Lisa Gregory: Youth Program Coordinator, Planet Granite (Sunnyvale)

From time to time, I am interviewing Camp Directors to get their opinions on how to plan your summer so that your child has a good experience, and to learn about what makes their camp special.

This week I spoke with Lisa Gregory who runs the summer camps at Planet Granite, a rock-climbing gym in Sunnyvale.  The gym is huge and inviting, and has both indoor and outdoor climbing space. Once I arrived, I wished I had brought a change of clothes and could test out the walls.  Here’s what Lisa had to share.

Is there anything special you need to do to prepare your child for a rock climbing camp?

You shouldn’t need to specially prepare your child for a climbing camp.  Most children like to climb. Usually when arrive, they’re excited to see the gym. Our staff are trained to work with children, and can handle issues that might arise. We can work with first time climbers, kids afraid of heights and separation anxiety. But in regards to climbing – most children are natural climbers. They gravitate towards using correct technique (climbing with their legs, not holding themselves away from the wall). You do not need to prep them for climbing camp.

Are there questions you should ask before selecting a climbing camp?

Yes! Climbing camp can be just the opportunity to climb, or it can be more that. Campers can learn technique, climbing commands, bouldering and more. Some key questions to ask include:

-Does your camp have a curriculum? What do campers learn by the end of the week?

-What is your ratio of kids to instructors? This is especially important in climbing. When kids are on belay, a high ratio of kids to instructors means that your child will spend a lot of time waiting, as opposed to climbing. (Planet Granite offers a  ratio of 5:1 kids to instructors)

-What training do you provide staff? Are all staff belay certified? What training do you provide for working with kids? You may want to ask specific questions, such is how do you help kids afraid to climb or that is stuck on a wall? You want the camp to have a response that indicates that the camp is prepared to address the issue.

What’s special about Planet Granite?

Obviously, our most unique offering is rock climbing, both on belay and bouldering. We’ve made some big changes for 2010. Our camp is moving from 2 hours/day to 4 hours/day. In addition, we’ve revamped our climbing curriculum for 2010. They’ll end the camp knowing all their climbing commands, how to assess whether a climb is appropriate for them, climbing technique and more. We have strengthened our instructor training, and our kids’ programs, with team building games and confidence building games.

Wanderers Camp Slide Show

I’ve had some parents ask me about Wanderers Camp. Now you can see it for yourself. Here’s a great slide show that Kurt Gantert, the camp director, put together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtsoN8ax0Tw

Camp story: Kids Outdoor Club

Arranging your kids’ summer camp schedules is surprisingly time consuming. But, you do get a great payback when your kid has a great time at camp. When I hear about great experiences, I’ll be posting them to my blog. This one comes from my friend, Laure Latham, who I volunteer with on the GGMG newsletter (and the writer of A Frog Mom in California)

Last summer I sent my girls to the Kids Outdoor Club in Goldden Gate Park. We’re an outdoors family: we go camping, we go hiking, we go backpacking – so I thought, it’s got to be outdoors. Well, I was amazed at what my girls learned that I’d never thought about before. The oldest learned how to climb a tree. It sounds plain and stupid, but climbing a tree is great. We don’t have any climbable trees in our backyard so she’d never done it before. The youngest went to play hide-and-seek in the woods and then went to pick blackberries in the park. I could tell by the smear on her face she really enjoyed it. And both girls came back with fantastic camp songs (that they’re still singing) and a fantastic tale about Dirt Mountain. Now I’d really like to find out where Dirt Mountain is…

Kurt Gantert: Founder of Wanderers Camp

From time to time, I am interviewing Camp Directors to get their opinions on how to plan your summer so that your child has a good experience, and to learn about what makes their camp special.

