Five tips to plan for summer camps

You’ve packed up holiday decor, gotten the kids back into school routines after winter break, and then it hits: ‘Tis the season for summer camp registration - and I would not call this the most wonderful time of the year.

While it’s incredibly frustrating to go from one mental load-heavy season (holiday celebrations, traditions, and gift-giving) to another, the reality is that most summer camp registration periods open in January and February. Summer feels a lifetime away right now, as you’re caring for kids with winter colds, but given the constraints of registration windows, this is the time to plan ahead.

Take a deep breath. We’ve got you covered. 

Here are 5 tips to planning for summer camps, with a free planning guide available below.

Tip #1: Map out your summer.

I create a simple spreadsheet (or a table with columns and rows if you’re more of a document person) with the weeks of the summer down the side and the names of each of my kiddos along the top. I consult my calendars for key dates, and plug them into the document. Consider: when school ends, if your child will attend any school-based summer programming, when you/your partner/coparent have holiday time or PTO scheduled, when you’ve planned for trips and vacations, if applicable, and when school resumes, including any orientations or back-to-school activities. By putting it all in one place, I have a better sense of what specific weeks I need coverage for each kiddo.  Here’s what this table looked like for my kids at the start of my planning last year:

Tip # 2: Talk to your kids.

What are their interests? Do they want to play a summer sport (such as swim team) that will have a regular commitment? Do they want to try a sleepaway camp? What are their interests right now? STEM challenges? Legos? Baking? Crafts? Beyond interests, consider their needs. Do they love being physically active? Do they prefer quiet and mellow? Do they dislike heat and prefer indoor activities? Do they even have learning differences, physical, social, and emotional needs that may dictate camps have trained staff with expertise? Do your kids need unscheduled time to decompress? Will you schedule rest weeks throughout the summer so they avoid exhaustion? Understanding what your kiddos might enjoy and what environments support them will really help you comb through options with the lens of giving them positive experiences so they’re happy to go each day, instead of having a battle to get in the car.  

Tip #3: Consider constraints.

Summer camps aren’t cheap, and most families don’t have unlimited resources to access summer childcare. Given that, take an honest stock of your budget - per summer, per week, per child - however it makes the most sense to you. Think about your work hours and how much flexibility you do or don’t have (full-day camp or sleepaway camp vs. half-day programming). Related to your work hours, what is the geography of your office? Can you work from anywhere or do you need to be in a certain part of town by a given hour?

Tip #4: Explore the options and use your networks.

Now that you know your needs, constraints, and preferences, it’s go time! Talk to your children’s friends’ families. Where have they had great experiences in past summers? Might the kid want to attend together? Even carpool? While it requires more coordination up front, it might mean a few slower-paced days without interruption to work. Once you’ve tapped your friend network for ideas, consider asking on your social media, perhaps also making a post in group pages for your locality. 

After that, check into organizations in your community/geographic area of preference. Consider public and private schools, local government parks and recreation offices, non-profits (YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs), businesses that cater to kids (dance studios, cooking classes, painting lessons, etc.). 

And when all else fails, use your search engine with combinations of search terms such as: summer camp, day camp, summer workshop, full day camp, or half day camp + [location] + [activity preference]. Read reviews, check prices and times, and start matchmaking offerings to spots on your calendar.

Tip #5: Register, calendar it, and create excitement!

Register early to ensure you get a spot (and check on cancellation deadlines and fees), and calendar all of it. This is one of the trickiest parts of camp planning - deposits, due dates, registration forms, etc. Create systems to support you so nothing falls through the crack, leaving you in the lurch and a kiddo potentially bummed about a missed opportunity. Share the week-by-week calendar with your kids so they can get an overview of what their summer will look like. Ask them what they’re most looking forward to and gather summer camp essentials (sunscreen, bugspray, fun snacks, etc.) with them to build excitement.

Here’s a glimpse of what our summer camp planning document looked like after I’d registered for everything:

Ready, set, go!

If this resource is all you need, good luck, and may registration processes ever be in your favor! But if you need more support, may I suggest:

• Downloading our FREE Summer Camp Planning Guide, below for more comprehensive information.

• And maybe delegating the summer child care task entirely. We can help, particularly if you’re located in Richmond, Virginia, where I live and send my kids to camp. It’s as simple as booking a free 15 minute consultation or sending an email to connect@laurakassner.com to get started.

We can help with this - and so much more!

At Laura Kassner Consulting, our suite of Life Wife services goes far beyond summer camp. Our mission is to reduce your mental load so you can pursue things that bring you joy. From devising systems to make your home function smoothly to research and planning skills to make memories or navigate big life decisions, we are here to support you.