Students are getting ready to put down their pencils at school and enjoy summer vacation. We want to make sure your kids stay safe, so we have some tips on what questions to ask when you're looking for the right summer camp.
Melissa Reinhardt homeschools her two kids with special needs, but she said her kids have become more engaged thanks to the STEM-related camp at the Museum of Aviation.
"They just bring out all sorts of stuff out of her here -- she asks questions, she participates, she does so much better with her school work at home after coming here," Reinhardt said.
According to Claire Swinford with the STEM camp, their camps give K-12 students a fun educational experience.
"Space and rocketry camp, where the students build and launch rockets, they just get so excited about that," Swinford said.
While kids may be excited about summer camp these are questions you should ask before you sign your kids up. These questions are recommended by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
- Has the owner/operator screened all staff, with what methods, and how thoroughly?
- Is there a daily lesson plan?
- What are the hours of operation, fees, and payment procedures?
- Is the program licensed or accredited? If not, has the program been granted an exemption by DECAL?
Reinhardt said these questions plus the convenience made summer camp an easy choice for her.
"Well, literally, I'm from this town, and this is where all the school's kids go at some point, so finding out they have summer camp here, this was the first place I heard about and the only place I wanted to take them," Reinhardt said.
Swinford also said that camp can be more than just fun and games but an experience that has a lasting effect on students.
"Parents will tell me, 'Johnnie was telling me all the things that have been doing,' she was amazed that he knew so much about something, or that he learned so much, so that's why parents keep coming back and bringing their students or their children," Swinford said.
If you want to see if your child's summer camp is accredited by the state click, here.