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Camp questions sheet

Use your browser’s Print command. The header and footer drop away and each question keeps a blank line under it for the answer. One sheet per camp.

Camp: ______________________________   Spoke to: ____________________   Date: ____________

• Who are the staff, and how many are there?
  Listen for: Ratio for my child’s age group; who the counselors are; how many came back from last year.
• Who has been background-checked?
  Listen for: Who is checked, volunteers and teen counselors included; whether anyone works before results are back.
• Who handles health care, and what happens in an emergency?
  Listen for: Nurse on site or not; who gives medication; nearest hospital; how and when I am called.
• Is the camp accredited, licensed, registered or permitted?
  Listen for: Which of the four apply; registration number or health district; date of last outside visit.
• What are the swimming rules?
  Listen for: Swim test or not; lifeguards per group; where the water is and whether it is fenced or watched when closed.
• How are sun, heat, ticks and storms handled?
  Listen for: Sunscreen routine; water breaks; tick checks; where campers go in lightning.
• What does the camp require before the first day?
  Listen for: Forms and their due dates; immunization policy for campers and for staff.
• Can the camp meet my child’s particular needs?
  Listen for: Who I speak to; what they have done before; what they will and won’t change.
• Who may pick my child up, and what if I am late?
  Listen for: Authorised pick-up list; ID check; late fee.
• Who do I call with a complaint?
  Listen for: County health department number; county children services number.

Three things to ask for on paper

• The refund and cancellation terms, with dates.
• The camp’s tax identification number and a receipt for each week, if you may claim the dependent care credit.
• For a state-registered day camp: the county health department and children services phone numbers. The statute also lists: (2) A statement that the parents may contact the county department or agency to make a complaint regarding the child day camp. (codes.ohio.gov, effective January 1, 2025)

The questions are drawn from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ parent site and Ohio’s camp rules; the full quotations and links are on the questions page. This sheet does not rate any camp. Sources re-matched November 11, 2026.