High Tech Camps
Computers and Much, Much More!

By Karen Haywood Queen

Robots. Web design. Game creation. Film making. Movie production. It’s just another day at summer camp. Yes, some camps are entering the computer age and offering computer-related activities as part of the program. Going a step further, some camps are offer computers as the main component.

Of the 2,348 camps accredited through the American Camping Association, 70 percent have a website; 83 percent have contact e-mails. For those who want to work on computers at camp, 51 resident camps and 94 day camps offer some kind of computer activity, says Kim Bruno, ACA spokeswoman.

But what should parents consider before sending their child to a computer camp? The easy answer: some of the same issues you should consider before sending a child to any camp.

• Camper-counselor ratios: The recommended counselor-to-camper ratios are the same as for conventional camps, Bruno says: For residential camps, one camp staff for every six campers ages six to eight; one staffer for eight campers ages nine to 14; and one staffer per 10 campers ages 15 to 17. For day camps; the ratios are one to eight for ages six to eight; one to 10 for ages nine to 14; and one to 12 for ages 15 to 17.

At TIC computer day camp in Bethesda, Md., the camper-counselor ratio is four campers per staffer, says director Karen Rosenbaum, who founded the camp about 25 years ago.

• Balance: Even at a computer camp, your child shouldn’t be sitting in front of a screen all day and come home pale and out of shape. At TIC, campers alternate three hours of computer time in the morning with three hours of organized sports in the afternoon, then switch schedules the next day.

“To my horror, there have been camps that have let kids sit in front of computers for eight hours and I don’t think that’s healthy,” Rosenbaum says. “We felt they needed to develop their bodies too. It’s important that it not just be recreation, but that it be physical and structured too. Kids are kind of intimidated to go into a college gym and be told they can play basketball - they’re not going to do it unless it’s organized.”

• Style: Remember that camp isn’t an extension of school. It’s not a course that your child takes but an opportunity to grow, learn and be creative, Rosenbaum says.

“Fathers often ask, `Exactly what will my child know at the end of two weeks?’” Rosenbaum says. “I say, `It depends on your child.’ For some parents, that’s a very unsatisfactory answer. We don’t offer courses. It’s not a school. It’s not academic and they shouldn’t look at it that way. Parents should look at it, as: `What is the growth I can expect in my child? What are the intellectual intentions?’”

At TIC, children attend the day camp for two weeks and work on a project.

They may develop their own computer game or create a video, Rosenbaum says. “Our whole design is they should have a project created at the end of that week, something they are proud of,” she says.

• Accreditation: Is the camp accredited by the ACA? If not, why not? The ACA accreditation ensures minimal standards of safety, health and personnel are there, Rosenbaum says.

Looking for a camp?

Across the country, iD Tech Camps provide one-week, hands-on technology summer camps for boys and girls ages 8 to 17 at more than 30 universities, says spokeswoman Karen Thurm Safran.

iD Tech Camps provide one computer per child, although children may share a computer for group projects, Safran says. Children also participate in sports or physical activity, she says.

Offerings include digital movie and video production, multimedia and game creation, programming and robotics, stop motion animation, web design and graphic arts and digital music editing. Some locations offer advanced placement programming, cinematography and special effects and sports and technology.

After campers return home, parents see a difference in their children,

Safran says.“Kids can not wait to tackle their homework so they can continue creating their technology game,” she says. “A lot of these campers go back to their own school and raise the bar. They’re not just handing it a book report - they’re creating a movie. They become mentors to other kids. Kids who are shy come out of their shells.”

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