It’s only February, but all of a sudden it may seem like everyone is talking about summer and camp. For those campers already signed up, they are starting to see the light at the end of the winter-y tunnel – camp is out there and sooner than you think! Others are finalizing their decisions and registrations for the 2016 season, and moving on to thinking about Visiting Day planning and preliminary packing lists. And for those families who are looking ahead to next summer, they’re thinking about how to choose the right camp for them. If you or your child is looking to attend summer camp next year, there are a lot of decisions to be made and planning to do. Here are a few helpful tips for camp selection: Create your shortlist In order to make a final decision, you’ll need to pare down the very long list of fantastic Maine camps there are to choose from. Our Select-A-Camp tool can be very helpful in figuring out what camps you’d like to visit before registering – full-length? Half session? Coed? Single gender? Compare your options and find the best fit for your family. Plan tours The best way to make a final decision is to see some of your summer camp choices in action, which means you’ll need to plan a time to visit within the relatively small 7-week window when camp is in session. Keep in mind that you cannot schedule a tour on Visiting Day weekend, some camptripdays, or the first few and last few days of camp. In order to ensure the best selection of session dates and activities, it’s best to plan ahead and book your tour now. Here are some more tips and advice on touring Maine summer camps from Laurie, our Maine CampciergeTM. Ask questions of the camp directors Laurie also has some great advice on the questions you should be asking summer camp directors NOW, as you are in the process of trying to narrow down your camp choices. Every camp is unique, and while they are all stellar, it’s about finding the right fit for the right camper. If you need a cheat sheet of what to ask, check out Laurie’s 21 Questions Parents Should Ask Summer Camp Directors NOW. As always, if you need help, contact Laurie, our Maine CampciergeTM! She can assist with the occasional question, or guide you through the process start to finish. That way, when everyone is talking about summer camp, you’ll be ahead of the game. Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.

Next, be sure to  to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.

You can share your own Maine camps memories & expressions of gratitude on our Memories of Camp section of our __website.