Sleep away camp costs!!

[krcit]

I was at about a hundred ball games this weekend...ok just 4 but it felt like a hundred, and at a couple of them the moms were discussing getting their kids ready for camp. It is pretty common around here for kids to go to camp for the whole summer so being a nosey rosey, I looked up a few of the camps that I've heard mentioned They cost over $9,000 a child and most of the people have 2 or 3 kids that go. Plus the cost of clothes that have to have the camp name on them. I couldn't believe the expense. I'm glad that my kids don't want to go because I couldn't afford for one of them, never mind all 3

 

[lovesmurfs]

I was at about a hundred ball games this weekend...ok just 4 but it felt like a hundred, and at a couple of them the moms were discussing getting their kids ready for camp. It is pretty common around here for kids to go to camp for the whole summer so being a nosey rosey, I looked up a few of the camps that I've heard mentioned They cost over $9,000 a child and most of the people have 2 or 3 kids that go. Plus the cost of clothes that have to have the camp name on them. I couldn't believe the expense. I'm glad that my kids don't want to go because I couldn't afford for one of them, never mind all 3

Yes -- they're not cheap, but that seems a bit much.

For us, it's a commitment my DH and I make for the kids -- my kids will only be going for half the summer, and it's about $1,800 for each of them (not including the cost to get them to upstate NY from Illinois). DS and DD each go to a different camp, but both are Christian camps and take them away from the cell phones, electronic games, etc. and help them refocus. Growing up, I went to camp every summer, and I wanted both kids to experience it.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Yes -- they're not cheap, but that seems a bit much.

For us, it's a commitment my DH and I make for the kids -- my kids will only be going for half the summer, and it's about $1,800 for each of them (not including the cost to get them to upstate NY from Illinois). DS and DD each go to a different camp, but both are Christian camps and take them away from the cell phones, electronic games, etc. and help them refocus. Growing up, I went to camp every summer, and I wanted both kids to experience it.

DD & DS are still too young to go away to camp, yet, but I have found in my early research that the camps associated with our Church are a lot cheaper than the regular 'Private' camps.

I went to the "Christian" camps as a kid, and was surprised that they really didn't beat you over the head with religion. Yes there were prayers said before meals, and Sunday services, but, overall, it felt like camp; swimming, canoeing, campfires, bunks, etc.

So I know I'll be sending my kids to those camps...and I guess a little bit o' God won't hurt them right?

 

[princess jackie]

hahaha I thought I was paying too much to send my DD12 to a music camp for a week! $375 plus the cost of all new dress clothes. She went last year and learned so much! This year she is applying for 3 different scholarships offered through her school and the camp itself. She also is earning her way to camp by helping out my grandma around her house and my mother-in-law out at her barn.

 

[kristilew]

We make some financial sacrifices in order to send our daughter to camp every summer. Or rather, we give this "investment" priority over more immediately gratifying expenses.

We feel that the personal growth, self confidence and new skills she achieves are priceless. Her all-girls camp has all the usual activities, with a strong focus on character development and leadership, and we feel they are truly partners with us in helping to grow our daughter into the young woman we want her to be.

Having said that, we are also so grateful to have an only child. Paying to send more than one kid to camp would force much tougher choices on us. We would probably still do it, because we feel so strongly about it, but ouch!

 

[Nette]

Yep, not cheap here. The camp that a lot of my DD7's friends are going to is over $2K for 2 weeks! I just couldn't justify that. We found one that is about $700 for a week. And the YMCA and Scout camps are WAY less than that ($200ish/week), but also either didn't take kids her age, or were too far away for a very pregnant momma to drop off and pick up at.

 

[shortbun]

I know these camps are 'good' for kids but I never even considered them because 1. I could not see spending the cash and 2. I looked forward to spending time with my kid in the summer. He's been to a few one week camps; he liked them but never asked to go away for longer. I still remember when my good friend sent her 3rd grader away for 8 weeks. He wrote her every day asking what he had done wrong to be sent away. It really hurt their relationship for several years. She had scraped the money together thinking she was doing the right thing for him. She begged me not to do it, not like I needed her to tell me. I think kids from some families expect it and like it. Whatever but it's a pretty expensive summer activity. Did these kids used to have nannies?

