How to Save Money on Summer Camps -- Set Up Your Own

Arrange for summer camp for the kids for the ENTIRE SUMMER at little to NO COST! Summer camp can be fun, frugal, fascinating, and fantastic -- even for the parents. Read on!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Canvass neighbors and friends to see who is interested, and the age range of kids. Check on days and times and pick a day -- or multiple days -- that work for everyone.

2. Once you have an interested group, set up guidelines. There are multiple ways to arrange, consider what might work, then reach an agreement with all participants.

3. There are many ways to set up a program, but here is one series of steps:
   
   1. Kids will go to a different participant's home each week (or if one person has a home most conducive to kids, use that one and perhaps have that person not pitch in on costs).
   2. Hire older kids to be "mother's/father's helpers" at the location.
   3. Have the kids each pack a lunch and bring it to "camp", thus solving the "feeding many children at one time" problem at home.
   4. Decide on a focus -- sports? crafts? games? and take up a collection to buy needed supplies. For a sports camp, pick up sporting supplies at the thrift shop. For a crafts camp, visit the dollar store for supplies.
   5. Another option is to have each family pick an activity each week, and bring supplies for that activity.
   6. Definitely arrange for a snack for the kids (ensure compliance with food allergies, of course). Snacks are often kids "favorite" activity -- and make it healthy!

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you have adequate parent/adult supervision at all times, and that all parents/care-takers/kids all understand and agree on the rules.

[skydog44]

on 6/21/2009 Good advice. Thanks.