We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Home

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Day Camp?

Nicole Madison
By
Updated: Feb 22, 2024
Views: 11,524
Share

A day camp is a type of recreational program for children. Despite its name, a day camp needn't be a camp at all; it is simply a program that provides a place for kids to go and activities for them to do, usually during summertime when they are out of school. For example, a day camp may operate inside a youth recreational facility, providing such activities as sports, arts and crafts, and swimming. Day camps are run within churches, at parks, or in just about any place that has available space. There are some day camps that are on campgrounds, however, allowing children to enjoy outdoorsy fun as well as a full range of other activities.

During the typical school year, children are occupied with learning in school facilities. When summer comes around, they are often left with hours of free time every day. To fill this free time, day camps plan widely varied activities, some educational and some just fun; physical pursuits, such as swimming, running, and outdoor games, are usually included as well. These programs are designed to keep children busy, entertained, and out of the trouble that can arise when they have nothing to do for long periods of time.

Usually, camps are operated during normal business hours, making them helpful for parents who work outside the home. For example, a day camp may run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., giving children something to do while their parents are busy working. Some camps even offer extended hours to help parents who must get to work early and leave work late. However, there is much variation in the hours day camps operate. Most operate Monday through Friday.

While day camps provide child care for parents who work during the summer, families that have a stay-at-home parent also use them. Generally, such families use them because they provide social opportunities, in addition to recreational or educational options, that children may miss when school is out. Day camp programs can help to minimize the loneliness and boredom some children feel during the summer.

Though most day camps cater to school-age children, there are some that focus on the preschool set; however, they are less common. A day camp that takes preschool-age children may have a shorter camp day than others. This is often due to the fact that preschool-age children may be less comfortable away from home for an extended amount of time. Likewise, preschool-age children often require more attention than school-age campers do.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Nicole Madison
By Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison's love for learning inspires her work as a WiseGeek writer, where she focuses on topics like homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. Her passion for knowledge is evident in the well-researched and informative articles she authors. As a mother of four, Nicole balances work with quality family time activities such as reading, camping, and beach trips.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By Ivan83 — On Apr 01, 2012

I went to a Jewish day camp offered through the JCC when I was a kid. Basically it was like any other day camp except most of the other kids were Jewish and there were some occasional references to the faith.

But it is not like we spent all of our time pouring over the Torah or hanging out with rabbis. I mostly remember playing a lot of dodge ball and feeling nervous around the girls.

By jonrss — On Apr 01, 2012

My son is going to be going to a day camp for a month this summer. It basically runs during the same hours as school and it's held in a huge park just outside the city.

According to the research we did he will be swimming, playing sports, making crafts, basically doing all the normal day camp activities. He is really excited about it and we were really relieved to find the camp. It is hard to accommodate a kid on summer break when both parents work

By nextcorrea — On Mar 31, 2012

I was a day camp counselor for a few summers. It was really a great job. I was in charge of all the nature activities and the kids called me nature Nate.

There are headaches for sure. You get enough kids in one pace on a hot day and something will happen eventually. But mostly I got to spend my time doing fun things with kids who were really enthusiastic about it. The money wasn't bad and it sure beat some of the jobs my friends got. I think anyone in their late teens or early twenties should think about being a counselor if they are looking for a summer job.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison's love for learning inspires her work as a WiseGeek writer, where she focuses on topics like...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-is-day-camp.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.