Day Trippers
Day camps allow children to have a camp experience
and still come home to the nest.
LYNNE KONSTANTIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
T
o day camp or to
sleep camp: This is
the question that
many parents begin
grappling with about this time
of year.
Besides the age and emo-
tional readthess factors, par-
ents must decide what kind of
camp experience they want
for their child. Day camp be-
comes appealing to the parent
— even to the older child —
for reasons ranging from keep-
ing the child close to home, to
finances.
Helaine Rodin-Keller of
Birmingham is mother to
Lucy, 6, and Jake, 9 1/2.
"Lucy's just getting used to
sleeping through the night in
her own bed in her own
house," Ms. Rodin-Keller
laughs. "She's got some time
before we start thinking about
her going away to camp."
Although Jake is at an age
which would be appropriate to
send to sleep-away camp — as
some of his friends do — Ms.
Rodin-Keller doesn't think
he'll go this year. "We're think-
ing about possibly trying a
week [away] at Tamarack, just
to try it. But he's really never
had the desire to go — he's
never had the interest and I
don't believe in pushing it."
Because Ms. Rodin-Keller
owns a business — she is co-
owner of Fitnesse Exercise Co.
— she is able to make time to
spend with her children in the
summer. "[My husband] works
during the day, but being a
personal trainer, I have the
ability to train in the morning
[while they're at day camp]
and then we get to do stuff in
the afternoon."
In addition, she says, she
just enjoys having her children
usie Pappas is a camp adviser
for Student Camp and Trip
Advisors Inc. (SCATA) in
West Bloomfield. Ms. Pap
pas' job is to assist parents in finding
the camp situation which best suits
the goals and personality of their
camper.
Ms. Pappas offers these tips to en-
sure a successful camp experience:
* Speak directly to the director of
the camp. This will allow you to get a
around. "They're so young.
Plus, I wouldn't want them
to go if they didn't want to,
and then have a bad sum-
mer and never want to go
again."
In introducing a child to
the camp experience, a par-
ent may opt for a special-
ized camp — such as a
sport, music or drama camp
— or one with Jewish over
tones, or one that is simply a
step up from day care, which
may ease the child in more
gently.
Kindercare provides child
care for ages 6 weeks to 12
years, and has 18 locations
within metro Detroit, says Lisa
Clayton, program director/as-
sistant at the Southfield loca-
tion. "A lot of our children
have been with us since infan-
cy, so when summer comes,
they will return because it's fa-
good feeling of the camp's philosophy
and the way the camp is run. "Feel
free to ask anything; there are
pid questions," she says.
* What is your child interested in
doing? How does he want to spend his
summer, and what do you want your
child to accomplish? Asking yourself
these basic questions will provide an
outline, or at least eliminate certain
possibilities.
* Talk to parents whose children
miliar and the parents know
what to expect. But many are
newcomers, too."
Kindercare's summer camp
has themes that change every
two weeks, including special
shows, projects or hobbies the
children choose, such as
sports, science and nature. Un-
like many local day camps,
Kindercare does not offer fi-
nancial aid or scholarships but,
says Ms. Clayton, the state of
Michigan provides financial
have gone to camps you are consider-
ing. Of course, different children have
different experiences -- take the re-
sponses with a grain of salt — but you
will get a better idea of how the camp
handles certain situations or certain
children.
* Does the camp provide transporta-
tion, and how long will your child be
on the bus?
* How big is each goup, how many
children per counselor?
Campers enjoy the JCC pool.
aid for the camp, based on
need.
Many area public schools of-
fer day camps as well. Lisa and
Gary Berman of Farmington
Hills have found a variety of
good day camp choices. Reva,
8 1/2, and Hannah, almost 6,
have both been to West
Bloomfield's Doherty day
camp, and last summer, Reva
went to Super Summer,
DAY page 128
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* Are diet°
schooVcollege student or trained/li-
censed?
* Will the chi 01.1
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* How long has the camp been Ir
business?
* Does the camp supply lunch? If
not, is there a place to refrigerate a
lunch brought by a camper?
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