Wanderers Camp is an unique camp and was one of my son’s favorites last summer. The camp meets at Julius Kahn Playground and, every day, they drive to a different location to hike and learn about nature. I was really interested to talk to Kurt Gantert, the Founder and Camp Director of Wanderers, given that (1) my son had such a great time, (2) my son was in the first ever Wanderers Camp session and (3) all the Camp Directors I’ve interviewed advise parents to consider the longevity of the camp.  So Kurt and I spent a lot of time deciding how to evaluate a new camp or new camp director.  Also, we talked about what questions you should ask if you are considering a mobile camp.

Hiking at Wanderer's CAmp

How should a parent evaluate a camp director, especially a new camp director?

This is a good question. The camp director is intimately involved with all of the details of the camp, and you really want to feel good about the camp director. For a new camp director, I’d look at the following things:

-The Camp Director’s Resume: What is the camp director’s experience? Have they run camps before? Have they worked with kids before?  For me, starting Wanderers felt like a natural extension of everything I’ve done before.

-Word of Mouth on the Camp Director: Even if the camp director is new to the camp, they should have sufficient relevant experience that there are people and organizations that are knowledgeable about the director.

-Others involved in the camp:  Are the counselors and other staff of high quality? Are they experienced and do they know their subject matter? The camp business is seasonal, and there are camps that skimp while hiring counselors. Especially for a new camp, you want to be sure that everyone involved is highly qualified.

You run a mobile camp – that is, you drive campers to different locations every day. What should parents look for to ensure that kids are safe on the road?

Once again, get to know your camp director and the staff at the camp. In addition, there are a few additional questions you may wish to ask:

-D0 you do background checks on your drivers?

-Do you check the driving records of your drivers?

-How old are your drivers and what is their experience?  What training do you provide? Do you have a driving test?

-What type of vehicles do you use? 15-passenger vans have a higher likelihood of rolling, so you should be careful of the larger vehicles.

It’s a red flag if the camp director doesn’t have ready answers for these questions.

Tell us about Wanderers – what makes it unique?

There are two things that really make Wanderers unique – mobility and a real focus on nature. Every day we go to a different location and we incorporate a different nature lesson every day – about the plants, the animals, John Muir, etc. [Note: I can vouch for this - after my 6 year old attended Kurt's camp, he was sharing all sorts of plant and tree facts with us]

It’s an active camp, but we work really hard to cater to every level of kid. We separate the kids into groups, so that the kids who want to run ahead can, and the slower kids can move at a comfortable space. The focus is on nature, not on athletic prowess. I believe that nature can really be therapeutic, and it’s my goal to bring that to as wide a cross-section of kids as possible.

I bring a really deep and rich background in Outdoor Education to this camp, and my goal is to share that with the kids. I’ve worked in the Outdoor Education/Adventure Travel industry for 15 years, but my favorite experiences have always been working with kids.

Kurt didn’t mention this in our conversation, so I will. As a parent, there were two additional things that I loved about Kurt’s camp:

1) Amazing photos – every day, Kurt emailed us incredible photos from the day. My six-year-old does not tend to tell me about his day (any other moms with boys have this experience?), but the photos inspired him to share his adventures with me. As a result of the photos, I learned much more about his experiences at Wanderers than I would have otherwise.

2) Trip routes and lesson plans – Kurt posts the day’s hike and lessons on the website. Again, this helped me learn more about my son’s day. With specific information, I was able to spur more conversation. And, I’m hoping to replicate some of the hikes with the family next summer.

Loving nature at Wanderer's Camp

Pete Ingram-Cauchi: President of iD Tech Camps

From time to time, I am interviewing Camp Directors to get their opinions on how to plan your summer so that your child has a good experience, and to learn about what makes their camp special.

Pete Ingram-Cauchi is the President and CEO of one of the largest camp operations in the country, iD Tech Camps. iD Tech Camps offers day and overnight summer tech camps for kids and teens. The programs are very creative and fun. Although iD Tech Camps is a relatively large operation, it’s clear that Pete is immersed in the operations and is passionate about providing a great camp experience and excellent customer service. In fact, Pete reviews every customer email that is sent from his organization.  Here’s what Pete had to say about planning your child’s summer and about iD Tech Camps.

