Choosing the right summer camp for your child can be a challenging and sometimes overwhelming task. Since there’s a seemingly endless variety of choices to consider, matching the ideal camp to your child’s interests, personality, and busy schedule can be daunting. Furthermore, as a parent, you have the responsiblity of ensuring the camp you choose for your child is operated in a safe and appropriate manner for your child’s age and skill levels.

The following is a camp selection checklist for parents to consider when considering summer camp opportunities for their kids:

1. Identify the camp’s program emphasis.

Every camp has a different philosophy and program emphasis. Some camps promote structured group activities, while others give campers more individualized freedom to pick and choose the individual activities that appeal to them. Some camps offer strictly traditional activities, while others may focus exclusively on sports, drama, or surfing. Or, maybe your child would flourish in a competitive camp environment whereas another child would be better off participating in non-competitive camp activities. By knowing your child’s personality, interests, personality traits, and learning style, you can better identify the right camp for you.

2. Confirm that the camp is accredited by the American Camp Association.

In order to earn accreditation by the American Camp Association (ACA), camps must comply with up to 300 best-practice industry standards relating to camper health, safety, supervision and activity planning and execution which are crucial to a camp’s operation.

3. Ask about the camp director’s background.

To ensure that the camp director is qualified, make sure he or she meets the minimum standards set forth by the ACA. Such standards recommend that camp director holds a bachelor’s degree, has in-depth experience in camp administration, performed in-service training during the last three years, and is at least 25 years old.

4. Camper-to-counselor ratios. To make sure your child is getting the individual attention and supervision he or she needs for his or her age, compare the camp’s counselor-to-camper ratio to ACA standards. For day camps, the general ratios range from 8:1 for 6, 7 and 8 year olds, to 10:1 for 9 to 14 year olds, and 12:1 for campers ages 15 to 17. For sleepaway camps, the general recommended ratio is 6:1 for 7 and 8 year olds, 8:1 for 9 to 14 year olds and 10:1 for campers ages 15 to 17.

(Please note, the above-cited child-to-counselor ratio standards are only ACA’s general, MINIMUM recommendations and may vary depending on various situations and/or conditions. Moreover, there could be additional standards relating to specific programs and/or activities where more supervision may be prudent, if not required. Accordingly, you should use your own judgement and conduct your own research to decide what is appropriate for you and your child.)

5. Inquire about camp staff: Your child’s counselors can make or break a child’s camp experience.

In addition to facilitating camp activities, counselors serve as role models and should be dependable, trustworthy, and show enthusiasm for their job. For safety reasons, counselors should also be CPR and First Aid-Certified and have undergone criminal background checks prior to employment by the camp.

6. Accommodation of special needs.

If your child has special needs due to an allergy or other medical condition, be sure to ask if the camp is equipped to handle these requirements.

7. Find out about how the camp handles discipline.

As in any organization, rules need to be followed and the camp’s disciplinary approach should be fair, reasonable and openly communicated. Positive reinforcement, a sense of fair play and assertive role-modeling are important things to look for. If penalties apply to certain violations, camp staff should apply them fairly, calmly and without unnecessary criticism.

8. Check the camp’s references.

References can provide you with a glimpse of the experiences others have had at a camp, and they are an important way of checking out a camp’s track record and reputation. Before you choose a camp, the camp director should be willing to provide references upon request.

Good luck choosing a camp and have a great summer!

Copyright Eric D. Naftulin and Aloha Beach Camp. All rights reserved.

Whether your kid is attending a one-week or an eight-week camp, packing can seem like a intimidating task .Here are few things to consider before you start for a camp, the luggage to use and extra items that you may forget.

1. Things to inquire before you start packing for a camp

•    Would I get a camp clothing list? This might be your best source of information for what the camp may require and doesn’t. On the list, you can find a number of recommended clothing items and other things to bring for particular events, like overnight campouts or themed activities. If you have not received a clothing list, you can call the camp or visit their site and see if the list is available.

•    What they should not bring? Each camp is different and has their own rules for what every camper is allowed. So enquire about it.

•    Do they want uniforms? Several camps try to lessen “competitive dressing” among campers by having uniforms. Some camps require all clothing to include their camp logo; some may require a particular shirt and short color. Be sure to clear up any questions regarding your child’s necessary clothing before your child leaves for the camp.

