How much are you paying for summer camps?

**MomK** · 05-13-2008, 06:16 PM

I was wondering how much people in other parts of the country pay for summer camps? Do you have any creative ways of paying for it?

Here, in the past, I've sent my DD to a private Christian camp and paid $600 for one week. What were we thinking? This year, I'm sending DS to the camp run by our church and am paying around $150!

DD is going to a basketball camp for 4 nights at a local University, and we're paying $150, plus saving on the gas to drive her there.

I have no creative ways to pay for these camps, except whipping out the old checkbook! Any creative ideas for paying for camps?

**bumplett** · 05-13-2008, 06:26 PM

my idea of summer camp is a tent in the backyard.

**IntlMom** · 05-13-2008, 06:36 PM

our boys are both going to cub scout camp. We told them that if they wanted to go, they had to take part in the fundraiser......they fully funded it with the fundraiser......(popcorn or candles anyone??)

**kcsmom76** · 05-13-2008, 07:01 PM

I'm in NC and I just signed ds up for Skateboarding camp today. It will be $150.00 for 1 week from 8 am until 12:15 pm.

I also signed him up for a firefighter class and it was $65.00 for the week and same hours.

DD is taking a cheerleading/tumbling class for the same hours and days and it was $65.00. She is also taking a Drama class for a week and the same hours for $65.00.

I paid for these out of the stimulus check.

**lovestolaugh** · 05-13-2008, 07:10 PM

My DD is going to horseback riding day camp for 1 week, basketball day camp for 1 week and self defence for girls day camp for 1 week. This totals $680. My DS is going to Spy day camp for 1 week, basketball day camp for 1 week and beginning boxing day camp for 1 week. This totals $565. I have set my last few paychecks back so I could pay cash for these. Aside from the expense of their sports programs throughout the school year this is really the only extra expense. We used to send them both to private school. Now they attend a great public school. Believe me, what we save in yearly tuition is three times what their summer camps will cost! Besides, if I don't get them out of the house at least some of the time, my phsychiatric bills will be a lot more expensive then their camps!!!! The best part is that I scheduled their camps at different times. So really I get 6 weeks of peace! I can handle one at a time its when they are together and fighting that I lose my mind!!!!

**lwlynch** · 05-13-2008, 07:16 PM

God Bless you guys, you are lucky..
in other words...
I AM THE CAMP>>>>>>>>camp mom... we really could never afford anything like that....but its cool.. i can keep them busy..

**Odilia** · 05-13-2008, 07:28 PM

Our 2 oldest will go to 3 days of 4-H camp, which is $70 each. Our local bank is sponsoring them for $30 each, and our oldest won his division in the county 4-H speech contest, which earned him a $40 camp scholarship, so he's completely paid for!

Our church sponsors a week-long day camp, which is free to all elementary-aged children. I volunteer at this, and it's' a lot of fun.

**baronmom** · 05-13-2008, 07:40 PM

My youngest is hopefully going to Operation Purple camp which is a camp for military children who either have a deployed parent, or have had one deployed. It is free. My middle son is going to football camp which cost $350. He didn't get to go last year because he was sick so he had a credit towards this year.

**Mom23boys** · 05-13-2008, 07:48 PM

We are paying $45 for DS#3 to go football camp which is one week long and $40 for DS#2 to attend strength and conditioning which is 6 weeks long. I don't think that is too bad.

**Lady_V** · 05-13-2008, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by lwlynch

I AM THE CAMP>>>camp mom...

... I have the franchise... Camp Mom - New England

We did sign DD up for 'R.A.D. Kids'. It's one week, run by the police department/DARE. It covers stranger danger, what to do if someone offers you drugs, basic self defense... and of course fun activities. Best of all it is free!

Her school offers day camp... $75.00/day but I have heard from other parents that it was boring, and only working people who can't arrange for child care use it. I looked it over, wasn't too impressed by any of the theme weeks and nothing DD would have been interested in.

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-13-2008, 07:50 PM

Camp? Hmmm.... for me I was offered free camp for my children if I work there as a camp nurse.

It required me to quit my job though- so that wasn't a very good pay off.

I thought only rich kids go to camp.
Although I did send my children to girlscout and boyscout camp one year. I didn't like that at all

For the most part, It was 'Camp Mom and Dad'.
We camped together, tents, sleeping bags, fire, smores.
We learned to fish, tie knots, swim, kayak, and play.

**danni** · 05-13-2008, 08:30 PM

The only camps my kids have e gone too is the church camp. It is 5 days long and almost everyone in the church contributes some money to help all the parents with the costs. This year we have to pay $40/kid and the twins are the only ones going.

Oh and for a few years my oldest son was in army cadets and they pay the kids to go to camp. The twins just turned 2 and joined air cadets so they will be eligible for camp next year.

**Neeley** · 05-13-2008, 10:10 PM

DS is going to a 5 day (8 am - 4 pm) baseball camp. Cost: $150

He is also going to a Football camp for 4 days (8 am - 4 pm). Cost: $100

One of the universities does week long classes (over 200 different classes)for kids ranging in age from k-12th grade and covering every subject from math to drama to Harry Potter. Each class is meets for one week, two hours a day. She is taking one that focuses on writing (short stories, essays, etc..) and the other focuses on foresic sciences. Cost per class: $75 (so $150 for the two)

**LuvMyHubby** · 05-14-2008, 08:08 AM

My daughter used to go to field hockey camps in the summer.

We were fortunate that these programs offered scholarships for a portion of the fee and she saved her money and paid for half the left over fee and I pitched in the other half.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-14-2008, 08:31 AM

I got a flyer for the YMCA camp, it's 150.00 a week.

Not me, it's gonna be camp mom for my kids too. I was thinking of getting them a tent and blow up swimming pool.

You know if I could find a couple of tents at yard sales I could put them up all over the back yard and let the kids make signs for each one. "mess hall" " art's and crafts" and let them make a big sign to name the camp. Have the neighbors kids over