Do you have one of those young girls who enjoy playing dress up, raiding your closet and make-up drawer every chance she gets? Is she also one of those having a flair for drama and once fully costumed in your clothing and jewelry proceeds to put on a show for you? If this describes your daughter, perhaps you might give some thought to one of the many excellent acting summer camps for her school vacation.

These camps can be found across the country offering programs in the various performing arts. If your young diva is a singer, a summer music camp may be just the ticket. But even those camps that emphasize one particular discipline may also offer opportunities to develop a more rounded list of talents. Theater camps typically offer not just acting, but also time for outdoor individual and team sports along with social events. One of the attractions of spending the summer at a music camp or an acting camp is that she gets to meet similar temperament children who often become friends for life. At the same time, she is actually encouraged to indulge her fantasies of becoming a movie star.

The option to play, as well as putting on a play, is especially important for your younger child. Since most camps welcome campers from grade school through high school, the best ones will provide a complete menu for their diverse age range of campers.

Most live theater camps will expose their charges to all aspects of theatrical production, from voice to acting to dancing to technical stage craft in lighting, set design, costumes and make-up. Some programs last almost the whole summer and give the girls a number of performance opportunities ranging from shorter, simpler productions to full bore musical comedy and dramas. The choices will offer good parts for all age ranges, so every child has a chance to participate on the stage, if that is their dream. The idea is to expose the girls to the world of possibilities and give them a chance to discover and come alive in a supportive atmosphere.  

Here is a good checklist to jump start your research:

•    Does the camp have a history of successful graduates? While some camps boast of graduates who have gone on to fame in TV roles and movies, there are others with numerous successful young campers who prefer to work in the production aspect of theater.

•    Does the camp bring in kids from across the street or around the world? Your selection will depend on how confident your child is with meeting new people from different backgrounds, and how comfortable you are with sending her very far from your home. But additionally, those that appeal to girls from around the world more than likely have been around a while with a well earned track record of teaching lifelong skills.

•    What is the background of the coaches and instructors, and how many students are in the classes? The best camps employ not just mentors from local schools but also professionals from the business. Additionally, the ratio of coaches to campers really should be small.

•    Does the program include outdoor activities such as sports, swimming, hiking or camp fires? How’s the food? Some camps boast of high end healthy meals. How important is this to you and your camper?

So, give your blossoming star a wonderful gift – the chance to test her acting chops, sing and dance with her friends – and, to have something very exciting to share when someone asks, “How was your summer vacation?”

The best camps will be taking bookings throughout the year, so no matter what time of year it is, it’s never too early to get started on looking into summer activities for your child for next year.

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