How much are you spending on summer camps/ activities for your kids?

[ourbabygirl]

With no preschool and other kids classes, we don't have anything scheduled/ planned going on this summer for the kids, so I just signed DD (age 4) for a few day camps at a local nature center. Each camp is $86 for 4 days, 3 hours a day. Just wondering how this compares to other programs in your area. (It's hard to find programs here that will take preschoolers.) I'm also planning to sign the kids up for some swimming lessons, just need to decide when and where. Other than that, we'll probably just spend some time at local beaches, the zoo & children's museum (where we're members), and local libraries for story time and checking out books. And hopefully some play dates with new friends and cousins. :)

Do you mind sharing what you're doing with your preschool and school-age kids for the summer, and how much you're spending?

Thanks!

[belovedgandp]

That's a reasonable charge for that kind of program.

Things we've done in the past

VBS - 4 or 5 days for a week, 3 hours per morning, $25 per kid
Theater camp - 5 full days per week for one week - $225 - younger kids only have 1/2 day option
Soccer camp - 4 or 5 days for a week, 2 hours per morning - 60-90
Community college classes - 4 days per week for one or two weeks of class, 3 hours per day, $95-150.

This year we are going minimal. One week of VBS for all three kids. One week of soccer camp for the older two. We bought memberships to our zoo, amusement park, and pool. Plus we're going on a real one week long summer vacation for the first time in forever. The summer will go fast.

[StantonHyde]

Full day camps are around $250 a week here. There are cheaper ones but they don't fit my kids' or my needs/schedules/location etc.

[lilycat88]

We're doing a variety for DD (8). Art camp, zoo camp, camps through her school, a sleep away camp week... $800 for sleep away week and $200-$300 a week for others. DS will be at his normal daycare for the summer.

[teresah00]

Next to nothing. Kids are 7,5, turning 3 and 7m. The older 2 or 3 will do 1-2 weeks of VBS (donations only). They will probably take a gymnastics class, which is already included in my gym membership. I've thought about a week of art camp for the oldest but always balk at the cost.
We go to my parents pool most days. Go On some day trips. Beach. A week of vacation TBD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lhafer]

My 3 yr old will be going to camp where she has MDO right now this summer. She will go 3 days a week from 9:30-2:30 for 3 weeks, and its only $160 for the whole camp.

DD1 will go to a camp or two, probably $200 or so for the week as well. Not sure what camps yet.

[MontrealMum]

DS is 5, and in kindy. For some strange reason many of the camps here won't accept a child until they're 6, although approx. 4 mos. worth of the city's kids will be still be 5 and no longer daycare kids (since they've finished kindy) as they enter summer due to the province-wide school entrance cutoff. I find this weird, limiting, and annoying.

That said, we're paying approximately $250 a week for daycamp (9-4) + daycare/aftercare for 2 different camps. It will be broken up by my vacation where I will have DS home with me. I work at a school which is why I get a short break in the summer. From what I can tell the camps in Montreal start at around $150 and go up from there. As DS gets older we will consider some of the more specific, themed, camps, which are more expensive. It's just not worth it at this stage.

We've been lucky enough to find some good programs close to home in what is our first year dealing with camps. Apparently some of this can be recouped by taxes. This will be our first year so I don't really know the ins and outs of that.

[Neatfreak]

My four year-old is registered for two different week-long half-day camps, and they were $93 per week. My nine year-old is registered in a full-day program for a week, and it's $255. Probably the one only that she'll be going to!

[citymama]

Camps here start at $250/week and go up to $1000/week for 5day, 8hrs so that sounds very reasonable. We had DD in the basic camp at $250/wk last year but she really doesn't want to go back. We're looking at $300/week or more for DD1 for 11 or 12 weeks - yikes! This is for one kid; DD2s preschool is year round.

[KrisM]

DS1 and DD are signed up for Camp Invention, which is 1 week 9-3 for $180 each. I noticed that Safety Town is the same week, so I'm going to sign DS2 up for that so he has an activity and I have some kid-free time. That one is 1.5 hours for 4 days for $36.

Likely, DD and DS2 will do a couple days of gymnastic camps, but we don't have the schedule yet.

