INDIANAPOLIS — School is out for the summer, which means many kids are heading to summer camp... or they typically would.
Summer programs are a great way to keep kids learning and growing when school is out, but it can be tough to choose one for your kid. And, that decision is being made more difficult by serious staffing shortages that have many camps shortening their programs or canceling altogether.
Camp IHC in Pennsylvania is one of the camps still operating this season, but the camp has had to raise wages and hire international staff to have enough counselors.
"You know, we have seen the cost of staffing go up 30-50%. So that's really tricky, when in 2020, most of us did not open at all," Lauren Rutkowski, the camp's director, said.
Meanwhile, in Georgia, Camp Fire Camp Toccoa canceled its overnight camp due to "difficulty in securing the necessary staff." In Michigan, camp Traverse City canceled its summer day camp program saying it couldn't hire enough workers to meet state regulations that require a 10:1 student to counselor ratio.
The staffing issues are arising as demand has come roaring back after pandemic disruptions. Some 26 million children nationwide are expected to be enrolled in one of more than 15,000 summer camps in the country.
So, how do you decide where to send your kid and how do you find programs that are operating in your area?
Jamie Le Sesne Spears is a family engagement specialist for Child Care Answers, which helps families find the right childcare for their young children.
Le Sense Spears said the best place to start is by asking your child what they want to do.
"Give your child a little stake in their summer and let them have some ownership of it, and I think you would be surprised at how interested they would be to share their thoughts with you," she said.
When it comes time to pick, experts suggest different guidelines for various age groups.
Lakshmi Hasanadka with Indiana After School Network suggests parents take a different approach depending on what age group their child falls under.
For elementary-aged children, she said, "You want to see a wide variety of activities in a structured setting. Kids need to know what to expect and what they can count on as well as being stimulated in a wide variety of areas."
She said parents with kids in middle school should look for programs with diverse options, "things that might give them a connection to a real-world experience" and also a healthy interaction with peers.
And for high schoolers, she said, it's all about a sense of choice.
"Youth in high school might be looking for activities that help them in their career, help them prepare for college...give them leadership opportunities," Hasanadka said.
If you need help finding summer childcare or programs, help is available.