My first grader is acutely aware that she is too young for sleepaway camp; however, that hasn’t stopped her from bemoaning the fact ad nauseam.
A few of her friends from church just turned eight, making them eligible to attend overnight Bible camp this year. This milestone has brought out my daughter’s inner green-eyed monster. Dealing with the incessant whining, complaining and tears has not made me a happy camper.
Last summer I enrolled my daughter in three day camps, which featured all the fun of overnight camp, minus the drama, hassle and financial burden. In fact, the experience was so positive I’ve become an unofficial cheerleader for the camps.
If you are toying with the idea of sending your young children to summer day camp, consider these benefits:
For starters you can’t beat the flexibility day camps provide kids and parents. Unlike sleepaway camp, you can come and go as you wish. This makes taking off for a family vacation a breeze. What’s more, most day camps are located in the same school district your child attends, which makes it easy for pick-up and drop off. In addition, the boom in summer day camps in the last decade has brought about an unprecedented number of different types to choose from. These days kids can enroll in everything from computer camp to SCUBA camp, and still come home to a hot dinner and mom and dad each night.
Another benefit of day camps is that you don’t have to drain your bank account to enroll your kid for the summer. In fact, some groups subsidize summer camps for kids through local schools and youth centers. City or county-run summer camps are also significantly cheaper than commercial camps, but still offer quality supervision and educational opportunities. Other low-cost options include museum-sponsored day camps and camps run by local colleges.
Is your child enrolled in summer camp?
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