•    What stuff does the camp offer? Some camps will provide sheets, mattress, and additional blankets and some even supply towels. Review your clothing catalog for more information about things the camp provides.

2. Selecting your type of luggage: Now you have the items that are needed to pack, what type of luggage you should use? Here is the list of the most common luggage types and pros and cons of each.

•    A Duffel bag: It is large and sturdy but it can get damaged if shipped.

•    Trunk: Good for camps with longer stays and is also sturdy and does not damage easily if shipped though it is bulky.

•    Suitcase: It is best for short camp stays; simple to organize clothing, as most of it have many compartments; easier for a child to carry alone as most have wheels and handles.

Things that you should not forget:

•    Adjoin a nametag to each piece of luggage.

•    Write down lock combination or have extra keys for key locks. Place them in a safe place for your child or you could give copies to your child’s counselor or camp director (some may require it).

•    Find out whether you could ship luggage directly from your residence to camp. Now many camps have assigned trucking companies to consider shipping your luggage through another shipping company.

Extras that you may forget

•    Medications: Find the camp’s events for handling daily medications or refills.

•    Forms: Most camps need a vaccination and a health screening form. Enquire when you need to send the completed forms to camp.

•    Updated contact information: If your contact information is changed since you registered your child for camp then call and update the camp director with your new contact information.

Where “general” or “traditional” camp programs have historically been the norm, specialty summer camp programs for kids and teens — which focus on one just one activity or a few related ones — are growing in popularity year after year. Nowhere is this more evident than along the southern California coastline, where surf camps are one of the fastest growing segments in the specialty camp sector. The increased interest in the sport, especially among children, has led to the proliferation of surf camps up and down the coast. Just take a stroll along the beaches of San Diego or Los Angeles and you’ll see group after group of happy campers learning to surf from their caring camp counselors and surfing instructors.

If your child has expressed an interest in learning to surf, sign him or her up for a summer surf camp experience!

But how can you tell you’re picking the right one?

When you choose a surf camp, it’s always wise to narrow your search down to one that’s earned accreditation by the American Camp Association. If a surf camp has achieved this status, it means the camp meets or exceeds up to 300 best-practice industry standards running the gamut from program and activity quality to camper safety to staffing and supervision and more.

If the surf camp you’re considering is not accredited by the American Camp Association, then you should ask the camp director why that’s the case. If you are not satisfied with the answer, it’s time to move on to the next surf camp.

Surf camp accreditation status is certainly not the only criteria to rely on when choosing a surf camp. You must also be sure the counselors and surfing instructors are experienced, qualified and have basic safety certifications in CPR, First Aid and lifeguarding. (While the ocean environment is tremendously fun, it demands respect, too. So you want to be certain your child is being instructed by capable and qualified staff who are equipped to handle any potential scenario that might come up, particularly with respect to your child’s safety at the beach.)

Concerning the individuals who will be supervising and teaching your child to surf, you want to choose a surf camp with experienced instructors who are caring, nurturing, and capable of teaching children of all ages, temperaments, and ability levels whether they are beginning, intermediate or advanced surfers.

You also want to make sure the surf camp incorporates a heavy dose of beach, water, and sun safety learning components into its program so your child gets them most well-rounded surf camp experience possible.

In addition, the surf camp should provide new equipment (including surfboards and wetsuits), and the camp program should take place only in ideal learning environments such as oceans with soft sandy bottoms and consistent wave activity.

In addition, there should be a public lifeguard supervising the surf camp program at all times.

Often overlooked in a parents’ search for a surf camp is to confirm whether the camp has a high profile sponsor connected to it. For example, if you choose a surf camp that is sponsored by Billabong or Quicksilver (which are huge companies and very well-respected in the surfing industry), you can be fairly certain you’re on the right track because these organizations will generally only attach their names to trusted surf camps with respectable camp programs.

We hope this article has helped you learn how to choose a surf camp.

Copyright Eric Naftulin and Aloha Beach Camp. All rights reserved.

More and more children than at any time before are wanting to learn how to play golf. Why? Tiger Woods may have something to do with that. He has popularized the game of golf among children of all ages.

