Summer as a working mom means finding a place for your child to spend her summer days that will give her an amazing experience and give you peace of mind. Last summer, we had the opportunity to experience Cranbrook Schools Summer Camps' Brookside Tots program. The website and brochures looked lovely - lots of outdoor experiences (essential after a school year with never as much recess time as teachers and kids would hope) and smiling faces. But still I wondered - would my child be as excited as the children in those materials?
I started to feel immediately at ease when I received initial emails from the camps: lots of straightforward and proactive communication, plus a note that although my daughter was entering kindergarten and thus technically eligible for the main Brookside program, since she was 4 years old she would be placed in the Tots program alongside all 3 and 4 year olds. It turned out that was the best decision for her.
The first couple of days were rough, and I couldn't have been more grateful for the support we received from the Tots program staff. If your child is like mine and struggles with transitions, they are in good hands at Brookside Tots. The staff comes right to your car in the drop-off line and will take your child into the building; you can also take your child to the doors where staff will greet them and take them to their group. Camp counselors were always so sensitive to my daughter's struggles, and offered nothing but comfort and fun experiences. By the end of week 1, the tears were dry and my little one was eager to start camp each day with her new friends. (The fact that campers get lockers for storing their belongings only helped with this excitement!)
Brookside Tots breaks kids up into groups (last year, they were animal-theme -- Dolphins, Turtles, etc.) with assigned counselors. Throughout the summer, the camp directors send weekly e-newsletters with recaps of the week's activities. My daughter experienced drama classes, science lessons, physical education, and fun playground time. The newsletters also included brief bios about each camp counselor - where they were headed after the summer, their main expertise and interests - which helped me feel like I got to know the people taking care of my little one. As a former camp counselor myself, I checked in on training and was amazed to hear how comprehensively Cranbrook Schools Summer Camps trains their counselors. Of course, Cranbrook Schools Summer Camps is accredited by the American Camp Association, ensuring they meet standards around program quality and safety.
The bane of my existence during the school year is packing lunches. I'm learning to make peace with it, but I was thrilled to see that lunch is included in the Brookside Tots program. Children eat in the historic Cranbrook buildings and are offered a variety of fresh choices in a family-style setting designed to foster healthy habits and reinforce manners. Parents receive a menu for the summer, and the camps are very easy to work with if your child has dietary restrictions or food allergies. The ways in which the camps cater to parents are amazing: you can add on swim lessons, before/after-care, and even bus transportation from sites in Royal Oak, Birmingham, and other local communities.
By the end of the summer, my daughter had a list of new friends, a list of new foods she had tried, new skills, and a stonger sense of confidence. Camp experiences for 3 and 4 year olds can be hard to find; I highly recommend looking at Brookside Tots and giving your child a summer of fun.
My family received access to camp as part of a partnership with Cranbrook Schools Summer Camps. All opinions and experiences listed here are my own.
