How to Choose a Water Sports Camp

What's the best way for your child to be safe, have fun and beat the summer heat? Sign them up for a water sports camp!

Summertime and aquatic activities go hand-in-hand. According to Theresa Torrone, a volunteer for the American Camp Association (ACA), "Water sports camps are one of the fastest growing segments of the specialty camp field within the summer camp industry as a whole. There's a water sports camp for kids and teens of all ages no matter where you live."

Also known as aquatics sports camps, water sports camps generally offer surfing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, boogie boarding, body surfing, parasailing, swimming, inner-tubing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, boating and related activities.

What if your child doesn't have previous experience with these activities? Torrone says not to worry.

"Most water sports camps accept kids from every aquatic background, so your child can participate and enjoy the activities safely and have fun no matter what." To cover your bets, however, Torrone says to "always check with the camp director first."

Sometimes parents think a water sports camp is out of the question if they don't live close to the ocean. But Torrone says your kids can still get the full benefit of attending a water sports camp no matter where you live.

"Some of the premier water sports camps in the country use lakes, reservoirs and pools as their primary activity base. The ocean is fun, but it's definitely not essential to enjoying a premier water sports camp experience. For example, jet skiing, wakeboarding and fishing camps often take place at lakes or rivers. They don't require a beach or ocean for kids to have fun."

When asked about surfing camps, Torrone said, "I suppose if you want to learn to surf or attend a surf camp, you'll need to find a water sports camp near the beach. But even if you don't live by the beach, you can still go to an overnight surf camp. There are a number of them across the country."

To find a list of water sports camps, Torrone suggests contacting the American Camp Association.

"The ACA's a great resource. Whether you're looking for a surf camp, jet skiing camp, wakeboarding camp, or just a swimming camp, the ACA can provide you with a list of accredited programs all over the country."