Would your child be interested in a horseback riding camp or a space camp or a travel camp or an adventure camp this summer? Are you looking for a summer camp for your child with special needs? All of these camps and many more will be attending the ACA-NJ Camp Fairs throughout January.

Locally the ACA-NJ will hold its Camp Fair on Jan. 17 at the Sheraton Eatontown. The fair will run from noon to 3 p.m., and is open to the public; admission is free. There will be numerous free giveaways and free snacks. Free face painting will be done by Bella Faccia.

The free admission provides parents with a 50+-page booklet summarizing all the camps and providing future contact information for all the camps participating in the ACA's camp fairs this season. Camp directors show DVDs, talk with parents about the programs and facilities that their camp offers. In addition, they distribute their own pamphlets and often their own camp DVDs and giveaways. Camp directors offer sign-up sheets for parents to make more personal and further contacts. Often camp directors make home visits to discuss their camp.

Representatives from the American Camp Association (ACA) will be on hand to answer questions about how to choose a camp, and distribute pamphlets with the questions most frequently asked by parents who are trying to choose a camp for their child.

Local day camps attending the Eatontown fair include: Camp Arrowhead of Marlboro; The Hun School of Princeton, Camp Sacajawea of Farmingdale; Pine Grove Day Camp of Wall, Seashore Day Camp of Long Branch; Harbor Haven of Marlboro; Allaire Country Day Camp; St. John Vianney Summer Programs of Holmdel; Allaire Country Day Camp of Wall; and YMCA Camp Topanemus of Millstone.

To date, the following resident camps have signed up to attend: Awosting and Chinqueka Camps, Camp Birch Hill, Campus Kids, Camp Canadensis, Canteen Roads, Camp Cayuga, Camp Chen-AWanda, Christian Camps and Conferences, Camp Echo, Camp Eagle Hill, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical, Fairview Lake YMCA Camp, Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts, Camp Friendship, Frost Valley YMCA, Lake Greeley Camp, Camp Hilltop, Camp, Camp Lindenmere, Camp Lohikan, Camp Mah-Kee-Nac for Boys, Maplebrook Summer Program, Camp Med-O-Lark, Mercersburg Summer Programs, Camp NA-SHO-PA, Camps Netimus/ Shohola, NJ "Y" Camps, North Bay, Camp North Star Maine, Science Camp Watonka, South Mountain YMCA/Camp Conrad Weiser, Stoneleigh-Burham School, Ta bor Academy, Camp Walden, Camp Weequahic, YMCA Camp Bernie, YMCA Mohawk, YMCA Ralph Mason

The American Camp Association is a community of camp professionals who, for nearly 100 years, have joined together to share their knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs.

Men and women over the age of 18 seeking summer employment may request a staff job application and often camp directors will conduct interviews on the spot.

For a list of camps attending specific fairs and exact directions to the fairs please log on to our web site: www.acanjsummercampfairs. org. Local camp directors and directors of summer programs who are interested in joining the camp fair may contact the camp fair director, Barbara Rubin, at 732-469-8910.