It seems that kids are finding out what the adults already know: golf is a lot of fun! As your children may enjoy banging out golf balls with one of your golf clubs, where do you start in developing their skills? Here are some helpful golf training aids in giving your child a head start in learning to play golf.

Get Them In A Class One of the most important things you can do for your child is to enroll them in a golf class. Let the professionals teach them the right golf teaching tools. Many local golf courses have golf instructional classes just for kids. There is also no need to rush out and purchase a set of golf clubs for your child. The class will provide the golf clubs for them. Not only will you save some money right now, but it will give you time to find out if your child truly enjoys the game of golf or not. The last thing you want to do is go out and spend a few hundred dollars on golf clubs only to find out later that your child doesn’t like golf after all.

Be Patient This tip is an important one for both you and your child. Have patience with your child. It’s so easy to want to see your child start pounding long bombs like John Daly and sinking 30 foot putts. For them to enjoy golf and want to continue learning the game they need your support. Let them progress at their own rate. The golf classes will do a world of good in helping to develop their own skills.

Encouragement While your out hitting golf balls on the driving range, be sure and give your child a lot of encouragement, even if they are spraying balls all over the range. They will pick up the finer points of the game later as they grow older. Take a moment and think about how it was for you when you first started out.

After your child has taken some classes and shows a real interest in the game of golf, then go ahead and get them there own set of golf clubs. Gave your child fitted properly. Of course, since they will be continually growing in height and weight, understand that the clubs you buy today may be too small within a year or two at the most.

Have Fun Take the time that you spend golfing with your children as a time of bonding. Enjoy yourselves and the time you’re out on the course. Use this time to develop good communication with your child. Talk about other issues going on other than golf. You’ll be surprised at how the golf course can help you and your children bond together. It will spill over into other areas of their lives as well.

A kids college savings plan is very important for you to do as a parent. You will want to start saving early! The sooner you start saving for college the better! You can start by saving a certain amount of money each month for your child’s education and increase the amount you save over time.

You would probably agree, that your kids college savings plan is important. Should I invest the money I have saved for my child’s education in stocks, bonds or annuity? Well, based on the amount of time you have to invest this money will determine what financial vehicle is best for you.

For instance, if your child is younger, the more risk you are able to take which may allow you to invest in stocks.

However, if you have less time to invest the money you have saved for college, a money market or certificate of deposit may be where you should consider placing those funds.

As part of my kids college savings, what is a 529 College Savings Plan? This type of plan allows you to save for your child’s college education on a tax deferred basis.

The contributions made to the plan grow until your child takes money from the plan when he or she begins college.

As your child takes money from the plan to pay tuition, you pay taxes on the contributions made to the college plan based on your child’s tax rate which is usually lower. For my kids college savings plan, are there any tax credits available to help pay for my child’s education? Yes. The Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits. These tax credits provide a dollar for dollar reduction in the amount of federal income taxes you may owe.

The Hope Credit can be used for college expenses incurred for the first two years of college, and up to a certain amount per year.

The Lifetime Learning Credit applies to tuition costs for undergraduates and graduate students. This credit can be used for a certain amount of your child’s college expenses each year.

How can I pay for my child’s college education if I do not have enough money saved? You or your child can complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA).

The FAFSA application will determine whether or not your child, will be eligible to receive financial aid from the following programs: grants, work study, subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Your child can also apply for various scholarships for college.

With all of the things that today’s parents have to do a CPR certification class is at the bottom of the list. But would you know what to do if your child stopped breathing? What if they choke on something? If you were CPR certified you would be able to aid in saving your child until the paramedics arrive.

When you put you child and you family in those life-threatening situations it makes you think twice about being CPR certified. Don’t put off getting certified any longer because you never know when an accident will happen.

CPR certification has come a long way and is now available to obtain over the internet. In just a short amount of time all of the busy parents could be certified and prepared to aid in any situation.

American CPR Care Association is a company that offers three different courses for a student to take. CPR/AED, fist aid and a health care provider course. You can find their website at www.cprcare.com. Each of the courses offers unique and interesting material that can help people to build the proper life-saving techniques such as victim positioning, proper mouth placement, breathing methods, chest compressions as well as many others. The course also offers both reading material and videos to help learn the techniques. Upon completion of the course you can immediately print out your own certification card and an official certification card will be sent to you in the mail shortly after. Online CPR certification is an easy, quick and convenient for anyone to use.

