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Posted by Jack Shitama ● Tue, Dec 07, 2021 @ 08:12 AM

A Grandparent's Guide to Gifting Camp

Red White Christmas Giveaway Facebook Post (2000 x 1333 px)

If you're thinking about what to give your grandchildren for Christmas, summer camp is a great idea. They will have lots of fun, make new friends and experience God in new ways. Better yet, you don't have to worry about their present being delayed by shipping or supply-chain issues. 

There's nothing like being a grandparent. I love my children, but I don't think I ever felt the kind of love for them that I feel for my grandsons.

We love to give them gifts but we love to give them experiences even more. We've taken them to the zoo (many times), museums, pumpkin patches, and even Longwood Gardens. And this year our oldest grandson went to overnight camp for the first time.

Like the idea of gifting the experience of camp to your grandchild? Here's a step-by-step guide to getting it done.

1) Check in with all of the grown-ups. Before you talk to your camper about camp, make sure that parents and guardians are all on board. 

If your camper's decision-makers aren't familiar with Pecometh, you might want to share some information with them. Our Summer Camp FAQ is a great one stop spot to answer many of the questions that parents and guardians may have.  

Want to get the conversation started? Here's sample email text:

Dear [guardian],

I would love to buy an experience for [camper] this year as a Christmas present, and I was thinking about registering [him/her] for a week at camp. What do you think? 

Camp Pecometh is a Christian summer camp that is accredited by the American Camp Association, It has been serving children and youth for 75 years. You can learn more their summer camp program at:
https://www.pecometh.org/summer-camp/frequently-asked-questions

I want to honor your wishes for what is best for [camper]. Let's discuss this so we can decide if camp would be the right choice for a Christmas gift.

2) Choose a program or programs that would be a good fit for your camper. Does your camper love to be in the water or prefer to spend more time on land? Are they into adventure or arts & crafts? We have a variety of options to suit campers of different interests. 

Mini-Camp (Completed K-2nd Grade ), Riverside (3rd-8th Grade), and Senior High (9th-11th Grade) offer a classic camp experience from archery to arts & crafts, challenge course to canoeing, music, and more. These programs are great options for first-time campers as well as seasoned campers who just love camp! 

If your week of camp isn't a surprise, you can share the Program Descriptions with your camper and let them pick a program. (You can also browse programs by age). 

If you'd like it to be a surprise on Christmas morning (or whenever you open gifts), here are a few general questions to consider before choosing a program:

  • Does your camper enjoy the water? If so consider an aquatics program like Splashdown! (but steer clear if your camper is afraid of the water!)

  • Does your camper have any special interests? We have programs that focus on art, music & drama, nature, and lots of other interests. 

  • Is your camper more interested in video games than the great outdoors? That's Not Camp is a great way to ease them into a camp experience! 

3) Coordinate dates before registering. Be sure to find a couple of weeks that don't conflict with school, family vacations, shared custody arrangements, and other schedule considerations.

You can browse programs by week, to find programs that fit your schedule. If there's only a week or two that will work, register sooner rather than later. 

4) Decide who will register the camper. In many cases, it's a good idea to have a parent or guardian register the camper, and then have the person paying for camp make the payment. 

The registration process will ask for the following:

  • Parents/guardian information and emergency contacts
  • Medical history and insurance information
  • Information about campers' preferences and needs 
  • Waivers signed by a legal guardian

If you have any questions about registration or need help coordinating registration, our registrar Julie Lutz can help!

5) Consider packing list needs. Take a look at the packing lists on our Photos, Forms, and More page if you think your camper's family might need help providing the necessary gear. 


Provide the gift of camp for a camper in need

If you and your family would like to give back during this Christmas season, consider making a donation to our Campership Fund. 

Camperships are our version of scholarships. They are available for campers who need financial support to attend camp. We typically provide a $200 camperships for our week-long, overnight programs and $50 for mini-camp. 

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Topics: Camp

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