Post by helenahhandbasket on Feb 13, 2017 11:04:47 GMT -5
Holy mother of shit.
Last summer we did a combo of a 3 hour day camp at a rec center and babysitter, but this year I felt like she needed more structure, (going into K) so I have been researching.
Full time (830-430) day camp is anywhere from 5k-6k. This is early bird pricing mostly, which ends in either March or April (depending on camp). And it seems like most end the second/ third week of August but we don't start school until after Labor Day. So there are still about 2 weeks that are in accounted for.
What are you doing for your school aged child this summer? I need alternate ideas.
We are doing camp but for DS last year it was $665 a month. Now we'll have 2 in it so that will be $1300 a month. Daycare is 2k a month so this is actually a savings. Ours is partially tax based so a little savings because of that. This does not include before and after care. Camp is 8:30-4 and goes up until school starts.
Your kid is 4 days younger than my kid. I'm doing week-long camps for basically all of June and July. We start school August 1st here.
Ours average about $400 a week including before/after care. That is $3,200 for the summer. I would look at local churches, museums, google "Science camps", any of the local private schools, local parks, those typically all offer camps. They vary wildly in price. The one at the church he's going to is $285 for the week, while the one at a private school around here is $500/week. Can you get in touch with any moms with older kids and see what they do?
This is for the "whole summer" sessions. Most start the last week of June and go to either 8/18 or I saw one that goes to 8/25.
We don't belong to a church at all, would that be weird to go to a church affiliated camp?
I could just send her back to the rec center but then we still need a babysitter/ after care for the whole summer.
Day camps here average around $350 - $400 per week.
I feel like the enrichment is worth it. We try to break up the summer with different camps (traditional, sports, science, arts) to appeal to the kids' individual interests with family camping and trips.
I know Larry happened. Please do not try to convince me otherwise. Please don't talk to me about coffee. I don't drink it. I don't caffeine. When I state my opinion, that is me chiming in on a topic. This is not me saying you suck at life if you do or feel differently. If I want to say that, I will. If I want to speak on you, I will.
The least expensive camps in our area are the YMCA and the city camps- the Parks and Rec department hold camps all summer, grouped by age, with many different options of camp types. These are generally the more you buy, the cheaper the weeks are, and both Y and city camps have before and after care.
I know Larry happened. Please do not try to convince me otherwise. Please don't talk to me about coffee. I don't drink it. I don't caffeine. When I state my opinion, that is me chiming in on a topic. This is not me saying you suck at life if you do or feel differently. If I want to say that, I will. If I want to speak on you, I will.
Sticking with what you did last summer plus add in like a week with grandma and a week vacation with family and a week long camp or maybe two would be sufficient. Not like the structure of summer camps really are necessary to be prepared for kindergarten. Do what you can afford without going nutso and it will be ok
The least expensive camps in our area are the YMCA and the city camps- the Parks and Rec department hold camps all summer, grouped by age, with many different options of camp types. These are generally the more you buy, the cheaper the weeks are, and both Y and city camps have before and after care.
This was gonna be my suggestion
Also head's up, if you have a membership to the zoo/aquarium/botanical gardens they also have a summer camps.
I know Larry happened. Please do not try to convince me otherwise. Please don't talk to me about coffee. I don't drink it. I don't caffeine. When I state my opinion, that is me chiming in on a topic. This is not me saying you suck at life if you do or feel differently. If I want to say that, I will. If I want to speak on you, I will.
The Y camps are the most popular here too. And have the longest hours.
Our Montessori did a summer session that had full day hours but they didn't really learn. The actual licensed teachers got the summer off and it was just the aides doing fun things with them all day. They never had as many attendees as during the school year, so there was space for other families to use them just for the summer. Maybe you have a preschool around that has something similar.
Ok, the closest Y to me is 20 miles away in the opposite direction of work, but we have several churches and temples that I think I will check out.
Thanks, I don't think I would have thought to look at those types of places.
Also, if you belong to any parent groups- we have some local mom groups on FB and at least one that is membership based ($10/year) or local magazines, those are good resources for local recommendations.
Ok, the closest Y to me is 20 miles away in the opposite direction of work, but we have several churches and temples that I think I will check out.
Thanks, I don't think I would have thought to look at those types of places.
Even though the Y isn't near you, they may have a drop off location that is. I went to Y camps as a kid and the YMCA center was a couple towns over but we had a drop off in our town, usually at a park. There were Y camp workers waiting and then we would hope onto a school bus that would take us to the center. Then we were dropped back off at the same park at the end of the day, again with Y workers staying until all the kids were picked up.
Might be something you can look into if you're interested in Y camps.
Look up Boys & Girls Club. MH worked there for several years so my older girls went to their summer programs. It has hours that actually make sense for working parents and they are open right up until school starting. They did 2 field trips a week plus enrichment there at the center. It was nice that they were able to make friends since the kids were together all summer.
Honestly, I would preferred doing separate camps, but this was much, much more effective in both cost and time.
Post by librarychica on Feb 13, 2017 13:02:22 GMT -5
Our Montessori does the sameness Cadien's. It is cheaper than the surrounding daycamps, even for families that don't send their kids to school there.
We have a lot of church camps but they all end at 3 and are on the high side for the coverage you get.
Around here, once you hit age 5 every extracurricular place on every corner has a camp that covers school breaks and sometimes they're pretty affordable. It's hit or miss. I've called a bunch in anticipation of the summer.
My friend and I also trade off vacation days. Our kids are preschoolers but both are in preschools that run full day but on the County schedule -- so spring break, random holidays, some chunks summer break all need covering.
jubilantsquirrel reminds me that our YMCA has so much demand in the summer that they do satellite programs in churches in outlying neighborhoods. So you may not have to be near an actual Y.
If you are looking for some academic structure, depending on your area, you could look at the Summer Institute for the Gifted. They have day camps, commuter camps and residential camps. The day camp would possibly be the right age range for you. I am more familiar with the residential program, but I think the day programs run for three weeks.
As far as gap coverage goes, does your daughter have any friends with SAHM/P? I know lots of SAHM will take in an extra kid or two for cash. This is very dependent on having all the factors exactly right, but when it works out, it's nice for all involved parties.
Post by fancynewbeesly on Feb 13, 2017 14:03:48 GMT -5
I will say that is extremely high. The highest cost one by us-is 4600 for 8 weeks. And that is an EXTENSIVE/Expensive camp.
That camp provides door to door bus service. It is from 9-4, and includes hot lunch and a snack. The bus picks the kids up about 8:15 and drops them off at 4:45.
That camp does have ways to reduce the cost though---if you don't use the bus service, the cost is less. There are other ways to save through their as well.
Here day camp is anywhere from $125/week (not common) to $450/week (specialty camp like horse camp or some of the swanky prep schools have camps that are pricey). We do a variety. The cheapest other than rec center is the Y at $155/week (1 week this year), and gymnastics is $175 where she will do the bookend weeks. We do 1-2 weeks at a special needs prep school at about $425 including aftercare (songwriting and American Girl camp). And she does a lot of weeks at a $225 outdoor camp with free bus transportation. That is at least half the summer. Edit: At $225 for 12 weeks that is $2700. So here it is probably $2000-4000 typical.
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