It’s the middle of winter, but believe it or not, it’s summer camp sign-up season, and registration is heating up.
“Parents who haven’t been engaged in camp before and don’t have a camp their kids already go to, probably start thinking about it now and that’s a good thing,” said Henry DeHart, interim CEO of the American Camp Association.
Many camps open up their registration early, DeHart says, and for a good reason. The closer it gets to summer, the harder it will be to find an open spot and the less options people have around affordability.
“One of the effects of the pandemic is that parents realized the benefits kids got from camp and camp-like activities, so the interest in camp has surged,” said DeHart. “You do have to think about it earlier, especially if you want to consider all the options that are out there now.”
The nonprofit has an interactive tool on their website that allows families to find specific camp programs and interests. The results can be narrowed by ZIP code or state. Summer camps can range from multi-day camps or overnight stays.
“Reach out to local community centers … other youth serving organizations like the 4-H, Salvation Army, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts. Parks and Rec programs offer great camps and they’re often very affordable,” DeHart said. “The benefit that kids get out of camp is not impacted by the length of the program, it’s impacted by the quality of the program, so finding a good program that meets the needs of your child is most important.”
DeHart urges families to not be discouraged by the price tag of a camp program. That money goes towards paying for staff, the facility, food and activities for kids.
“The inflation that’s hit all of us has hit camps as well. Camps are adjusting to that to be able to provide safe, quality programs [and] they’ve got to adjust their prices. But again, there are price points all across the spectrum,” said DeHart. “If you find something that you think is affordable but might be a cash flow problem, many campsites offer payment plans to help it be affordable as well.”
According to a survey by ACA, 93% of camps say they offer financial assistance, whether it be a scholarship or need-based grant.
DeHart said a majority of camps in the United states are nonprofit, so they work to serve as many kids as possible.
“When you find a camp, the first thing I would do is reach out to the staff at the camp there,” recommended DeHart. “When you engage individually, they’re going to do all they can to try and help make it affordable. And most camps have some mechanisms that may not be readily apparent on the web site. They’re going to help as much as they can for sure.”
A Dependent care flexible spending account could help parents save on summer camp expenses. This includes child care or summer day camps that provide care for children under the age of 13 while parents work, look for work or attend school full-time.
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