7 questions to ask ahead of summer camp in Pittsburgh this year

Photo above by Briana Tozour via Unsplash. Story updated from 2023.

It won’t be long before summer camp season begins in Pittsburgh. It’s important to choose the right camp for your child and get prepared to have a great summer.

Whether your kids are going for the first time or you’ve been parenting campers for years, the advice below can help. It comes from folks at several local camps — the Boys and Girls Clubs, Sarah Heinz House and Carnegie Science Center — who have great tips about preparing for the first day.

Camps always make an effort to help kids have a good summer, says Bob Bechtold, director of programs at Sarah Heinz House, which offers day camp and overnight camp. But “to ensure that kids are successful, parents can start doing some stuff at home to make sure that they set their campers up for success.”

1. ASK FOR DETAILS ON HOW KIDS WILL SPEND THEIR TIME

“When it comes to summer camps, there’s a broad spectrum of programming,” says Jessi Marsh, vice president of advancement & philanthropy for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania (BGCWPA). Some camps around the Pittsburgh region have unique specialties or specialize in things like arts programming or tech and science. Others, like BGCWPA. offer everything from STEM learning to outdoor fun. Camps are happy to share details on what they’re offering this summer and how it may vary week to week. So if you’re still deciding on a camp, ask for details to make sure their offerings are right for your child.

Already signed up for a camp? Ask about their policy on bringing digital devices and ask whether kids can use them during the days, says Julie Bowman, manager of camps and public experiences at the Carnegie Science Center. “We encourage them not to bring a cell phone. And if they do bring a cell phone, we ask that they keep it tucked away.”

For a child who is accustomed to using a digital device in their free time, a camp’s device policy is an important thing to know about in advance.

2. ASK FOR ALL THE DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP DETAILS

Arriving on time or early is more important for kids than parents may realize, Bechtold says. At the beginning of the day, “the kids are learning what their schedules are going to be. That’s when they know what’s coming next,” he says. So being present for that “helps lower the anxiety of the campers” at day camp. So be sure you know exactly when the camp day starts.

“And in a resident camp situation where the kids are going away for 11 days,” Bechtold says, arriving late and jumping onto a bus quickly can mean that “their whole trip is just starting with anxiety.” So it’s vital to know exactly when the bus will be leaving, and from where, and be at that spot early.

Pick-up time at the end of the day (and especially at the end of several weeks of overnight camp) is also very important to kids. If you can’t arrive on time, Bechtold says, make sure you have asked in advance for a phone number to call if you’re stuck in traffic or running late. If you have that phone number and can call, the adults in charge will let your child know you’re on the way.

Bechtold says a child who doesn’t see you waiting there when they step off the bus after 10 days will feel a lot better if an adult from the camp comes right up to them and says “Your parent just called – they’re in traffic but they can’t wait to see you. They’ll be here soon.”

And even at the end of six or eight hours at day camp, if you’re running a few minutes late it can help a child to know that you’ve called to say you’re on the way.

Bowman says it’s also important to ask if there is pre-camp care available in the morning and after-camp care in the afternoons or early evenings, and find out the cost. Many camps do offer this. Marsh agrees: Although BGCWPA offers extended care options, not every camp does and those that do have varying policies and prices.

3. ASK WHAT KINDS OF TRAINING THE COUNSELORS HAVE

Marsh says BGCWPA camps are built around high-quality programming that includes sports, art, STEM activities and literacy — all offered by a staff that’s trained to make sure campers are learning: “These programs are important to offer because kids have a lot of mental stimulation throughout the school year, then they stare at the TV or iPads all summer,” she says. “We are serious about supporting them and preventing that academic summer slide.”

The Carnegie Science Center has a similar approach: When they hire staff for their summer camp, Bowman says they look mainly for teachers and student-teachers. The focus is on fun, but the goal is to make camp as enriching as possible.

But training varies from camp to camp, so it’s worth asking your camp about their approach to hiring and training their employees.

4. ASK ABOUT THE CAMP’S MEDICAL POLICIES AND APPROACH TO FOOD RESTRICTIONS

Even if your child doesn’t have chronic health concerns, it’s important to know your camp’s policy on all things health-related. Ask how they handle administering medications, including over-the-counter items like Tylenol. “We do not administer medication,” says Bowman, “and we do require parents to sign a form, so that the child can take their own medication.”

If your child has food allergies or any restrictions, ask about the food provided at the camp and how they might approach it if a child needs to remain gluten-free, for example.

5. ASK TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHILD’S PERSONALITY

Camps will want to know how you handle it when your child makes a poor choice or doesn’t behave. How do you diffuse situations and get the child on the right track? What kinds of feedback does your child respond to and what doesn’t usually work? Conversely, what kinds of positive reinforcement does your child respond to well? You won’t be bothering the camp or taking up too much of their time if you ask to have a quick phone call with someone who’ll be working with your child.

You can also ask if there are confidential forms where you can share this information, and you can attach an extra page if needed. Confidential forms are only seen by the camp counselors who need the information, Bechtold says. So fill out everything and add a page if necessary. More information is always better, so that camp directors and counselors can help your child have the best possible summer.

6. ASK ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS

Many camps offer help with tuition, Bowman says, but “sometimes they’re not widely advertised.” If this is something your family might benefit from, it’s always good to ask.

7. ASK EXACTLY WHAT TO BRING, EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW

Day camps and sleep-away camps usually have emergency items like towels that campers can borrow. But many kids can feel very uncomfortable telling an adult they’ve forgotten something and asking for help. Some kids, Bechtold says, will even do without an important item just to avoid asking. So if you’re not sure exactly what to pack for the day or for overnight, be sure to ask. Camps will be happy to tell you.

When you’re packing — especially for overnight camp — be sure to double-check from a written list, so you won’t miss anything. But here’s the key: Bechtold points out that parents can play a powerful role in either limiting or fueling kids’ anxiety about camp, depending how they approach the experience. So when you’re packing and double-checking your list, “don’t frame it like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope you’ve got everything! I don’t want you to miss out on anything!’,” he says.

“Just pack with the kid. Make it an enjoyable thing. And if you need to, when the kid goes to bed take everything out of the suitcase, and check it again.”

Looking for a summer camp in Pittsburgh? Check out our big guide to Pittsburgh-area summer camps, plus our mini-guides to camps for arts-loving kids and camps for science/tech-loving kids and great camps for older kids in our region.