We are considering joining a gym that has an outdoor pool. It's $250 to join for the summer. We did it a couple years ago and it was fun, but it's 20 min away so we didn't use it as often as I wanted for the cost. Last year, we went to the smaller waterparks near us for $20/day and that was fun.

We need to talk about it all, I guess!

[WatchingThemGrow]

This grew to be pretty comprehensive, so read just the camp info if you want...
I SAH so I feel a bit guilty about sending them to camp. The ILs give them $ to be used for education, so I feel like I "need" to spend those. ;) At the end of the summer, I'm worn OUT from the dynamics of 3 close in age. Being able to send just one kid at a time to camp saves my sanity. For $735, we're signed up for:

everyone will get one week of swim lessons, maybe 2 $65 each
VBS (free)
4 and 5 year olds will do one week (together) at their preschool camp 9-1 for $135 each
5 and 7 year olds will do one week (staggered) at the planetarium from 9-12 or 1-4p for $135 each

On the other weeks, we will do a "home camp" across 4-5 other days with 3 other families. Got the idea from a Family Fun magazine, and this will be our 3rd year doing it with those families. It's so fun. Also, we have passes (Christmas gifts from grandparents) and plans for:
-science museum (taking advantage of the weekly experiments they do in the lab)
-3 different kids museums plus at least 3 others on vacation - Yay reciprocal passes - although they'll charge 50% starting this April
-planetarium, 2 major garden areas
-2 of those city parks with cheap boats, rides, carousels, etc.
-hiking and biking many of the amazing parks in our area
-pools of course
-playdates with cousins, friends

I need to start gathering some snack and lunch-packing ideas. If we don't pack it in our divided ziplocs and LLB family cooler daily, we could spend the equivalent of a week at camp buying lunch and snacks on the road. We can't really get around the gas we'll use up going here and there, but we can be better about bringing our own food and drinks.

[hillview]

well tbd but we will either have a sitter or put the kids in camp (they are not enthusiastic about camp).

ETA ok we have the kid's LOVED gym teacher doing 2 weeks in June and all of July at $900 a week 8-6. In addition we will spend about$100 a week for 3 weeks for tennis for the boys. They really didn't want to do camp and I caved. That said the camp we'd have put them in (middle range/lower range around here) would have been 437 a week per kid from 9-3 with my parents picking up the slack.

[ZeeBaby]

The girls will end preschool at the end of May and start at their babysitter for the summer. It's $175 a week per child. Most camps around here are about the same or around $200/$225. Many charge the regular daycare rate plus an activity fee.

[nfowife]

I just registered my kids for some camp this week. I normally would not do weeks of full-day camps but we are in a weird situation this summer. We are moving from Oklahoma to New Hampshire and en route will spend about 6 weeks in Florida at my IL's house. We've decided that while there it is paramount to keep the kids busy so camp it is. DD1 and DS will do a month of city camp which is 8:30-4 daily and has field trips 2x/week. It's $150/wk per kid. DD2 will do the local JCC toddler time camp 3 mornings 9-12 and that is $110/week.

We will arrive in NH about 5 weeks before school starts and I might enroll the kids in a soccer mini camp for a week there too and swim lessons if we can get in to have something to do and help them meet a few people. Haven't for sure planned that part yet.

I hate to think of spending so much $$ but for the month they will be in camp we won't have any mortgage or rent or living expenses other than some food so it will all balance out. Just seems like a lot. But the city camp was highly recommended and its actually much cheaper than other options I researched.

[jammytoast]

My 1st grader goes to an all day Y camp at $200/week. We're doing science camp one week at $230. There are some local specialty camps that, when adding on before/after hours, go up to $400 a week which is nuts!!

My preschooler will stay in his all day daycare, but they tack on a $70 or so summer fee for activities, performers, bouncy castle rentals, etc.

