Most camps offer a general program of outdoor activities of hiking, swimming, sports and games, arts and crafts, and nature awareness. Some camps have special emphasis on programs such as horseback riding, water sports, music, or adventure challenge activities. While camps provide facilities and services for a broad range of children, youth, and adults, some camps provide services to special groups: There are programs for seniors, families, campers with cancer, gifted and talented children, youth at risk, diabetics, asthmatics, or persons with disabilities.
Types of Camps
Of the estimated 12,000 American camps,
approximately 7,000 are resident camps and 5,000 are day camps. Resident camps
are designed for campers staying at camp from several days to eight weeks.
Campers sleep overnight in cabins, tents, tepees or other forms of shelter, and
participate in a variety of supervised activities. Having grown by nearly 90%
in the past 20 years, day camps offer sessions and age-appropriate programs
similar to resident camps. Campers are often transported to camp by a bus or
van, and return home each day in the late afternoon.
Other trends incorporate less traditional models for the camp experience. Trip Camps provide programs where the participants transport themselves to different sites by backpacking, riding, or canoeing. Travel camps often transport campers by car or bus to geographic and topographic places of interest.
In addition to the increase of children with disabilities being mainstreamed into camps, many new camps have opened to provide specialized services to children with special medical needs.
Year-round use of camp facilities is a growing trend. Programs are evolving from spring and fall ancillary weekends to winterized full service operations seven days a week. Many camps work with schools to provide environmental education during the school year, provide year-round program and food services, and have some year-round staff.
Camps can often be rented to other groups, such as school groups, wishing to provide camp programs to their constituents. With meeting rooms, sleeping, and eating accommodations readily available, many facilities are both camps and year-round conference or retreat centers.
Program Trends
In an ACA survey, 75% of the directors
reported adding new activities and programs over the last few years. The most
common program trends in camps are challenging and adventurous activities
including high and low ropes courses, climbing walls, zip lines, backpacking,
mountain biking, and cave exploring. There is also an increased emphasis on
performing arts and fine arts such as dance, theater, singing, ceramics,
leather crafts, woodworking, photography, etc.
- Community clean-ups
- Food drives
- Recycling programs
- Volunteering with senior citizens and hospital patients
ACA accredits over 2,400 camps. ACA-Accredited™ camps meet up to 300 standards for health, safety, and program quality. Visit ww.ACAnorthland.org. For more information about child development and the camp experience, please visit our family-dedicated Website, www.CampParents.org.
Featured ACA Camps Directors:
Q: How does ACA accreditations impact your camp in providing quality camping experiences and help keep you aware of new trends?
Bob Gagner Because ACA is a national body and is in contact with camps around the country they are our main source for learning about new trends, important standards, and ways to improve our camp.
Bob Gagner Kids have less access to the outdoors today and we recognize that their comfort level is less then it was years ago. At camp Icaghowan, every cabin goes on an overnight in our Tree House which provides a comfortable way for the kids to get out in the woods. We have also added a Disk (Frisbee) Golf course in the woods which helps them get in touch with nature by discovering wildlife.
David Jeremiason In recent years we have added many adventure-based programs at Clearwater Forest. We believe strongly in “human-powered” activities so you won’t see jet skis or ski boats here, but you will see a fleet of nearly 80 watercraft, all human-powered. Kayaks, sailboats, hydrobikes and canoes. We added a high ropes course and mountain bike programs as well. These new programs are loads of fun, but are also powerful tools in experiencing nature and community. We have partnered with a local health clinic and other organizations that work with troubled youth to offer programs utilizing these adventure activities.
