If you are a working parent who needs full time child care for your school-aged child or simply looking for something fun for your child to do over the summer period, summer camp is a great alternative to having your child loaf around the house all day! Hide those video game controllers and slather on the sunblock…summer fun is on the way!

Spring/Summer camp offers your child the chance to make new friends, try out different sports or other physical activities, and maybe even discover a favourite form of art or learn a new dance routine. Even your family has one stay-at-home parent and you don’t necessarily need child care services, participating in a variety of activities with an educational slant is a good way to counteract summer learning loss.

The Spring/Summer period is the most opportune time for children to explore the world around them, learn new skills, and create fond memories. When choosing a summer camp for your child, there are few things to consider when comparing quality over cost.

Group Sizes

Look for a camp that can offer you low group ratios. A ratio of one animator per 10-12 children is the standard in quality child care for school-aged children. Don’t be shy to ask the camp administration how many supervisors are on site at all times.

Qualifications of Staff

As a parent, you’ll want to feel secure in knowing that your child is being taken care of by experienced professionals; animators who have First Aid certification, a background in animation, pedagogy or teaching, and who have been subjected to a recent background check.

Multi-activities vs. speciality-themed camps

Some might argue that registering your child in a specialty-themed camp (ex. archery, soccer, hockey, art) where one major activity is the focus is the only way to get your child to really explore a new activity. Others might argue that a multi-activities camp with a variety of activities throughout the summer is the best way to offer your child the chance to discover something new and exciting that speaks to him/her. If you are on the fence on this issue, why not try a week or two of a specialty-themed camp, and then do the same with a multi-activities camp?

Make sense of your dollars and cents

Investigate what tax credit programs are available for the camp you choose; not all camps are eligible for the same type of tax credit programs! A variety of provincial and federal tax credit programs are available depending on the type of camp you choose. In the province of Quebec, multi-activities camps are admissible for the highest percentage of tax credits, whereas specialty camps or sleep-away camps have restrictions on the amount per week that can be tax deductible. Keep in mind that catered lunch programs (which are charged directly to parents) are also not tax deductible. Look for a camp that requires your child to bring their own lunch, and not only will you save in the short term, but you will see more dollars come back to you in the form of tax credits. Camp administrators should be able to advise you on what tax credit programs are available for their camp, but you can also visit Revenue Quebec’s website for more information.

Creating memories that last a lifetime

Whatever type of camp you choose, a good sign that your child is happy, learning, and growing with each camp day is the fact that he/she complains about leaving camp at the end of the day!