[georgiegirl]

There's a Jewish daycamp in town that is a super good deal. It's about $150 per week if you sign up early and for more than 4 weeks. That includes daily swimming (lessons about half the time) and field trips on Fridays. It's full day, and DD loved it last year. I think it's subsidized by the Jewish Federation, so that's why it's so cheap. We will probably enroll DD for 5 or 6 weeks. Unfortunately DS is too young. I need something to do with him. All of the options for is age are expensive and half day. I will probably look into the YMCA for a preschool program for him.

[Kindra178]

Way too much. Park District camps that go until 3pm run around $225 per week. Private camps that are half day are $250/per week.

[Bryan mom]

We pay a lot more and that's even on the low end costwise.

Just paid $2860 for 8 week and that's with a discount for paying in full early. Equates to $358/week. That's for 5 days of day camp from 7:30 AM - 6 PM.

To compare, there is a daycamp that is $900/week plus additional $65/wk for before care, $80/wk additional for aftercare, and $50/wk for bus transportation.

[daniele_ut]

When I worked full time DS attended a couple of different day camps that cost $125 per week for full time hours and DD was still at her regular daycare.

Now that I am a SAHM camps aren't really in the budget. We are traveling extensively for my freelance job this summer so no one is going to be bored! We will be on the road for 5 weeks and for part of that the kids will be involved in the free church-sponsored activities at my work location. We will be driving across country and making stops to see some of their cousins, my aunt and then staying for a week or two in NJ with my sisters and mom before I need to be on location. We get home a few weeks before school starts and dh runs a music camp up in the mountains near Park City. We will most likely spend the week up there with him at the resort.

[crl]

Still working on this.

I am planning swim lessons for both kids and either guitar or piano lessons for ds, who will turn ten this summer. I need to figure out the lesson situation at the neighborhood pool that we can join for ~$400.

I am thinking we will pay for a week or maybe two of day baseball camp for ds at $350 per week for five days, eight hours a day. I would love to sign him up for a couple of weeks of the parks and rec camp which is cheaper, but he doesn't want to go. I think if we had a friend who was going the same week he would be willing, but we moved here recently and I'm not really part of the mom network yet so it's hard to coordinate that.

I think that will be it. I'm planning on lots of walking to the library and park and pool.

Catherine

[wellyes]

$86 for a 4 days, 3 hours a day sounds very very reasonable.

In the past I've send DD to a $400/week swim camp. Places around here tend to be $200-$500.

I kinda wish I was religious so I could take advantage of VBS!!

This summer, we are joining a pool as a family, $1500. We will be there every day, it has activities, great counselors, a splash park, a huge zero entry pool, water slides, etc so it is worth it for us. We aren't going on vacation or doing any camps.

[happymomma]

In previous years, we've spent about $300 per week per kid from 9am - 3pm camp. I am trying to find ways to make it more affordable this summer. There is 10 weeks that we will need childcare. I am trading off with a couple of Moms. I will watch their kids and they will watch my kids. I have put both kids in a one week special camp of their choosing. DS wants to do TKD camp which costs $400 per week. Then DD wants to do a handiwork camp. It was a good deal at $250 instead of the usual $400. They will also be doing a VBS this summer. So that is much more affordable. Then we will also have a babysitter for 3 weeks.

[schrocat]

DS1 is signed up for Camp Invention which was about $200 after discount. I might sign him up for a LEgo Camp if we have time but we're spending most of the summer abroad in Asia so we don't have time to do camps.

[joonbug]

Probably DD will continue her preschool in July (Special Ed and they have 2.5 hr program continuing in July). Other than that, nothing scheduled. Zoo, local beaches and playdates. She will be 4 in summer.

[niccig]

I week of camp 9-3 is around $250-300 a week. There are more expensive camps too.

DS is doing 2 weeks of 9-3 camp as I go back to school before him. I'll have to pay extra for aftercare a few days. He wants to do a basketball camp that's $180 dollars and maybe a lego camp. Not sure yet.

[lhafer]

When I worked full time DS attended a couple of different day camps that cost $125 per week for full time hours and DD was still at her regular daycare.

Now that I am a SAHM camps aren't really in the budget. We are traveling extensively for my freelance job this summer so no one is going to be bored! We will be on the road for 5 weeks and for part of that the kids will be involved in the free church-sponsored activities at my work location. We will be driving across country and making stops to see some of their cousins, my aunt and then staying for a week or two in NJ with my sisters and mom before I need to be on location. We get home a few weeks before school starts and dh runs a music camp up in the mountains near Park City. We will most likely spend the week up there with him at the resort.

