Parents talk about where to send their kids to school an awful lot, but you don't hear nearly as much planning about where to send the kids to summer camp. But weeks of sleepaway camp can have a much greater impact on a child than an entire year of school. AT camp, the lessons are all learned through experiences rather than books. There's also an increased sense of independence, and a chance to try new things.

Whatever the reason, sleepaway camp is one of the most powerful and formative experiences a kid can have, so finding the right program is really important. There are specialty camps that focus on arts, sports, science, etc. but regular old general interest camps where kids spend time communing with nature are great, too.