How to choose a summer camp in Northeast Ohio

Summer programs in Ohio fall into a few groups, each with a different level of state oversight. Under Ohio law, a child day camp serves only school-age children and runs no more than 12 hours a day and 15 weeks in the summer (ORC 5104.01).

Specialty camps for sports, arts or academics can fall into any group. A soccer clinic that meets up to 8 hours a week doesn't have to register (ORC 5104.21).

Look it up on Ohio's child care search, which filters for licensed child care centers, licensed school-age child care, and registered or approved day camps. It also shows licensing status and inspection results.

If a program isn't listed, ask whether it's exempt and why. A registered camp must give you the phone numbers of the county health department and public children services agency, which you can use to file a complaint (OAC 5180:2-18-02).

Ask how many children each staff member supervises and how staff are screened.

• Ratios: Licensed centers must keep 1 staff member for every 18 children from kindergarten age through 10, and 1 for every 20 children ages 11 to 14 (OAC 5180:2-12-18). Approved camps use 1 to 18 for ages 5 to 11 and 1 to 20 for older campers (OAC 5180:2-18-09).
• Who counts: Staff busy with other duties don't count toward either ratio, so ask who is actually with the group.
• Background checks: Licensed centers and approved camps check state and FBI criminal records, sex offender registries and Ohio's child welfare records. They check before a new hire's first day and every five years (OAC 5180:2-12-09, OAC 5180:2-18-07).
• Registered camps: These run state and FBI checks at hire and every five years. A new hire can't have sole care of a child until the results clear (OAC 5180:2-18-02).

Ask who lifeguards, how swimming ability is checked and where children swim. For children 5 to 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes (CDC).

In licensed centers and approved camps, Ohio requires one lifeguard for every 35 children at on-site or private pools over 18 inches deep. Any water 18 inches or deeper needs a currently certified lifeguard or water safety instructor, and a lifeguard on staff doesn't count toward the ratio (OAC 5180:2-12-24, OAC 5180:2-18-13).

Licensed centers may not take children swimming in lakes, rivers, ponds or creeks, and need your written permission noting whether your child can swim. Approved camps must have at least two staff at water activities, one of them 18 or older (OAC 5180:2-12-24, OAC 5180:2-18-13).

• Do you test swimming ability, and what can children who don't pass do instead?
• Are lifeguards separate from the counselors watching my child's group?
• Do children wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets in open water and on boats, as the AAP recommends?
• Is an adult assigned to watch the water without distractions? The AAP calls this a water watcher and says weak swimmers should be within arm's length.

Ask for the trip calendar, how children get there and what happens on hot days. In licensed centers and approved camps, Ohio requires (OAC 5180:2-12-14, OAC 5180:2-18-12):

• Your signed permission before trips.
• A record of which vehicle each child rides in.
• No children under 12 in the front seat.
• A check of every vehicle after each trip so no child is left behind.
• Someone trained in CPR and first aid in each vehicle and at the destination.

For sun, the AAP recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 to 50, applied 15 to 30 minutes before going out. Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating (AAP).

Licensed centers need your written permission to apply sunscreen (OAC 5180:2-12-25). At approved camps, school-age children may carry and apply their own without a permission form (OAC 5180:2-18-11).

For heat, the AAP warns that a heat index of 90°F or higher can be dangerous, especially for kids in sports. It advises offering water before children ask and moving heavy activity to cooler times of day (AAP).

Compare the full weekly cost, including registration, field trip and before- or after-care fees, and check the daily hours against your workday.

Ohio's Publicly Funded Child Care covers school-age children under 13, or under 18 with verified special needs (ORC 5104.01, OAC 5180:6-1-02). Among day camps, only state-approved ones can accept it, and a camp whose approval is denied or removed can't provide PFCC (OAC 5180:2-18-03). Our guide to childcare assistance in Ohio covers who qualifies and how to apply.

Day camp can also count as a work-related expense for the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit if your child is under 13. That holds even when the camp specializes in one activity, such as computers or soccer. Overnight camp, summer school and tutoring don't count (IRS Publication 503).

More in our guide to childcare tax credits.

Start in winter, so there's time to compare programs, visit and sort out payment. Returning camps renew their state registration by March 15 each year, and any camp can register later, effective from the date it registers, and camps seeking PFCC approval apply by April 15, since later applications may not be approved before summer starts (OAC 5180:2-18-03). If you'll use PFCC, confirm a camp's approval before you pay a deposit.

Licensed centers need the enrollment form (DCY 01234) on file by the first day (OAC 5180:2-12-15). For a child with allergies, the AAP's Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan is meant for any place others care for your child.