When is he doing his camp? As you know we will be up there this summer.

[pinkmomagain]

For all three, approx. $9,000 for 6 weeks of day camp.

[cvanbrunt]

$2850 for 6 weeks of day camp, 9am-4pm, for both girls. We have one week at a beach house with friends, too.

[MMMommy]

One week for a fantastic camp I've signed DDs up for is $520 per week per kid (5 days from 8:30am to 4pm). The price is hard to stomach, so I am limiting it to two weeks each. This is on the high end of pricing.

I also like the local ice skating camps which are reasonable at about $125 per week (4 days only, 4 hours a day).

Other camps in the area typically charge $300 to $400 per week.

FWIW, high cost of living region.

[dcmom2b3]

Just finished camp registration. Bunny will be splitting the summer between her beloved "country day" camp outside the city and french immersion camp at her current school. One is $350 per week the other $395. Once I add extended day care ($100 and 120) and transportation ($75 and $160) I'm looking at nearly $5K in camp bills with the last two weeks before school starts still not covered. (Temp nanny? there's another grand. Gah!) Fingers crossed that her school will offer a bit of financial aid.

But others' mileage will vary. I need 8-6 coverage 5 days a week for the whole summer b/c I'm a single working mom.

[Ceepa]

For all three, approx. $9,000 for 6 weeks of day camp.

That is staggering.

We haven't made any formal plans, every time I consider sending DC to a weekly camp I balk at the price.

[pinkmomagain]

That is staggering.



Yeah, well, it's a steal compared to sending 3 to sleepaway.

[minnie-zb]

My tab is at $2000 -- that's for two kids and it is not for every week. Some of the camps are half-day. I may still add more camps, so I won't be surprised if the final tab is closer to $3000.

[mommylamb]

We're going to do camp for DS1 at our local county rec center. The camps there run anywhere from $215 to over $400/week depending on the activity and there are loads of options. This is for five days a week 9-4. Well sadly need to get aftercare for him as well and I'm not sure how much more that costs.

[jk3]

Significantly more than anyone else is reporting but we are in a high col area.

[hillview]

For all three, approx. $9,000 for 6 weeks of day camp.
That's $500 a week per kid which is pretty normal around here +/- a little.

[niccig]

That is staggering.

We haven't made any formal plans, every time I consider sending DC to a weekly camp I balk at the price.

Summer camps ARE expensive, especially when need full summer coverage and morning/aftercare. The $290 I'm paying at one place is only 9-3, morning and aftercare is additional $75 a week, so $365 per week. And this is one of the cheaper places I've found and DS loves it.

I don't need full-time Summer care yet, but when we do, we'll need to budget for it.

[daniele_ut]

When is he doing his camp? As you know we will be up there this summer.

It runs August 5th through the 10th. I'm not sure you will still be around but it's up at the Zermatt Resort in Midway and the special guest artist is the Piano Guys.

[Pear]

Per month
Daycare 2 days a week 480
Art class 55
Gymnastics 60
Soccer. 35
Pool membership 50
Haven't decided if she will also do dance this summer. Budget says no, but stir-crazy Mom who just cant keep up with the 4yo might end up saying else

[maestramommy]

This year we are spending a month in SoCal with family so the only extra thing we are doing is VBS, which is $40 a family for 5 mornings.

In the past, besides VBS I have signed the kids up for one week of camp, either at the local Montessori school, or last year I signed up DD1 for Camp Invention (big fail). They are in the neighborhood of $125-150 each. I don't know what we will do in the future as the kids get older, but I think they would love the dance camp where they take ballet. I don't like to do too much camp because it gets costly, and it also prevents us from doing fun day trips together.

[brittone2]

We're shifting our HS co-op around and we're going to meet starting in July this year (one day per week). That's pretty much free, other than sometimes picking up some books/curriculum related to whatever we plan, art supplies for the art history/art portion, etc.