 

[ZephyrHawk]

My parents will be happy to know that they used to get off cheap at $1000 for 2 weeks at my high class horse camp. It was totally worth it, for both me and them. I would have loved to have stayed away longer. My entire year I looked forward to those 2 weeks of summer fun.

 

[Kitzka]

I live in Northern NJ and my daugthers DAY camp for 8 weeks is about 6k. We only send her to one session in the later half of the summer when the more inexpensive camps are not in session. Also the 2nd session is usually much cheaper than the first. close to 2/3 of the 6k is in the first part of the summer.

DD will be 12 this summer and i am guessing that this will be her last year going to traditional camps. this camp is WONDERFUL and so worth the price. DD loves it.

the first part of the summer she will be at a dance intensive, which is a bargain compared to reg camp. i hope next summer she gets into one of the longer dance programs.

I forgot to add one of DD's friends is going to a sleepaway camp for 5 weeks and it is nearly 10k!

Lara

 

[stsomewhere]

We spend around $400 a week for our DS-12 and DD-9 to go to camp.

Ds got a scholarship to a fine arts camp. We only had to pay $30.

He is also going to boy scout camp $250 for week plus $100 for DH to go since he is scoutmaster.

Ds will be going to a local christian camp for a week at $400.

DD is going to a local girl scout day camp for 3 days-$60.
Last year she stayed at the camp for a week and hated it. It was not a fun as the Christian camp.

She is going to the local Christian camp for a week $400., possibly a second week at the end of the summer. She has not decided.

My Dh and I were camp counselors at a YMCA camp. We feel that it is important for the kids to experience camp.

 

[barkley]

everytime one of these threads comes up i remember how lucky we are that the camp(s) my kids go to are so reasonably priced. even before multi-kid, multi week discounts, the full week price is only $295.

with the exception of $10 for 2 photos (cabin mates, whole camp) this covers the entire 7 days. kids can choose to go to strictly "cowboy" camp (assigned your own horse, whole week is spent in horsemanship activities), or a more traditional camp experience (though lego robotics, model rocketry and video production are not things i traditionaly think of with camp).

summer camp prices realy vary from region to region, and i suspect offerings as well. in our case the camp is located on land that over the years has become prime real estate for very expensive homes (insanely stunning lake front), and the camp has used that to their financial advantage by doing corporate and church reatreats. it must work-they've added rock climbing walls, zip lines and new speed boats (for those interested in taking water skiing activities or just riding on the camp's banana boats) to supplement the lake, the indoor pool and hot tub (yeah, it's realy rough on the kids, but dd will remind me that they still have to walk "all the way" to the horse arena for the weekly rodeo).

 

[aprilgail2]

I am getting off cheap this year- my daughter is splitting up her camps so instead of going to the one that costs 500 a week (day camp not sleep away) she is going there for a week, marine biology camp for a week, girl scout camp for a week and theater camp for a week. So it is costing me less than 1500 for 4 weeks of camp! I have 4 weeks vacation in the summer so she doesn't need to be at a camp when I am off from work, that is when we go on vacation (myrtle for a week, williamsburg for 3 days and strawberry park camping for a week is what we have booked so far!)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My 7th grade dd's "camp" is going to be at a dorm at a college University for 3 weeks and that is costing us 1400 plus extras. She is taking a college writing class. Rounds out to about 500/week, which is not too bad.

Now that one was pretty cheap compared to some of the other scholar programs which are around 3-5 thousand dollars. She wanted to do one of those as well and we said we will see how well you like this one first.

 

[mamacatnv]

I am from the West Coast - born and raised, the concept of going "away" to camp usually involved a church group and was always just a week. No one I knew or know now sends their kids away for the summer or even half the summer, its just not done here. My DD and I were having this discussion last week, its not like the Disney movies where the kids are gone all summer, at least not around here. Lots of day camps which are glorified afterschool programs and run by the City. The local Univ. offers some week long half day camps for things like rock climbing, math, drama etc. DD prefers swimming, water park and kicking it with her friends.

