When the idea of sleepaway camp first came to mind, I was honestly excited.
At the time, we didn’t have any family nearby. It was just me and my husband, and we really needed a break. That’s how we ended up choosing sleepaway camp.
Both of my kids went when they were in 4th and 5th grade. The camp accepted kids as young as 1st grade, but looking back, I think that’s way too early. Even sending them at 4th/5th grade… I still feel like it might have been a little early for us.
One of my biggest regrets is sending them for a full session — 7 weeks.
At the time, it sounded like a great experience. But now, I would never do that for a first-time camper.
They enjoyed parts of it, but neither of them wanted to go back.
The letters (and what I didn’t realize)
They sent letters home, which I thought was sweet.
But later I found out something interesting — kids who wrote letters got candy.
When I re-read my daughter’s letters, it all made sense. They felt a little… forced. Like she was just writing to get something, not because she really wanted to.
I wish I had understood that earlier.
Two very different experiences
My son adjusted pretty easily. He’s not very picky and tends to go with the flow. Overall, he had a better experience.
My daughter is the opposite. She’s more sensitive and particular, and she really struggled.
She didn’t like her cabin, and some of the camp “games” made her uncomfortable. For example, the counselors had the kids call each other by their middle names. It might sound small, but she really didn’t like it.
As a parent, it’s hard knowing your child had to go through something like that.
What I would do differently
If I could go back, I would do a few things differently:
- Start with a short session (1–2 weeks max)
- Wait until around 5th or 6th grade
- Send them with a friend if possible
I think that would have made a huge difference.
Fancy vs. fun (what actually matters)
At one point, we also looked at more “fancy” camps — the kind that feel almost like a resort, with nicer facilities and better food.
But interestingly, my son actually preferred a more traditional camp with a wide variety of activities.
One of the camps he went to later didn’t look as modern or polished. It felt a bit outdated compared to the first one we saw.
But he enjoyed it more.
That was a big lesson for me:
It’s not about how nice the place looks — it’s about how much the kids are actually engaged.
My honest recommendation
If you’re thinking about sleepaway camp for the first time:
- Don’t start too early
- Don’t commit to a full summer right away
- Focus more on activities than appearance
- And if possible, let your child go with someone they already know
We’re still learning as we go, but if I had known these things earlier, I would have made very different choices.
If you’re going through something similar, you might also like:
Life With 4 Kids 
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