We do a pool membership every year, although this year it has crept up to about 500 bucks. 3 years ago it was under $300 IIRC, so that's quite a bit of creep. DS2 is phasing out of naps, so that should free up more time to go during the week this year.

We camp a lot in our popup that we've owned for about 10 years now. Some years we don't go much at all, some years we go frequently. DS1 is not playing baseball this year, so we should have more flexibility this year :cheerleader1: On years when we get into a groove with it, we go pretty often.

No paid camps planned at this point. I just found two teens who I will likely use as mother's helpers/sitter this summer so I have a little free time to myself.

[westwoodmom04]

I haven't finalized plans, but probably average about $300 a week for 2 kids for a total of four or five weeks (some half day camp, some ending at 3). Also, another $600 for intensive swim lessons (this is after years of regular group lessons and swim team have failed to produce much progress).

[brittone2]

I haven't finalized plans, but probably average about $300 a week for 2 kids for a total of four or five weeks (some half day camp, some ending at 3). Also, another $600 for intensive swim lessons (this is after years of regular group lessons and swim team have failed to produce much progress).
Our pool doesn't like to do privates or semi privates, and we haven't been terribly impressed with group instruction at our pool. The Y's program doesn't impress me either. I wish I could find someone who does a good private or semi private. I think my kids learn more with DH and I teaching them than they ever did in classes. DS1 had decent lessons 2 years ago, but DD's class was a total waste.

[westwoodmom04]

Our pool doesn't like to do privates or semi privates, and we haven't been terribly impressed with group instruction at our pool. The Y's program doesn't impress me either. I wish I could find someone who does a good private or semi private. I think my kids learn more with DH and I teaching them than they ever did in classes. DS1 had decent lessons 2 years ago, but DD's class was a total waste.

This is with a local woman who teaches very small groups one hour a day, 10 weekdays in a row. She is suppose to work magic. We have already done countless group lessons, and even a few private lessons when the kids were too young for the groups. I was a great swimmer as a kid, I've learned it's not genetic. I hope this works, because I think we're out of other options (my kids can swim, but neither has mastered rotary breathing).

I wish my kids would learn from me or dh, but that has been fruitless as well, and I actually taught swimming lessons back in the day. They usually do better with strangers.

[nfowife]

Brittone- have you checked swimamerica? It's a great program for small group lessons. They really target skills and the kids move up individually.

[brittone2]

Brittone- have you checked swimamerica? It's a great program for small group lessons. They really target skills and the kids move up individually.
Thanks for the lead! I just checked and the closest place is about an hour away (maybe 45 mins on a good day).

[Cam&Clay]

DS1's soccer camp will be $700-900 for the week. Depending on where they pick it, we might also have to provide a plane ticket.

He also goes to a local camp in August run by his coach. She only charges about $300 for the week. The rest of the summer he will lay around the house and hang at the pool with his friends.

DS2 will just go to his regular sitter. Her daughter will walk him to swim lessons at our local pool a few days a week.

[brittone2]

This is with a local woman who teaches very small groups one hour a day, 10 weekdays in a row. She is suppose to work magic. We have already done countless group lessons, and even a few private lessons when the kids were too young for the groups. I was a great swimmer as a kid, I've learned it's not genetic. I hope this works, because I think we're out of other options (my kids can swim, but neither has mastered rotary breathing).

I wish my kids would learn from me or dh, but that has been fruitless as well, and I actually taught swimming lessons back in the day. They usually do better with strangers.
Mine haven't mastered smooth rotary breathing either. DS1 needs to learn to tread longer; DD can't tread well at all yet. Both can swim, but not proficiently yet.

I would love to find someone good who does decent private or semiprivate lessons. WHen I asked at our pool they gave me the whole "we give plenty of individual attention, no real need for private/semi private, etc. ." but really, DD learned nothing in her class at all (and I mean, literally nothing, and spent a huge percentage on the side of the pool). DS1 had a decent enough class, but would have gotten much more out of a private or semi private. He made progress and it was worthwhile overall, but still not really what I'm looking for.

I like that yours is on consecutive days too, as I think that would work best with my kids, and then we could work on maintaining their skills and building off of what they learned.

