Selecting the right camp that fits your child or teen's interests, special interests, needs, special needs and abilities will be one of the first steps in choosing the right overnight summer camp. There are lesser- known overnight summer camps with a focus on self-improvement, weight loss, confidence building and grief counseling. There are popular overnight summer camps in every state in the United States and every province in Canada; there are many other camps in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and just about every country in the world.

There are generally four basic types of camps to choose from: day programs, sleepaway or overnight summer camps, day programs with short trips, and special needs camps for all types of disabilities. Basically, if you can think of any topics of interest, there's probably a camp that specializes in it. There are even overnight summer camps that are co-ed camps, boys' camps, girls' camps or brother and sister camps where boys and girls might have separate venues and activities.

Because of the wide variety of camps available today there will be some specialized camps that have availability left even into the summer. The camp you choose for your child will provide a lifetime of good memories and will be truly rewarding for him or her. An overnight summer camp is a supervised program for children and teens conducted during the summer months in most countries. Children and teens, who are called campers, participate in a variety of activities, many of which are special interest if they are going to a specialized camp.

Before you commit to a camp check the camper-counselor ratio to determine the number of campers for each counselor. Non-profit camps often range from $1200 to $3000 for four weeks and $2500 to $5000 for eight weeks. Weight loss camps are for children and teens who need help learning how to lose weight and how to keep it off while having a memorable overnight summer camp experience.

To consider, if you have more than one child would they benefit from attending the same summer camp together? At camp would it benefit your child more if he or she interacted more with a child of the opposite gender? Specialized overnight camps can range from $500 to $1000 per week depending on the program.

College credit courses are very popular at overnight summer camps. They typically offer students the opportunity to explore a pre-college experience; usually students entering grades 10 through 12 stay in college dormitories and attend summer classes run by the college faculty. Is there a special topic (e.g. religion, sports, educational, performing arts, or arts and crafts, for example,) that you hope your child will gain some skills and experience in? If possible, try to determine whether the director incorporates a similar philosophy to running the camp as you do in parenting your child or teen.

Camps should have at least a 40% to 60% rate of return for their summer staff. This shows that the camp is viewed as a good place to spend a summer. Some camps are called adventure camps - having a special theme or interest; many of these programs emphasize skill development and personal growth through adventures they offer. And children will get more individual attention and supervision with a lower number of campers per counselor.

Look over and evaluate the brochures and promotional materials you collect and make sure to read the fine print. Think about what you and your child hope they'll get from going to summer camp. If you think your child may not be ready for a sleepaway or overnight summer camp, choose a local camp in the event that you end up having to make a pickup of the child late at night if he or she gets homesick. The camp experience will have a lasting memorable impression on your child or teen; so there are a number of issues that should be seriously considered when choosing an overnight summer camp or sleepaway camp.