There are more differences between day camp and overnight camp than whether a camper goes home to their parents at the end of the day or not. Here are some of the things a parent might want to consider before choosing between camps for their child.
Maturity Level
☑ Day
As early as pre-K; children as young as 4 or 5 can spend the day at summer camp.
☑ Overnight
Ages 6-10 (opinions vary); parents should determine if their child can successfully spend the night at a relative or a friend’s house before considering overnight camp.
Age Cap
☑ Day
Many traditional day camps stop taking campers by eighth grade, while specialty day camps may be geared toward older high school and college students. If kids age out of camp, they can join their camp’s counselor-in-training program, if available.
☑ Overnight
Overnight camps will typically take campers up to high school age.
Costs
☑ Day
The American Camp Association estimates that the average cost for a day camp is $43 per day.
☑ Overnight
The American Camp Association estimates that the average cost for an overnight camp is nearly double the cost of day camp, at $85. (Note: Costs can vary greatly based on other factors like the activities offered at camp and travel costs based on the location of the camp.)
What to Pack
☑ Day
Typical items for day camp may be clothes to get dirty in, active wear, swimming gear, sun protective clothing, sunscreen, a backpack or specialty items, depending on the type of camp.
☑ Overnight
In addition to clothes, bathing suits and towels, campers may need sheets, pillowcases and bedding for bunks if not provided; toiletries and shower supplies and camping/outdoor gear. Campers may also want to bring personal comfort items like a favorite stuffed animal.
Duration
☑ Day
As short as one week and as long as two months; one-week camps are often considered a good test for parents sending a child off to camp for the first time, whether it’s a day camp or an overnight camp.
☑ Overnight
As short as one week or as long as two months; one-week camps are often considered a good test for parents sending a child off to camp for the first time, whether it’s a day camp or an overnight camp.
Focus/Intensity
☑ Day
There are many day camps that focus exclusively on one area of interest, such as sports, arts or STEM. You can find a day camp for basically anything your child is interested in, from drawing manga to learning magic tricks.
☑ Overnight
It’s common for overnight camps to incorporate all kinds of things to do rather than just focusing on one field, but there are specialty overnight camps, too, such as ones that focus on outdoor activities like caving or climbing or academic and career-focused specialties like aerospace or sports broadcasting.
Friends at Camp
☑ Day
It can help your child if they have friends going to camp with them, so talk to the parents of your child’s friends before choosing a camp.
☑ Overnight
Many kids meet new people and make lasting friendships at overnight camp, but not knowing anyone beforehand can be especially intimidating at an overnight camp.
Goals of Camp
☑ Day
Social development, learning to work with others, staying active, new skills and responsibilities
☑ Overnight
Building deep friendships, independence, responsibility, learning how to live among peers