There is one other local option I haven't explored for lessons but I don't hear much about it.

[MelissaTC]

2 weeks of day camp, 1 week of science camp and 1 week at engineering camp at a local university should put us at a little over $1k. I am trying to secure a spot at the library camp (free!) tomorrow morning but it is hard.

[westwoodmom04]

Mine haven't mastered smooth rotary breathing either. DS1 needs to learn to tread longer; DD can't tread well at all yet. Both can swim, but not proficiently yet.

I would love to find someone good who does decent private or semiprivate lessons. WHen I asked at our pool they gave me the whole "we give plenty of individual attention, no real need for private/semi private, etc. ." but really, DD learned nothing in her class at all (and I mean, literally nothing, and spent a huge percentage on the side of the pool). DS1 had a decent enough class, but would have gotten much more out of a private or semi private. He made progress and it was worthwhile overall, but still not really what I'm looking for.

I like that yours is on consecutive days too, as I think that would work best with my kids, and then we could work on maintaining their skills and building off of what they learned.

There is one other local option I haven't explored for lessons but I don't hear much about it.

Do you have a college with a swim team nearby? Maybe a student would be interested in working with your kids?

[brittone2]

Do you have a college with a swim team nearby? Maybe a student would be interested in working with your kids?
Where would you go for the actual swimming though? Do you think a college would allow us in? I know my community pool where we are members bans outside instructors. I have thought about finding someone privately on my own, but unless one of us has a pool, it seems like most places don't want the liability.

[niccig]

I would love to find someone good who does decent private or semiprivate lessons. .

Ask around. That's how I finally found the woman DS sees for lessons. She uses her backyard pool, no marketing, all word of mouth. Once on her email list, you get an email before summer that she'll have a sign up sheet on her front porch on a certain day. Very low key set up.

1. YMCA Mom and Me was fine
2. YMCA group was great as long as had one of good instructions, but a few sessions of not great instructors, I went elsewhere
3. Private with a woman that has theory of teaching and doesn't deviate from it and you must go so many days in a row - didn't work with DS as she wasn't correcting things he needed help with eg. his kick.
4. Took DS to woman friend raved about. Longer drive, cheaper per session and very flexible with scheduling, but only over summer. She took one look at DS and said "we'll fix his kick and he'll be swimming like a fish." She adapts to what child is doing and has enough tricks that can find what works.

So it took a while, but found someone that works for DS and he LOVES her. He told me all the other instructors were mean.

[erosenst]

It varies for DD, 9.

* Two weeks at one day camp (8-6) are $330 each. (This includes lunch/snack
* Three weeks at another day camp (7-6, although DD will be there 8 - 5ish) are $175 each. (Lunch/snack not included)
* One three day week at each, prorated. (4th of July week, and the week before school)
* 12 nights at overnight camp. Much more expensive (can't remember, and too lazy to look - maybe $1400)
* One week we'll be on vacation; and scattered days where camp doesn't work and we'll bridge childcare between us, and likely a couple hours a day where she's home alone. (DH works nearby, and can usually work from home by noon at the latest. DD will sleep late/watch videos in her room easily til 10a, and already stays by herself for 1-2 hours time frames and is fine/fine with it. I'll be out of town for work for two of these days so can't fill in, and as of now won't get a sitter.)

One of the times I'm glad we only have one child.

[blisstwins]

Camp invention 450. Two kids for a week
Academic camp at a university 3200 for two kids three weeks
Nature camp half day one week 400
Pool membership 700

[ladysoapmaker]

For the boys, we are spending about $400 for week long summer camp (this includes transportation). DD#1 will be doing a week long summer camp, haven't determined with GS camp she's dong yet, it'll be between $280 and $400 depending on what is picked.

DD#2 is still too young for most, I need to check out the Y daycamps, she might actually be allowed to do it. The girls and maybe DS#2 will be doing swim lesson at about $30 each/week. Unless DH finds a job by then things will be limited.

Jen

[pastrygirl]

I can't find anything that's less than 100/wk. that's our upper limit of spending. My older son will be going to summer school for most of July and August, though. He LOVES school, so he's excited about that!