It is not too late to learn CPR and by using the online courses with American CPR Care Association you can be certified almost immediately. Take your first step by visiting our website at www.cprcare.com and registering for the course today!

Most mothers live in a constant state of worry about the right nutrition for kids and how to go about achieving it. The problem does not lie with their lack of information but with the un-cooperative attitude of their children. Almost all kids seem to have problems with consuming the kind of nutritious food that aids mental and physical development. Struggles relating to food issues are ubiquitous and mothers are commonly found discussing strategies to overcome this barrier. How do you ensure that your child has a healthy eating habit and does not fall ill or suffer otherwise due to inadequate nutrition in his diet?

The frank answer is that you have to begin planning right from your child’s infancy so that she is naturally attracted to healthy food. Nutrition for kids is not something that you can change overnight after the realization dawns in that you have a problem on your hands with your kids’ eating pattern. However, with some perseverance, you will achieve your goal and your child will turn into an adventurous and keen eater. The best way to start, though, is from the initial stages when you breastfeed your child.

Breastfeeding ensures that your child has only the necessary amount of milk and does not drink even when she is satiated. This is one of the drawbacks of bottle-feeding wherein the parent encourages the child to drink the entire bottle and the child does so despite feeling full. If this habit of over-eating persists into adult life, your child may face problems of obesity and other weight related issues. So, stop the bottle and start breast-feeding your child whenever possible.

A great way to guarantee nutrition for kids is to have your kids share their mealtime with you. A small toddler feels grown-up and important by being included in this ritual. This will make her more receptive to new food items on the table. Observing the talk and the laughter that accompanies food will also heighten her sense of well-being and this feeling is extended to the food that goes with it.

Many a time, parents do not let children eat by themselves even if that is what the child wants. Mothers especially fear the resultant mess when the child feeds herself. This hurts the tender ego of your child who perceives it as a complete lack of control over her activities. Many kids refuse food thereafter as they want to express their sense of dissatisfaction in some way or the other. Losing your rigidity as a parent is very important here. You need to let your child experiment with her capabilities and eating food by herself is high on the priority list of to-dos for your child. By allowing your child to so, you are not only providing nutrition for kids but also helping them to become independent.

A reliable method of tempting your child to try new items on his platter is by presenting her with a wide array of interesting choices. Of course, lack of time may not always permit you to do so, but at least try this twice a week so that your child looks forward to the menu and forms a good impression of the whole eating experience.

Since most kids are averse to trying out vegetables and fruits in their diet, nutrition for kids means devising creative ways of getting them involved in the cooking process. You could even take them to the supermarket with you and let them select a vegetable or fruit of their choice. Planting your own garden is another way of provoking the curiosity of your child. You can encourage your child to tend certain vegetable plants as a pet project. Your child will naturally be interested in sampling out vegetables or fruits that come from his/her particular plant. Letting your child help with the cooking will also prompt him to take an active part in the proceedings and feel a direct interest in the food menu.

As kids have a tendency to get bored with repetitive food choices, exert your ingenuity and culinary skills by coming up with something totally novel once in a while. Your child will definitely appreciate your efforts and reciprocate with fervor by avidly trying out your menu. Combining vegetables with food items like pizza, soups, macaroni and cheese etc. is a good way of meeting up with the nutrition for kids’ requirement. Again, whipping up a healthy fruit salad frequently and storing fresh fruits can serve as a healthy replacement for your child’s desert needs.

Despite your diverse tactics, your child may disappoint you once in a while and refuse healthy food. Do not react with anger and frustration at these times and above all, never coerce your child into eating as this will infuse a negative feeling into the entire eating experience. The mature thing to do during such occasions is to just let go and present the same item at some future juncture when your child is more amenable to trying out new food items. This will help your nutrition for kids plan in the long run.

