I firmly believe that every child will benefit from an overnight Bible camp experience! However, not every child may be ready for the experience this summer, and different children will be ready at different ages. We want your child to have a positive camp experience, but how do you know when they are ready? Here are the things we consider before sending our children to overnight Bible camp:
1. How adventurous is your child?
Some children are always ready to try new things and some children prefer to observe for a while before trying something new. Adventurous children will generally be ready for camp at an earlier age than a more cautious child.
2. Is this child an introvert or an extrovert?
Is your child energized by being around people or does your child prefer to play alone or need lots of time alone to recharge? Camp tends to be loud, active, and full of people. Extroverted children generally love camp and all the people and activity. More introverted children need a bit of maturity to monitor themselves and recognize their need for down time before they end up miserable. A look at the camp schedule and activity options can give you a good idea of how much time there is for rest and free time.
3. Has your child spent overnights away from home and parents before? For how many nights?
If your child handles overnights with grandparents well, this is a good indicator that he or she can also enjoy summer camp. Miracle Bible Camp offers a shorter camp week (Jump Start) for younger campers or those who aren’t ready for a full week of camp.
4. Does your child know this camp…Is it a place they are comfortable?
I won’t send my child to just any Bible camp. I want a camp that I know is a good fit for my child and for our beliefs. That’s why we intentionally get to know the camp before we choose to send our children. One great way to do this is to attend a community day, a family camp, or parent/child retreat. This gives your child a camp experience (with you there) so they become familiar with the camp. It also gives you, as the parent, a great opportunity to meet the staff and see if you feel comfortable with and agree with them. You can also request to visit camp with your child to take a tour and meet some of the staff.
5. Does your child want to go to camp?
Even if you think your child is ready to attend an overnight Bible camp, don’t send them if they don’t want to go! Instead, try a day camp or family camp to give them the camp experience, while building their confidence and excitement to attend by themselves. There is always next summer!