__________________
My blog...
http://unshopping.unravelingblog.com/

[egoldber]

Well, for us, it's full time child care. So my kids are in camp every week we're not on vacation.

Younger DD is in camp all summer where they went to preschool and are in before/after care. It's $300 a week for 9-4 and then after care is an additional $75 a week. If we need before care too that's an additional $50 a week. But it's 2 minutes from our house, the care is excellent and they love it there. Older DD is only there for 2 weeks. After this year she ages out of their program and that makes me really sad. :(

Older DD is also doing a 3 week science sleep away camp and that is $1000 a week. :eek:

[AnnieW625]

It is full time care for us as well. I hate to feel cheap about it but I am.

I am hoping to spend no more than $200 a week. The YMCA, and Girl Scout camps are about that and have extended hours until at least 5:30. The JCC camp without after care I believe is $250 per week. Our city has pretty reasonably priced summer camps as well, but I don't know what those prices are yet.

I kind of refuse to pay more for day camp than I would pay for full time care for my DD2, which is $225 per week.

We will be doing swim lessons as well and if I think we go to the place I am thinking about we will be paying $120 per month for both girls and it will be two lessons per week. We will probably start that in May.

[westwoodmom04]

Where would you go for the actual swimming though? Do you think a college would allow us in? I know my community pool where we are members bans outside instructors. I have thought about finding someone privately on my own, but unless one of us has a pool, it seems like most places don't want the liability.

The college may have some free swim time for the local community but that will probably cost something.

[egoldber]

I kind of refuse to pay more for day camp than I would pay for full time care for my DD2, which is $225 per week.

It's been my experience that full time quality camps for elementary age kids generally cost more than full time quality daycare. I know it was a shock to us the first summer after I went back to work full time.

The cheapest camps here are those offered by the school district child care at about $225 a week for full time care. But the are hard to get into. The next cheapest generally available camps are at the Park&Rec, and even they are $215 a week without before or after care. The problem is you never know the quality of the "counselors". Some are really great, some are really not. And if you need extended care (before 9 and after 4) that adds $100 a week.

[niccig]

It's been my experience that full time quality camps for elementary age kids generally cost more than full time quality daycare. I know it was a shock to us the first summer after I went back to work full time.

The cheapest camps here are those offered by the school district child care at about $225 a week for full time care. But the are hard to get into. The next cheapest generally available camps are at the Park&Rec, and even they are $215 a week without before or after care. The problem is you never know the quality of the "counselors". Some are really great, some are really not. And if you need extended care (before 9 and after 4) that adds $100 a week.

:yeahthat: Annie, you're not far from me and my Y camp is $218 a week and there's a wait list. I haven't seen anything for cheaper than that. My city doesn't have a camp program, 2 neighbouring cities do, but residents get first choice, so again we're on a list. My other issue is that because public schools have moved their start date back 2 weeks, many camps aren't open the last 2 weeks of our summer.

The camp DS goes to, has price scale that cheaper more weeks you go. I only need 2 weeks, so pay more per week than if DS went for all 12 weeks.

I've also noticed that as kids get older, the camp offerings get more expensive too. And not all camps have aftercare hours, so that counts out several programs.

[brittone2]

The college may have some free swim time for the local community but that will probably cost something.
I wouldn't be opposed to doing that at all, but it seems like so many places prohibit instructors from working with kids at their facilities, probably for liability reasons. I'm sure it is possible to fly under the radar sometimes, but it seems like swim instruction is likely going to look like swim instruction.

Nicci, I'd love to find someone privately, but I'm guessing there are also more people teaching from their home pool where you are in CA vs. where I live. I've never heard of anyone in my area using someone who teaches in their home pool; I'm sure it happens, but everyone I know uses the Y, the community pools, etc.

[essnce629]

DS1 will be doing his 3rd year of sports camp. They do sports plus a ton of daily field trips to go swimming, roller skating, miniature golfing, the beach, etc and then big field trips (Disneyland, water parks, etc) on Fridays. It's $55 a day (9am to 4pm) and he'll be going daily for 6 weeks. We got an early registration discount though by signing up before February so it will only be $45 a day for us, which comes out to $225 a week or $1350 total.

