7 Affordable Summer Camp Options

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We are just a few more months away from summer time. This also means that school is almost out for summer. If you’re a working parent like me, you may be cringing at the thought of what to do for your children. Many times school being out means adjusting to a new schedule and a new summer budget. To provide us with some type of peace of mind we have started to prepare for fulltime summer childcare.

When our daughter was in preschool, we had found that there are many options in our local area that provide summer camps. These camps surprisingly offered a more budget-friendly form of childcare for us. While the specific organizations that offer summer camp may be unique to our area, I have found that there are similar organizations in every city or metro area. Take a look below to find at least seven different options for summer childcare.

Summer Camp Options

YMCA

Many YMCA’s offers a variety of different summer camps as childcare throughout the summer. Our local YMCA offers a weekly Day Camp that cost anywhere from $100 to $150 a week. While that may seem like a lot, it is about the price weekly Daycare would be.  The difference is that children attending Day Camp get to go on weekly field trips, daily swimming activities and an assortment of STEM-related activities. Sure some daycares may offer these benefits but not all of them.

The YMCA also offers sport-specific camps, preschool camps and residential camps for variable pricing. Another added bonus to camps held at the YMCA is that there is an opportunity for scholarships. With the YMCA being a charitable organization, they have scholarship programs to ensure that all families within the community have an opportunity to participate.

Kids Museums

Many museums and aquarium will offer workshops or camps for school-aged children during the summer. Pricing may vary depending on the length, space, and popularity of the camp. In our local area, we have two small kids museums that offer weekly day camps to the community. They offer half-day camps for children ages 4 to 6 and full-day camps for children 7 to 12. Each week seems to focus on a different theme and activities for the week are geared towards that theme. These camps are within the same price range as the YMCA Day Camps. We also learned that if your member of the museum you may register for the camp at a lower price then those who are non-members.  These type of camps are a great alternative to traditional daycare.

Nature Centers & Botanical Gardens

Does your child love the outdoors? Does your child need more time outdoors? Perhaps your child would love Nature Day Camps! Check out your local botanical gardens or nature center for summer camps or day activities. Your child can spend a whole day or week learning and cultivate a relationship with the great outdoors. Each event or week of camp may center on different aspects of nature. These aspects could be on different animals and their habitats, ecology environments and so much more.  These camps are typically designed to engage children 4 to 12 years of age.

Colleges & Universities

We have a local University that offers an Architecture summer camp for children 5 to 16 years of age. The camp is hosted by the University’s School of Architecture & Interior Design. This is a great camp for your future builders, engineers, and designers. The price for each week is very similar to other summer camps throughout the area. Every University or local Community College may offer a variety of different camps. The camps can range from an academic to a sports focus. Checking these camps out is definitely worth it and can expose you and your child to a whole new level of fun and learning.

Businesses & Organizations

There is a variety of small businesses, nonprofit and even for-profit organizations that offer summer camps each year.  We have a local Art Center that offers many art camps throughout the summer to all ages. If you have a little artist on your hands, we highly recommend checking out your local Art Centers. You just might be surprised at the different types of youth programs or camps that they offer.

If you have a local Activity Center in your area, chances are they offer daily or weekly summer programs as well. There are also organizations like Girl Scouts of America, Boy Scouts of America and 4-H that offer summer camps for a variety of school-aged children. Many of these companies focus on essential skills to help mentor and develop future leaders of tomorrow.

Places of Worship

Many local places of worship offer Vacation Bible School at least one week in the summer. VBS may typically require you to pre-register your children but they are free and welcoming to all. We have many local places of worship that offer their VBS program at different weeks throughout the summer.  Some VBS programs may be Monday through Friday 9 am to 12 pm while others may be a few hours in the evening each day. Either way, VBS may offer a great starting foundation to learn the art of worship for your child. This program can also provide the opportunity for your family to meet new people or find a new place of worship. I only recommend this option to those who are comfortable and open in introducing different forms of faith into your family and children.

Public Recreation & Parks Department

Many public recreation and parks departments offer summer camps for the children living in their community. We have a local City that has partnered with our local YMCA to offer a great community summer camp for city residents and non-city residents. This specific camp is held as a full day 8-week camp and comes with an affordable price for families with a variety of different budgets. Take a look at your City or Township’s Recreation and Parks Department website or give them a call to find out if they have a summer camp for local children. You might just be surprised!

Other Options

Depending on the area that you live in you may have additional alternatives for summer care, in addition, the seven options mentioned above. Some areas have public or private school districts that offer summer camps or programs for K through 5th grade. You may not have to be a student at the school district to take advantage of these summer offerings.

Another great option is to check out your Public Library. Our local public library offers a great summer reading program with a variety of activities. They also partner with our Township to offer Movie Night in the park. While our local Public Library doesn’t offer a full summer camp option, that does not mean that your public library doesn’t. I would recommend reaching out to them to find out their summer programming. At the most, you may find great resources for other summer programs in the community that you may have not otherwise known about.

Need Help With Your Search?

Did these alternatives help you find a solution to your summer camp needs? Are you still searching or need other options? We recommend also checking out the American Camp Association. You can find an assortment of camp-related resources especially organizations that are camp-related!

Another great resource for finding a camp is through the National Camp Association. This website provides a great resource for parents such as how to prepare your child for summer camp or even an outline of the different types of summer camps.

Need Help With Camp Cost?

Did you find the perfect summer care for your child, but it is still a bit much for the budget? Do not forget to ask about the following:

♦ Scholarships/Financial Assistance

You may have to fill out a separate application and may have specific deadlines and requirements

♦ Sibling/Family Discounts

Many organizations or camps may offer a discount to families who are registering more than one child

♦ Membership Discounts

Believe It or No, paying that annual membership fee to the organization could actually save you hundreds with a discounted membership price for summer camps or programs

♦ Volunteer/Staff Discounts

Some organizations may offer a discount for volunteering your time or becoming staff

At the end of the day, it never hurts to just ask if there are any local discounts or special promotions that can help reduce the cost of summer care.

Have you found a solution to your summer care needs? Tell me what your family has done to stay on budget with summer care cost!