Choosing the best summer camp in Switzerland for your child can be a difficult decision. All you have to do is open up a Search Engine, type in summer camp Switzerland and you’ll soon find out that there’s a wide-range of options out there. But how do you know what’s best for your child? Will they be happy there? What learning opportunities are on offer? What type of camp is best?
Here we’ll attempt to answer these questions and more.
A balanced programme
Is there a good balance between fun, challenge and educational value? Summer camp should be fun and exciting, offering your children a welcome break from home and school for the holidays. But camps are also an opportunity for your son or daughter to learn and try new things. With a full programme of action-packed activities, games, trips and challenges, camp can be a place where children can develop new interests and get to know themselves better. The difference between a good and great camp is that the latter will keep your child interactively engaged and also help them grow and unlock their potential.
Unique selling point
What kind of camp do you want to send your child to? At first glance, many companies may offer similar programmes and activities, but what is their unique selling point? Whether it’s a focus on sports, language, music, or leadership: make sure you select a camp with a firm vision.
Quality service
Choosing where to send your child is an important decision, and every parent wants to make sure their son or daughter is in good hands. The camp provider you choose should have a proven record of quality service, as well as rigorous hiring policies for their staff. Only companies with experienced and qualified personnel will be fully able to adapt to the needs of your child.
Day summer camp or residential?
Some parents may be unsure about whether to commit to a day camp or to a residential programme. These can each offer quite different experiences. At a day camp children can participate in many activities but may miss out on learning to live with different kinds of people and building interpersonal relationships. Also, it is easier to get fully engaged in the camp programme if children board there. Day camp students are also likely to miss out on the fun evening activities of residential programmes. In order to maximise the potential for your child, it is recommended to go for a full boarding programme.
Being away from home
Perhaps you are unsure how your son or daughter will do away from home, whether they will enjoy themselves or make new friends. That is an important challenge for young people their age, and one that they should be allowed to face on their own. Children will often surprise us with their ability to learn and grow. The best summer camps will also have experienced adults around to support and guide them if needed. This leads us on to the final topic.
Pastoral Care
The social and personal well-being of a child is paramount to any parent, and sending them off to camp for two weeks can be worrying. How will he or she adapt to the new environment? Will they fit in? Every child needs nurturing, some more than others, and a good camp will have a system for providing emotional support to their students.
International experience
There are many Swiss summer camps with a long international history. To make the most of your child’s time at summer camp in Switzerland, send them to one that welcomes international students. Living with other students from around the world will provide your child with great opportunities for intercultural learning and interaction. Being exposed to other cultures and being able to make new friends from all over the world is a valuable international experience.
Many international schools run summer camps during the holidays. These offer the combined advantage of great facilities and experienced boarding staff.
There are a number of summer camps in Switzerland which fulfil most of the above-mentioned factors, here we showcase our top 5:
- Champittet Summer Leadership Course – An award-winning international Swiss summer camp organised as a partnership between Collège Champittet and the Swiss Leadership Camp. This camp helps train their students towards becoming future leaders, all while taking great care of them and making sure they have great and memorable experiences. This is done through their unique combination of fun & challenging outdoor activities with a clear focus on leadership. This is what makes it our #1 choice for the all around best summer camp in Switzerland.
- Préfleuri – Great camp for younger kids
- Collège du Léman – Great camp for their language learning programmes
- International Summer Camp Montana – A very large camp welcoming many campers
- Junior and Teen Camp – One of the most expensive camps in Switzerland, if not in the world