Unpacking Parent Perspectives on Summer Camp: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18666/JOREL-2026-13027Keywords:
Socio-ecological model; outdoor recreation experience model; youth development outcomesAbstract
While summer camp provides many well-documented benefits for children and youth, understanding parents’ perspectives is vital because they decide whether to enroll their children. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, integrating the socio-ecological model and the recreation experience model to examine family experiences with summer camp from a parent’s perspective. A sample of 134 parents who registered a child for overnight camp in a small Mid-Atlantic state responded to a post-camp quantitative survey. Six parents participated in follow-up interviews several months later. The integration of quantitative and qualitative data revealed that parents and children influence each other’s camp experiences, and that those experiences directly shape whether parents choose to send their child to summer camp again. This model provides guidelines for practitioners to focus on camper experience and community connections when promoting camp, as well as providing a framework for future research.
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