Are you excited for summer camp? Your little one must be!

It’s the time of summer vacations they get to explore things beyond their homes with their friends, through a series of fun activities. If you want them to have a good time, you – and your child! – must be well-prepared for everything.

Although we have covered the basic necessities your child must have for summer camp, we are still left with a few “dos” and “don’ts” you should keep in mind before and during summer camp weeks. Here they are:

Dos

• Communicate with the practitioners conducting the entire event, and talk to them about their itinerary; discuss the kinds of activities your child will be taking part in, so that they can be better prepared. If your child is a bit more nervous than usual, let the practitioners know beforehand.
• Talk to the parents of other children joining the summer camp. Listen to their thoughts and opinions about the entire event, so that you have your own well-informed opinion. Sometimes, just talking to other parents is all you need to cure some of that parental nervousness!
• Encourage your child to be more social! Help them learn how to make friends by sharing, caring, and helping one another. Practicing it through pretend play before the summer camp will help them learn people skills, conversational phrases, and a whole lot of confidence.
• Pack medication if it your child has a special prescription for allergies or a condition. Be sure to tell the practitioners of their medical condition, describing any signs or symptoms they should be aware of. That way, you can be sure your child will be in safe hands.
  
  

Don’ts

• Don’t force your child to be chipper about attending summer camp, especially if they’re extremely shy to begin with. The last thing they need is to be forced to be confident in front of others. Instead, encourage them gently while being realistic about their social skills.
• Don’t pressure them to have a fun time, after having a negative experience. Your child wants to be comforted, and they don’t want to feel guilty for something they couldn’t control. Pressuring them to enjoy, instead of validating their feelings, can be damaging to a child’s self-confidence, making them more resigned and isolated from others.
• Don’t hover over your child or the summer camp practitioners constantly! It’s natural to be worried about your child while they’re away from the house, but you need to trust the summer camp instructors for being responsible enough to take care of your child for you. Nobody likes a parent that constantly badgers about their little one!
  
  

Although your parental nervousness is justified, you won’t have anything to worry about if you’re placing your trust in a good summer camp. Nurseries in Al Barsha offer great constructive summer camp events – but Oakfield Early Learning Centre stands on another league. It’s annual summer camp will start on 7th July this year, and will include theme-based weeks, filled with activities that help children learn more about the world around them.


Summer camps are an exciting time for any toddler. Just be sure to keep your dos and don’ts in check!