The kids are in private swim lessons year round as well so that's another $112 a week (2 lessons a week for DS2, and 1 lesson plus 1 swim team practice for DS1).

DS2 will continue going to his Montessori preschool 3 times a week during the summer. It's $850 a month normally (not sure if it's cheaper during the summer yet).


So yeah, too much money!!!!

[AnnieW625]

:yeahthat: Annie, you're not far from me and my Y camp is $218 a week and there's a wait list. I haven't seen anything for cheaper than that. My city doesn't have a camp program, 2 neighbouring cities do, but residents get first choice, so again we're on a list. My other issue is that because public schools have moved their start date back 2 weeks, many camps aren't open the last 2 weeks of our summer.

The camp DS goes to, has price scale that cheaper more weeks you go. I only need 2 weeks, so pay more per week than if DS went for all 12 weeks.

I've also noticed that as kids get older, the camp offerings get more expensive too. And not all camps have aftercare hours, so that counts out several programs.

The Y Camp is $155 a week (205 with before/after care).

Nicci, when do your schools start? Ours starts on 9-3, but get out a week later than the public schools (6-19).

Spent some time this AM looking over stuff (slow at the office) and I think I am going to go the JCC route and if you pre book and pay 40% before May 10th you get a 10% discount so the weekly total goes down to $220 per week (vs. the non member rate of $245), before/after care is $40 per week. My total for summer if I do that, plus the last week of August will be $2100, but that is full time and no vacation, except the first week of July. If I do a mix of Girl Scout, and the JCC including the last week of August it will be $1900.

[egoldber]

Your JCC rates are cheaper than ours.

[lhafer]

It runs August 5th through the 10th. I'm not sure you will still be around but it's up at the Zermatt Resort in Midway and the special guest artist is the Piano Guys.

Bummer - we'll just miss it! We are heading out to CA the week before that. I love Midway. We definitely plan on checking that entire area out while we are there.

[ett]

More than what a lot of PPs have posted and I don't even work! Sigh, the cost of living in a HCOL area. I just paid about $1000 for 6 weeks of 3 hours/day camp/classes for DS's. The program is through the school system and are taught by teachers. Each week long class is between $150 and $200. DS1 has 4 classes and DS2 has 2 classes. I may also sign DS2 up for a week or 2 of art camp through our town's park and rec since he couldn't get into the art class through the school. That's much cheaper and was $85/week last year. Plus a week of VBS for both boys which is $40 total. DS1 also qualifies for social skills group which is free, so he'll go to that on the mornings he doesn't have anything else.

Full day camp runs $500-$600/week and it's even more after you add in before and after care.

[mommylamb]

I just pulled the trigger on camp for the summer for DS1. For 8 weeks of 9 am - 4 pm, it cost me $1700, which is very reasonable (some of those weeks are more expensive than others because of the different activities). I got an early bird discount (a whole $8 a week, but WTH, I'll take it).

I think we're going to try to do this without before/after care. This won't be a problem on the 3-4 days a week when DH works from home (though DS will be spending some time in the afternoon sitting in front of the TV most likely), and on the days when DH comes into the city we'll either pay the daily fee for before/after (I think it's $13 for each) or ask our friends who have their daughter at the school if we can drop him off at their house or have them pick him up. It's such a PITA to cobble it all together!

I do wish I didn't have to pay for the whole thing now. Big credit card bill coming next month!

[boolady]

About $2800 for 8 weeks of 9-3, plus I'll have to pay for her to stay in the after-camp program until about 5:15 pm. That's a lot, but there are camps of this caliber (really well structured and run programs, on campus pool and swimming lessons, etc.) and then there's a huge drop off in quality, and partially because of my own guilt issues about her not being able to be home in the summer, hanging out at the swim club like most of her friends, I wanted her to go someplace where she wasn't just sitting in an elementary school gym gluing popsicle sticks. I have a few colleagues whose kids go to this camp, and they love it. As a result, we probably can't afford a family vacation, but at least she'll have a good summer.