One of the best ways to create a healthy eating pattern for your child is to focus on family mealtimes. Make this time of the day as leisurely as possible and make the dining place a venue for discussing things that you enjoy or the good things that happened to each family member that day. You should always try and avoid arguments or other negative emotions from creeping into the family mealtime as this will directly impact the quality of your eating experience. Thus, if family mealtimes can be converted into ‘happy times’ for your family, your kids will pick up healthy eating patterns and your nutrition for kids plan will be a success.

However, when following or including these tips into your family plan, do remember that every child will have specific nutrition needs and a generalized nutrition for kids plan will not work. Also, kids’ appetites and tastes keep on changing every day, so you need to develop a flexible approach to your child’s eating habits and never impose a harsh diet regime for your child. Apart from this, you also need to focus on your own dietary intake. If you follow a healthy lifestyle and opt for healthy and nutritious food, your children will automatically follow your example. This will make it very easy for you to adopt a well-rounded diet plan for your child. So, before your start advising your child on correct eating habits, implement these into your own dietary schedule. By doing so, you will be blessed with kids who are healthy, well-developed and lead a relatively disease-free life. Isn’t that a parent’s dream come true?

When it comes to Halloween costumes, we always decided to make our own because we felt it was foolish to spend $35 and up, for a costume that our child was only going to wear one time. Over the years, my sister-in-law and I have made numerous costumes for our children and I thought I would share a few simple ideas with you.

If you are concerned about safety, I recommend purchasing some reflective material patches at your local fabric and crafts store, and sew or glue them onto your child’s costume. This safety measure will help car drivers to see them at night as they are crossing the street. I always recommend that a responsible adult accompany children on Trick or Treat night.

Here are the Halloween costume ideas we came up with over the years.

Lady Bug – You will need: red leotard, red tights, 4 sheets of black felt and fabric glue. Cut out some circles and ovals from the felt and glue onto the red leotard so that it looks like lady bug spots. To make antennae, purchase a black headband, 2 round 3″ diameter Styrofoam balls, 2 pencils, black acrylic paint and gorilla glue. Paint the Styrofoam balls and pencils black and let dry. Glue pencils to the center of the Styrofoam balls, let dry and then glue the pencils to the top of the head band.

Note: You could use the same concept above and do a bumble bee and substitute the red clothing items with yellow clothing items and make black felt bee-style stripes.

Construction Worker – You will need: denim blue jeans, white T-shirt, flannel shirt and a yellow plastic hard hat found at a discount toy store. You can borrow a man’s tool belt or purchase a canvas-style apron with pockets at a local craft store for a few dollars. If desired, visit your local dollar discount store and purchase a plastic tool set to stick into the pockets of the tool belt.

Golfer – You will need: khaki colored pants, polo-style shirt and a plaid golfers cap. You can purchase plastic golf clubs and balls at your local dollar discount store. We made our own golf bag by emptying out a large round cardboard tube and painting it with acrylic paints. Punch a hole in each side of the tube and attach twine for a carrying strap. You can fit 3-4 plastic golf clubs into the holder and have your child carry it over their shoulder.

Nurse – You will need: white skirt, shirt, tights and shoes which your child most likely already has in her closet. To add to that, purchase a child’s size nurses cap at a costume store along with a plastic doctor’s kit at your local dollar discount store. We also accented the white shirt with a name badge and a red felt first-aid cross that we hand drew and safety pinned to the shirt.

Mummy – You will need: white clothing, white ski mask, white sneakers, several rolls of white first aid bandages and numerous safety pins. We cut the bandages into 12-24″ lengths and safety pinned them around the legs, arms and abdomen of the outfit. We chose to use fabric glue to attach them to the white ski mask. If you are making this costume for a small child, then I recommend using non-toxic fabric glue instead of the safety pins.

Black Spider – You will need: black jeans, black sweatshirt, 2 pairs of black little girls tights, 1 bag of fiberfill stuffing, black thread. You need to cut the panty portion off of the tights and just use the legs. Stuff each leg firmly with fiberfill and then sew the end shut with thread. Do this for a total of 4 spider legs. You will want to hand sew (or machine sew) the stuffed legs onto the sides of the black sweatshirt about 4-5″ below the sweatshirt arm. If desired, you can paint the child’s face black or lime green with face paints.

