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I think whenever they are old enough to handle several days away from home. I think I was 9 when I was away for a week...By the end of it I was SO ready to come home.

Early! Probably around 4 or 5 years of age. Day camp, that is....definitely not sleep away camp until they're older, if ever.

I went to sleep away camp for the first time at 8. I cried when my parents left, but I was fine as soon as they were gone.

Do you mean sleepover camp or day camp? I went to overnight camp at 10, but I wanted to go even younger. I think I'd let DD go at 10 if she's interested... and maybe even younger if she shows a really strong interest. Day camp I'd be happy to sign her up as young as possible. I went to day camp from age 5 or 6 onward, and I went to a summer arts program for half days when I was even younger than that.

I never went to camp (unless you count band camp and ASB camp in high school), and neither did the hubs... so I don't think we'll ever send our kids off to camp. I want LO to join the Girl Scouts (if we have a girl) and I would want her to go to camp if it was part of the program... but then I would feel bad if we had a son because I wouldn't want him to be a Boy Scout.

I went to Girl Scouts camp and church camp at a pretty young age (maybe 5? or younger?), but since my parents were the troop leaders and church volunteers, I was with them the whole time. I went to my first sleep away camp (acting camp in Montana) all by myself at 13.

I don't think I would send the kids away by themselves until they're at least 12...

I went to church camp at 13 with a bunch of my friends and was perfectly fine.
A day camp, 5. An overnight sleepaway camp, 8/9 maybe?

I would definitely send my son to day camps that are a couple weeks long pretty young - like elementary school age.

I was 9 when I went away for camp for one week, and I did perfectly fine. So I would say around that age is good. But it also depends on the kid - I was a very independent child, very social and fearless.

If my son is more reserved, shy, fearful of strangers/being away from home, then I would wait. I would also take into consideration whether he really wants to or not.

I think I would let them go once they show interest and seem able to handle it, I doubt we will ever do the 8 weeks type deal, I see it being more a week here or there, maybe two...

i think i did girl scout camp when i was 8 or 10, which was for a weekend. DH went to sleepaway camp for like 3 weeks when he was 7! i was just reading "bringing up bebe" and she said in france, they send kids at like age 5 away for a week!

i loved camp and so did DH, so i could definitely see us sending our kids if they are interested. i always thought it was crazy that my MIL and FIL got like 6 weeks a summer totally child-free!