Rules Regulating Children's Camps

As summer heats up, kids across the country pack their bags and eagerly set out to camp. Each summer, over 10 million kids in the United States participate in summer camps, according to the American Camp Association. Whether a camper is away for a few hours or a few weeks, rule and regulations are in place to keep children safe at camp and ensure they come home with nothing but good memories.

  1. Government Regulations

    • Parents can easily become confused by the myriad of rules for camps. Children's camps are regulated by state or local governments, so the rules are different depending on where you are sending your child to camp. The American Camp Association, an independent organization, allows parents to search by state to find the regulations that govern camps in a specific area. Check this database for the rules specific to the camp your child is attending.

    Optional Accreditation

    • Many camps go beyond the government regulations by voluntarily complying with guidelines set forth by the American Camp Association. The ACA accredits camps using more than 300 standards, which are developed by working with professional organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Red Cross. The guidelines cover areas including the camp site, food service, transportation, health care, management, staffing and programs. Accredited camps must submit a letter of compliance yearly and are visited by an ACA team every three years.

    Basic Rules

    • Most camps have some rules and regulations in common designed to make the camp enjoyable and safe for children and staff. For example, many states recommend yearly background checks for employees and require that sleeping areas have smoke detectors. Rules also regulate camper behavior, with many camps encouraging campers to sign a contract stating that they will respect personal space, will not damage the camp equipment and will abide by other behavior expectations.

    Individual Camp Policies

    • The American Camp Association acknowledges that some things best left to individual camps to decide. A camp's philosophy often dictates its policies on behavior, discipline and contact from home. The camp's focus will also dictate the rules governing items such as technology use. The ACA recommends that parents, and even older children, get to know a camp by talking to the director. Parents should choose a camp that has philosophies similar to their own and should be familiar with camp policies before the session begins.

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