fbpx
Site logo

--- Advertisement ---

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

At What Age is a Child Ready for Overnight Camps?

Half term summer kids camp - Children playing a game with a colourful Parachute

One of the most frequent questions parents have when registering their children for any camp is what is the ideal age for kids to attend an overnight summer camp? Below are some recommended guidelines and suggestions for parents who are ready to send their child to camp but aren’t sure what age is best.

Only send your 6 to 8 years old to camp if:

1. Your child is a fairly independent kid (not clingy) and can take a shower on his/her own. If your child happily goes to school and is fine at day camps and other activities without you constantly by his/her side, then he/she’s probably ready for camp. Parents often worry about the logistical stuff with young kids.  “Will someone make sure he eats?  Puts on sunscreen? What if he wets the bed?”  Know that, at a well-run, accredited camp program, counselors are trained to take care of young children. They will make sure your camper gets enough water, eats properly, and puts on sunscreen. Most camps work with families of bed wetters to help them feel comfortable coming to camp.  You just need to make a plan on how to manage the bed wetting with the staff at your child’s camp.

2. Your child is ASKING to go. This usually occurs with younger siblings who visit or hear about camp from older brothers and sisters.  They’ve been watching and hearing about the fun for a few years and they want “in.”  I’ve often been at camp events where older kids are coming to hear about camp, and the younger siblings in attendance end up begging their parents to let them go to camp, too.

3. You, as the parent, are confident in your child’s ability to be away from you.  And you are able to express that confidence to your child.  And you can handle the separation.  For young kids, focus on if your child is ready.  This is not the age to force camp upon a hesitant child.

Girls playing on tyre swing at summer camp

Once your child is 9 to 10 years old, there are three different guidelines, depending on your child and you:

1. If your 9-10 year old is excited to go to camp, go for it!  Find a camp and sign him/her up!

2. If your 9-10 year old is hesitant about going to camp:

Talk with other families whose kids go to camp to expose him/her to the idea.  Hearing how much other kids like camp might encourage him/her to want to go.

Browse websites and watch camp videos to show your child the fun that happens at camp.

3. If your 9-10 year old child is STILL hesitant, you have two choices:

The Hard Choice: Tell your child, “I know you’re ready for this experience and it will be a good experience for you that I don’t want you to miss out on. I know you’re nervous, but this is something that is important for you to do.” Explain all the benefits of camp and how you think camp will be great for him/her and how it is an important step in his/her growth and development.  Let your child know that you, as the parent, think it’s an important experience that you don’t want him/her to miss out on.  And then, sign up for camp that is a good fit for your child and offers activities he/she is interested in!  Making this choice requires being able to stand your ground and not give in to whining.  Better to not dwell on the topic until it gets closer to summer.  Sign up but don’t talk about it too much, too far in advance if your child is especially anxious about it.

The Easier Choice (for now): Give your child a one year “pass,” but follow through!  “Okay, no camp this summer, but next year you’re for sure going to a camp we choose together that is a good fit for you.  I know you’re ready, and it will be a great experience for you that I don’t want you to miss out on.  I know you’re nervous, but this is something that is important for you to do.”

Group of children sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows

Kids who are hesitant about camp at 9 or 10 are likely to still be hesitant at 13, and possibly hesitant at 18 about going to college.  Kids who are nervous about being away from home and parents need to figure out how to work through those feelings, and time away at camp is a great way to start!  It’s actually easier to start camp at 9 or 10 and work through those difficult homesick emotions without also contending with puberty. So… knowing that it’s great to get your child some independent experience early, forge ahead confidently (or at least pretend you’re confident!).

If your child is 11, 12 or older, it’s really time.  See above steps but don’t do the easier choice.  Remember when you were that age?  Your best memories were not hanging out with your parents.  Time to get some fun, independent experience. Plus, the kids who tend to have the most extreme homesickness are the older ones who’ve never been away.  But, if your child is one who may experience that extreme homesickness, isn’t it much better that it happen during a 3-week summer program than when they’re a freshman in college?

In a world with endless possibilities for your child’s summer, it’s time to consider the option that will have a meaningful and profound impact on the future of your son or daughter. 

Pssst... like what you're reading?

Join our community and never miss an event, post or update!

Just enter your email address below:

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Follow Us!

Upcoming Events

Noddy by Elizabeth International Playgroup – Toddler Playgroup

Noddy by Elizabeth - International Playgroup ซอยเย็นอากาศ 2 แยก 3 ถนนเย็นอากาศ แขวงช่องนนทรี เขตยานนาวา,, Bangkok, Thailand

Let your little one enjoy the perfect mix of play and learning! Join our toddler playgroup where your 1-3 year olds can experience indoor activities, outdoor adventures, and fun story […]

฿400

BimBi.Italiani – Imparando L’Italiano

Salesian Sisters Foundation, Thailand Sala Daeng Rd, Si Lom, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand

  Imparando L’Italiano Italian Language Laboratory Courses for Native Speaker Children Registrations Are Open in Bangkok, Thailand! Period: January – June 2025 Age Groups: 3-5 years and 6-10 years Location: […]

฿610 – ฿10455

Siam Singapore International School – Trilingual Enrichment Programme

Siam Singapore international School Siam Singapore international School, 153 Phaya Thai Rd, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

Join the Trilingual Enrichment Programme at Siam Singapore International School (SSIS)  February to May 2025 Siam Singapore International School is inviting students from Nursery to Primary 6 to join our […]

฿10000 – ฿43000

Scrambled Art: Children Process Art Club – Process Art and “STEAM”

Scrambled Art: Children Process Art Club 675 Muangtong2/2 Pattanakarn 61, Pattanakarn Rd, , Bangkok,, Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

WELCOME TO MAY Start your children learning journey with some exciting art project. This year our studio has adjusted and updated new course to be more suitable for our current […]

฿5940 – ฿12750

Scrambled Art: Children Process Art Club – Sensory n Process Art (1.6-3yrs)

Scrambled Art: Children Process Art Club 675 Muangtong2/2 Pattanakarn 61, Pattanakarn Rd, , Bangkok,, Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

WELCOME TO MAY Start your children learning journey with some exciting art project. This year our studio has adjusted and updated new course to be more suitable for our current […]

฿5940 – ฿12750
Get The Latest Updates

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

Get the latest kid and family-friendly activities and events in your inbox every Thursday! No spam, guaranteed.

More information

You May Also Like...

Best Summer Camps for Kids in 2

Summer Camps for Kids in Bangkok

By popular demand our full list of summer camps is back! All kids love a holiday camp, they spend most of the year going from home to school to extracurricular

self confidence - mental health

Healthy Relationships from the Inside Out

Cultivating a positive relationship with yourself is the building block for your own world. When you can nurture yourself and value what you can bring, you have high self-esteem and

Woman asking for help in a stressful situation

Depression as an Expat Parent

Everyone appreciates that as a parent you can have bad days. But what do you do when those days turn into weeks, and the weeks turn into months? Clinical depression