Crayon – You will need: your choice of colored clothing, we selected orange to fit with the Halloween theme, along with several sheets of black felt, fabric glue and a black fabric paint. Grab one of your child’s crayons and use it as an example on how you should cut out designs from your black felt. Attach those designs onto the clothing items so that it resembles a crayon. You can use the black fabric paint to paint on the crayon-makers name on the front of the shirt. To further fit with our theme, we machine sewn a triangular hat out of matching orange felt, so that ‘our’ little crayon had a pointy crayon top.

If you try to think back to your childhood years, then you will realize that you probably spent the bulk of it on playing. Looking back, it seems rather weird that the boundless energy of youth would be spent on hundreds and thousands of hours of playing. But why do children love to play in the first place?

Playing as an Integral Part of Childhood

Playing is an integral part of childhood. In fact, it is through playing that children learn. Babies learn to grasp objects by playing around with rattles. They may seem to be ‘just playing around’ but they’re actually improving their hand-eye coordination, their balance, and several other things that are necessary for development. In fact, for a child to survive in this world, it is absolutely essential for them to play. They won’t learn anything if they don’t do so and will therefore be unable to gain any vital survival skills.

Studying as an Integral Part of Childhood

Studying is also an integral part of childhood. When a child is in the school age (6-12 yrs. Old), he usually gets his kicks by being an achiever. It pleases him to be good at class and to know lots of information, thus, they also enjoy English dictionary for kids. Children in this age group are also usually very competitive in terms of academics or sports. Being knowledgeable is absolutely essential for a child’s development and his self-esteem. So, to be knowledgeable, the child has to study, especially focusing on English grammar for kids if the parents want them to learn that.

Playing and Studying Combined

But studying and playing are usually at the opposite ends of the spectrum. One is boring while one is excessively enjoyable, like when it comes to games for learning English. Also, kids have boundless energy which they can spend on playing. Most kids usually hate staying put in one place. All that excess energy is calling for them to do something fun, and when a child is forced to sit down and study English for kids, the task quickly becomes boring or tedious for him and thus gets easily distracted. However, when playing and studying are combined into one activity as is the case in edutainment, the child’s needs are met. Here, how to learn English for kids need not be boring as there are English songs for kids that they can sing along with to broaden their knowledge.

Another fun English for kids’ way of learning is by joining your kids. Learn English for kids and make it interesting with the use of visual aids and such.

Recent findings have suggested that over 50% of parents still don’t know the basic first aid skills like dressing and treating open wounds. Plus, 6 out of 10 parents wouldn’t know how to look after their child in an emergency and would often wait for an ambulance to arrive first.

Dr Hilary Jones, the TV doctor from ITV’s GMTV show said all parents should have the opportunity to learn first aid.

“We know how to feed them, what shopping to get and how to clothe them and keep them warm enough but we don’t know what to do in an emergency.

“I know as a parent myself that when you’re confronted with your own child after an accident you think what do I do. Even though I have 30 years medical training it’s your own child and it makes it harder.”

416,000 children under 5 have accidents in the home.

Dr Hilary Jones added: “It’s a frightening figure and these are the ones that are just reported to accident and emergency departments. There are a lot of other minor things going on. 100,000 of those are caused by falling or slipping. Eight out of ten parents aren’t fitting car seats properly and things like meningitis will occur in 3,000 cases every year, resulting in 300 deaths.

The well known television doctor said parents are often the first people on the scene.

“Stopping bleeding or doing something quickly about choking can make a real difference. Choking in particular – you can’t just wait for the ambulance to arrive. If you deprive the brain of oxygen for more than a couple of minutes you don’t know what the outcome will be so it’s the parent who is there who can save the life,” he said.

Dr Hanna Shaw from the UK Royal Life Saving Society said she is not surprised that many parents don’t know first aid, including resuscitation.

“You’re so terrified about being a parent anyway that to think about resuscitation is bottom of everybody’s list. When people think about resuscitating courses they think about resuscitating adults who had heart attacks. Nobody really thinks that babies choke and occasionally babies do stop breathing.”

For more information about first aid courses in the UK visit the UK Royal Life Saving Society. Or, contact your local Saint John’s Ambulance society. Alternatively, contact your local helth advisor or doctor to discuss a course near you today. You never know, it could save a life.