I spent last week looking for a 1 week residents camp to send my DD to this summer. I looked at the church camps I went to but logistically to much involved. I went to church camp on the Oregon coast, I grew up in the San Francisco area but my Dad worked for an airline and all my relatives lived in Oregon. The church camp my son went to is no longer a week long thing, its a 3 dayer. I wanted a full week. There were a few offerings in the Tahoe area, specialty sports or horse camps, starting at $1500 a week and up - yes for just a week!

I settled on a Girl Scout camp - I had to book it through the N. California council since the NV council does not do a residents camp. The cost for 7 days was $537. Fortunately the camp is in the Truckee/Donner/Tahoe Forest area which is about an hour drive for us. While the Girl scouts provide the Calif girls transportation we will have to get DD there but that is not an obstacle. She is very excited!

 

[mjkacmom]

Are they Jewish? I ask because once I took all 5 of my kids to Starbucks, and an obviously Jewish woman (wig, skirt) couldn't believe my kids weren't in camp! Dd13 is going to a musical theater program for the month of July, just during the day, and it costs $1000.

ETA, if it makes your feel better, OP, we had 4 baseball games as well, plus a softball, soccer, and flag football game!

 

[princessmom29]

Reading this, I am soooo glad "camp" is nto a big thing around here!! There are summer day camps for about $100 a week or so, but most of the kids that go to them have moms who are working during the summer so they really amount to daycare. I teach so I am off summers. DD will do a six week dance camp 1 day a week all day for $100, swim lessons 1 hour every day for 2 weeks $90, and tumbling classes 1 hour a week all summer $100. Iguess Iam getting off cheap!!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I am getting off cheap this year- my daughter is splitting up her camps so instead of going to the one that costs 500 a week (day camp not sleep away) she is going there for a week, marine biology camp for a week, girl scout camp for a week and theater camp for a week. So it is costing me less than 1500 for 4 weeks of camp! I have 4 weeks vacation in the summer so she doesn't need to be at a camp when I am off from work, that is when we go on vacation (myrtle for a week, williamsburg for 3 days and strawberry park camping for a week is what we have booked so far!)

I hope you don't mind me asking, but where is the marine biology camp and would you mind sharing the name?

 

[CF'er]

We don't spend that kind of money on family vacations. DD11 is going to 4H camp which was $300'ish for a week.

We have "camps" locally here but they are really summer daycare. Sending kids away for the summer isn't the norm in my area.

As a kid I went to camp for a week but it was YMCA summer camp and I have no idea what my parents paid.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

We live in the land of expensive summer camps. I'm glad some people do it (employment and all for folks here! ) - I'd venture it's almost exclusively kids from out of state. The norm with friends around here is maybe a week at a church or scout camp (both run around $300), with a few opting for maybe a week or two at an intense specialty camp (sports, dance, science).

I am fortunate to have summers off. Most of the time I enjoy being able to spend that time with the kids. They'll each do a week away, but the rest of the time will be home or outings with friends.

 

[Irin997]

DD9 is trying sleep away camp for the first time this year with one of her good friends. We found a great priced Girl Scout camp that is only about 1.5 hours away from home. It is for 6 days and she is super excited. I'm only paying $280 for the week and that is cheap compared to the normal $1500 per week I found at the traditional residential summer camps.

As far as day camp, for me it is a form of daycare. The total cost for this camp which is 7 weeks is only about $690. But, it is through the YMCA and is held at an outdoor camp/park facility that is very close to our house. DD9 is very excited for this too because she attended a similar outdoor camp last year but only for two weeks and at a different facility. She loved the outdoor camp, as opposed to the indoor camp she was at for 6 weeks located in an elementary school. The outdoor camp will give her the opportunity to be outside all day long and she can swim and run and play and get good and dirty.

Call me crazy but I love when she comes home filthy. It means I've gotten my money's worth.