As a parent, you want your child to have the best experience possible at camp. One of the most common questions we hear is, “Do you offer one-week sessions?”—quickly followed by, “What’s the right length of time for my child to attend?”
The short answer: at Camp Jewell, we believe that two-week sessions provide the most meaningful, successful, and lasting camp experience. While a one-week session can still be fun, it doesn’t allow campers enough time to truly settle in, build friendships, and feel like camp is their home away from home.
In fact, research across camps nationwide shows that campers who attend for one week are about 25% less likely to return the following year than those who stay two or more weeks.
So why does that extra week make such a difference?
For most campers, it takes 2–4 days to feel fully comfortable and immersed in camp life—to learn the daily rhythm, connect with cabinmates, and discover traditions, songs, and favorite activities. During those early days, they’re still adjusting—just like the start of a new school year. Once they hit that stride, the magic really happens.
With a longer session, campers spend more time living the camp experience instead of just learning it. That’s when deeper friendships form, confidence grows, and those unforgettable camp memories take root.
Put simply:
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In a one-week session, campers spend roughly 25% of their time feeling fully immersed.
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In a two-week session, that number jumps to around 75%.
That’s why so many of our campers return year after year—and why so many of them proudly call Camp Jewell their second home.
