CLEVELAND -- Summer is right around the corner, and many parents are looking to find summer camps for their children to attend.

Camp can be an important experience for a child and, as NewsChannel5's Tonya Strong reported, choosing the right one takes some consideration.

Rich Garpinski is the director of the Catholic Youth Organization's Camp Christopher in Summit County, and is also the president of the Ohio section of the American Camping Association. He says that we're lucky to have plentiful choices for camp in northeast Ohio.

"Any kind of camp that a parent would want would be available … whether it be a sport camp, a computer camp, or an arts and crafts camp," said Garpinski.

There are also camps available for children with disabilities.

Frances Richards, a mom, and editor of Cleveland Akron Family Magazine, dedicates the first four issues of the year to summer camp because of the high demand.

"There's a huge demand, especially for working parents; stay-at-home moms also need a little break, and kids need to do something in the summer," said Richards.

NewsChannel5 checked with the Akron YMCA and learned there are all kinds of opportunities still available for parents and their children, being offered at different YMCA branches in the region.

Now is actually the prime time to sign up, reported Strong.

The YMCA also offers the option for day camps, which are good for younger children. Day camps offer many extras, such as field trips, and arts and crafts, to make summertime fun.

If you're planning to register your child for an overnight camp, plan a visit in advance.

And don't be afraid to ask for financial assistance.

It might not mean that your child can go to camp all summer, but most YMCAs will find a way for that child to have a camping experience.

"If you made me pick one activity that could affect a child for a lifetime it would be overnight camp," said Doug Kohl, president of the Akron-area YMCA.

There are also many church and community sponsored camps that will help give your child an enjoyable camping experience.

NewsChannel5 would like to thank the Akron Beacon Journal for contributing to this story.