There are so many camps! Do you have any advice for parents on how to find a good match for their kids?

When you are signing your child up for camp, you’re exposing them to something new, and you really want to feel good when you are driving away. Think about finding a pre-school for your child. You likely talked to many schools, and thought “no, no, no, YES”.  Finding the right camp is a similar experience. Although you probably won’t be able to visit many camps, you can learn a lot by talking to the camp. Does the camp answer the phone? If not, do they get back to you quickly? Are they on top of the details? Ask good questions to get a feel for the camp. And get recommendations from friends.

What questions should a parent ask a camp?

The camp director is the center of gravity for the camp, so get a good understanding of the director.

-Is the camp their full time occupation or is this something that they do on the side?

-How long has the camp been in business? How long has the camp director been present?

-Especially for an academic/computer camp – who is doing the teaching? Is it high school students or instructors with experience? What is the actual ratio of instructors to campers?

-What are the camp’s risk management practices? Do they have policies and procedures in place?

-Is the camp ACA accredited? It’s a very stringent process with over 300 criteria. This is particularly important for resident camps.

Are there bad camps out there? If so, how can parents protect themselves?

Sure. Anyone can start a camp, so bad camps are out there. Most will go out of business quickly, because word of mouth is so important. The key is the camp director. Call the camp. Ask good questions. Especially if the camp or camp director is new.

Summer is long. A child can have 10 weeks of camp. Any tips to prevent camp burnout or make sure that kids enjoy the full summer.

Maintain some diversity in the summer. Maybe 2-3 weeks at most per camp, or, if your child stays longer, make sure that the programs each week vary. You might try having some weeks of half day camp also.

Can you tell us about iD Tech Camps? What makes you different from other camps?

You can make your own video game! You can create your won website! You can work with robotics! How cool is that?  We have very fun, hands-on creative projects.   The camp is also a university-based camp. All of our locations are at top universities, giving kids that excitement of being on a college campus.

We are also a family-owned camp. We have built up trust in the community. When we say we’ll do something, we’ll do it. When you call, you get a person who is there to help. We consider the phone both a great way to get feedback on our camps and a chance to help our customers. And we’re always listening. I review every client service email to make sure we’re providing a high level of service.

David Hughes: Camp Director of Camp Doodles

From time to time, I am interviewing Camp Directors to get their opinions on how to plan your summer so that your child has a good experience, and to learn about what makes their camp special.

David Hughes is the dynamic, high energy Camp Director of Camp Doodles in Marin. His passion for camp and kids really comes through as you talk with him. As I was interviewing him, I found myself wishing that either his camp was in San Francisco, or that my life was in Marin. So I was very glad to learn that David plans to open a San Francisco location for the 2010 camp year. Here’s what David had to say about planning your child’s summer and about Camp Doodles.

There are so many camps! Do you have any advice for parents on how to find a good match for their kids?

Word of mouth is the best source of information about camps, but make sure the word of mouth applies to your child. As you talk with others about camp, keep in mind how similar their children are to your child and how similar your values are. An all outdoor, low structure camp might be perfect for their high-energy child, but not as good a fit for your art-loving, project oriented child.

Especially for pre-K children, it can help to talk with your pre-school director or classroom teacher. They may know which camps are a good fit for your child. Re-read evaluations in light of what will make for a good camp experience. Does your child have a hard time with transitions or is she slow-to-warm up? If so, you might want to consider keeping her in one camp multiple weeks, rather than switching camps every week.

What questions should a parent ask a camp?

-How long has the camp director been working in the camp? The camp director provides leadership for the camp and will have a dramatic impact on the camp experience. A camp that won rave reviews under one camp director may be very different under another director.

-How does your program compare to XY program? Camps vary dramatically in philosophy, structure and operations. This is a good way to learn what differentiates a camp and if it will be a good fit for your child.

-How many kids are there on average? How many kids on the biggest day? Especially for younger children, this will give you a sense for the program.

-Can I pick up my child at any time? Again, this is especially important for younger kids, if you have concerns about adjustment. Some camps offer very flexible pick-up schedules and some are much more rigid.

