemes

Day camps offer a wide range of activities for your child such as horse riding, snorkeling, scuba diving and rock climbing. All equipment will have been tested to meet regulations and regular inspections are made by independent bodies to ensure they meet safety standards.

No child is left unsupervised at anytime of the day when taking part in any of the activities and proper training is given at all times. Camps which include such activities as climbing horse riding and water sports are required by law to obtain a license from the Adventure activities licensing authority.

This means that an independent body will inspect the activities on a regular basis to make sure they meet with certain standards.

Staff qualifications and checks

Most centers which are based on activities involving sports will have official coaches for instructors and courses for young children and those under the age of 8 have to have staff that are registered as child minders.

All staff will have had to take a course in first aid and gained a certificate and all centers will have a qualified medical person on the premises. All staff working in a registered day camp or play scheme will have undergone a criminal records background check too.

Security

All camps will be set in secure surroundings completely fenced in and staff will all wear a uniform making them easily identifiable to children.

Visitors to the camps will have to pass security and must wear a badge at all times, children who are staying at the camp will have been sent a form when booking stating the name of the person who will be picking your child up from camp and requesting a signature and password, when collecting your child checks will be made with the password and signature ensuring total safety.

Food

All camps must offer three nutritious and varied meals per day as well as mid morning and mid afternoon healthy snacks with fruit juice. Your child will be able to choose from various options with staff on hand to make sure they receive nutrition with each meal, for example your child can't just eat burgers and fries all week.

Things the center will need to know

Well before your child attends a camp they will send out a form requesting any medical information the camp should know about, for example if your child has epilepsy or asthma. They will want to know any medication they take, when they should take it and how much your child should take and also if they need assistance taking it.

This form must be handed in on arrival along with any medication which should be clearly labeled with your Child's name, age, address and the name of their Doctor. Every site will have a sick bay with staff trained in first aid that is available 24 hours a day.

The booking form will have included space for contact numbers in the case of an emergency and this will be checked over with you upon arrival at the center.

Contacting your child

You will have access to calling your child whenever you wish but some centers advise against calling during the first couple of days which will allow any child who is homesick the chance to settle down.

Staff will be on hand for any child who is having problems settling into the care and will do their best to reassure your child, in the event that your child doesn't settle down in a day or so a staff member will call you.

There are usually card telephones in the camps so it is wise to purchase a card for your child before leaving the camp this gives the child peace of mind knowing they can reach you if they need to.


Filed under: Summer Camps For Kids

Children's Summer Camps Guide

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