Expanding Friendships
INTERNATIONAL CAMPERS
We love having international families at Camp James! All international families must have two US phone numbers when their children attend camp. In the case of an emergency, we cannot rely on email or international numbers. Failure to provide working US phone numbers may result in your child being removed from camp. You must have a US address (it can be your hotel) and provide Medical Insurance for your child if they are to attend. Parents need to be available to pick their child up within 30 minutes in the event an emergency comes up.
All campers who attend camp must be able to speak and understand English proficiently. – they do not need to speak perfect English, but it does mean that they can follow directions, ask for what they need, listen to safety instructions, and communicate with their peers and leaders to be a part of the camp community. It is expected that children can speak and understand basic English and are emotionally prepared for being in an environment that is quite different from their home. If you have a child who is not communicating daily in English, this might not be the best place for them this summer. Or start practicing now to be ready for summer! This is for the sake of their own emotional and physical safety.
We group campers by age. If they are attending with relatives, unless they are the same age, they may not see the relative at camp as each group has different activities. Your child needs to be prepared for being separated from their parents at drop off and be ready for a different type of experience than school. Camp is loud, outside, sandy, and lots of fun but some children can be overwhelmed for the first time.
For Children Ages 5 - 13
Is my Child Ready?
Deciding if your child is ready for camp is important to the success a child will have at camp. Involve your child in deciding whether to come to Camp James by letting them look at our website and having a discussion. Children who want to go to camp, as opposed to those who feel forced to go to camp, tend to have a better time.
Camp starts at age 5 your child must be fully potty trained but we do not recommend sending your child to camp as their first time away from mom and dad. FYI Fully potty trained means being able to wipe themselves independently and being able to pull your own pants up, folks!
Young campers who have already attended preschool or some form of daycare tend to do better in this large camp environment that requires even our youngest campers to demonstrate independence and self–reliance.
Camp James is made up of all types of campers and team members. Some are loud and proud, and others are shy and reserved. Because of the various activities offered at Camp James, we get a wide variety of different types of people. Make sure your child knows what to expect from camp, specifically that activities are scheduled for them. Some activities may not be their favorite …yet. We encourage campers to try new things. This will help them build resilience, self determinism and grow.
Am I ready for my child to go to camp?
In many cases, your child is ready for camp, but you as a parent may not be. It is hard to leave your precious ones with a camp like ours that has so many activities going on. You need to feel comfortable when you send your child to camp. Our staff has one goal to achieve and that is to make camp a positive experience for the children in our care.
It is normal to have some hesitation leaving your child to be cared for by others but if you have a strong sense that you must remain on the camp grounds, will need an hourly check-in from our office that your child is fine, only allow your child to attend if they can keep their cell phone, or spend your entire day worrying about the welfare of your child, we strongly suggest you wait to enroll your child in the camp until you are ready for them to be a camper. Becoming a camper is a rite of passage in a way; it is a chance for your child to show their independence from their family take on personal responsibilities and grow. If our camp is not the place for you, we hope you give us a try when both you and your camper are ready. If you would like a 15-minute consultation about our camp or other camps and your decisions for summer give us a call. We are happy to chat.