Are there bad camps out there? If so, how can parents protect themselves?

We’re fortunate to be in an area that offers a tremendous variety of camps. No one camp will work for every kid. The biggest issue is finding the right fit for your child. But you may want to scrutinize new camps and camps with new camp directors more closely.  That being said, if you see something that doesn’t seem right at a camp, you should go with your gut and remove your child if necessary.

Summer is long. A child can have 10 weeks of camp. Any tips to prevent camp burnout or make sure that kids enjoy the full summer.

If you can, try to build some flexibility into your schedule, to allow for early pick-up or late drop-off on occasion. This can be hard for families with two working parents, but if you can manage it, it can make the camp experience easier. Also, be aware that the camp energy tends to be at its lowest during the 5th – 6th week of the season. This can be a good time to take a break.

Any other tips to provide a good summer experience for kids?

Don’t forget that summer camp sessions rarely cover the full summer break. If your time off is limited, you might want to take vacation the week before school starts, as few camps operate then.

Can you tell us about Camp Doodles? What makes you different from other camps?

Camp Doodles is a really fun day camp with a healthy balance between choice and structured activities. We offer two programs: for pre-K – 1st graders and for 2nd – 6th graders.

We have great activities and counselors who really care and engage with the kids.  They don’t just supervise. They participate in the activities. And we’re a small enough program that we can really cater to individual needs. We can care for children with severe nut allergies, families with a need for an unusual or flexible schedule (such as shortened days or occasional days). We try to make the experience as easy for parents and kids as possible.

Lastly, parents really appreciate our attention to detail. For example, our ATM style check-in, check-out system makes our camp very secure. Parents print a sticker to enable children to leave, and staffers ensure that every child exiting has a sticker. Every counselor has a walkie-talkie.

Scheduling eleven weeks of summer for two children is more difficult than solving an advanced Sudoku puzzle.

I love this line from Alix at Silicon Valley Moms Blog – it’s so true!

I really related to her description of the summer camp sign up process!. Here’s more from her post:

Scheduling eleven weeks of summer for two children is more difficult than solving an advanced Sudoku puzzle. Summer camp sign-ups have forced this electronic calendar mom to go back to paper. I mapped out which camp runs in which week, noted start and end times, and tripled-checked camp locations so I wouldn’t be commuting thirty minutes between camp pick-ups. After a few days of research and charting, I’m gleeful to have an idea of which weeks my children will be where, assuming we can actually get into the camps we want.

Read the rest of the post here:

Hey Summer Camp Directors, You Owe Me Interest

Welcome to Sign Up For Camp

I am a mom in San Francisco with two young kids. Raising kids in San Francisco, I had been adequately warned about the arduous  process of enrolling them in a kindergarten. Countless tours, interviews, essays, playdates and parent meetings, we found a school we loved and thought we were home-free for nine years.

Then came summer, and a new process entered my life. I was woefully unprepared for summer camp. Having to schedule activities for 10 weeks of summer turned into a part time job. The camps had to be reasonably located so that my husband and I had time to get work done between drop off and pick up. They had to have activities of at least some interest to my son. They had to cover every week we weren’t on vacation. They had to be willing to take a 6 year old boy. Lastly, they had to have at least one known friend attending. All these requirements led to hours of scheduling and almost 100 emails to friends, trying to arrange a happy summer.

If my effort of planning covered nine years of camps, I wouldn’t have complained. But clearly, this is a process I’ll be going through year after year. I don’t want to do that, so I’m building a website, Sign Up For Camp, to make it easier for parents to manage this process.

I also realized I made a lot of mistakes in planning my son’s first summer. For example, sending a 6 year old kid, even a very adaptable kid like mine, to 10 different programs, with different counselors, kids and activities, is probably a little much. Apparently, those 100 emails weren’t enough. I hope in this blog to share tips on camp as I build my website and talk with camp directors, and to learn from other moms who are much more experienced than me.