Summer camp sticker shock

[helenahhandbasket]

Feb 13, 2017 12:39:02 GMT -5 @thisbitch said:

Feb 13, 2017 12:15:16 GMT -5 helenahhandbasket said:

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.

Yes, I am in a local mom group, good idea.

[helenahhandbasket]

Feb 13, 2017 14:15:43 GMT -5 kmkd19 said:

My old school district has a summer day camp that we used to go to some years. Does your district have one? Or is she still too young?

We have one but it's from 9-1:30.

I work 9-5 and my office is about an hour away so I'd need someone to get her to the school, and someone to pick up and aftercare for 4+ hours. It also is only for 4 weeks, so I still need a supplement.

I'm still considering this option because now I realize this will be cheaper than day camp.

[akafred]

Feb 13, 2017 11:17:15 GMT -5 helenahhandbasket said:

Feb 13, 2017 11:09:07 GMT -5 @hilarityensued said:

$5k-$6 for what time period?

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.

Lort.

I don't think so. There may be some religion in the camp but for the most part they are pretty innocuous. Like a discussion of things God made (leaves, rocks, etc). Unless you find a kooky church that is very over the top or you are very against any religious instruction or incorporation at all, it probably isn't a problem. I'm a Christian but don't go to church or shove things down DD's throat, and she has never come home from any church camps with anything religious. I also had no problem sending her to the Jewish Community Center and other than asking what Kosher meant (the camp provided lunch), she didn't have anything religious there either. At least nothing that stuck.

[brachysira]

In your shoes, I would look for a daycare/school that does cool summer things like weekly field trips or has an extensive nature play area or swimming. I think many kids going into K are not quite old enough to handle long days in different environments with all new people each week. This can be exhausting and camps don't tend to have nap time or tons of ways to get a break. Plus, the leaders may be college or even high school students in various areas of study with minimal training and little experience with young children.

If you can get a baby-sitter, your kid can still get tons of enrichment. There are free morning vacation bible schools, and then of course parks, lakes, nature centers, libraries, gardens, waterparks, and pools, possible playdates, and you can still sign up for some part time morning camps. In our town there are also lots of activities like summer storytimes at libraries and in parks, children's garden parties for $5/child, children's museum enrichment for $10/class, all kinds of sports classes, and other free/cheap summer daytime events. You baby-sitter can do art projects, academic exercises, and read to your child. If a baby-sitter is too pricey, as others mentioned, you may be able to get a SAHM who will do before and after care and drive you kid to things.

I think the prices you mention are quite high. Around here, nature centers tend to be the least expensive, but they tend to not offer before and after care. The Y is also semi-affordable, but seems possibly a bit chaotic for a pre-K child. One thing that is popping up on my facebook a lot is people in my area starting at-home forest schools/daycare and running them as camps in the summer. Some of these people may not have much reputation as they are new, so you'd have to visit, etc. but they are cheap and tend to be flexible with before/after care.

[spooko]

Does your local school district offer before/after care during the year? Ours runs a summer program in addition that's really reasonable.

[majwv8]

Have you looked into the YMCA? Ours is full day and like $125/ week. I've heard good things, but my child won't be old enough until next summer.

ETA: it's not actually at the Y. It's run through them but at a park. They are outside and wear themselves out everyday. If the weather is bad, they have a partnership with a nearby school and use their gym/cafeteria. You do have to bring your lunch. There's a field trip one day a week and they go to the pool like 2 afternoons a week. 

[regal]

Private schools, sports clubs/leagues, art galleries, science centres, museums, music schools, gymnastics and dance studios, theatres, conservation areas, state and national parks, animal rescue centres. Pretty much everyone has capitalized on the school break childcare situation.

Does she have any close friends? Could you share a babysitter with someone and line up trips and other activities for them to do together. I did this for a family once and it was great.

[regal]

Also see if your state has a Camp Association. There are usually publications advertising members camps (day camp and sleepover camp).

[helenahhandbasket]

Feb 13, 2017 20:52:30 GMT -5 regal said:

Private schools, sports clubs/leagues, art galleries, science centres, museums, music schools, gymnastics and dance studios, theatres, conservation areas, state and national parks, animal rescue centres. Pretty much everyone has capitalized on the school break childcare situation.

Does she have any close friends? Could you share a babysitter with someone and line up trips and other activities for them to do together. I did this for a family once and it was great.

I wish we had someone who had a parent with a similar schedule, but most of my friends are teachers.

That is a great idea though, and I will keep that in mind for the future.