Over the past few days, across the country, children equipped with packed lunches and fresh bottles of sunscreen boarded school buses and headed off to summer camp. On Tuesday, we marked the rite of passage for my two daughters, aged six and four. It is their first time at camp, having spent previous summers in daycare while my husband and I worked. When the bus turned on to our street at 8:20 a.m., the girls were so excited they didn't even look back at me to say goodbye.
I hope their enthusiasm persists. While the day camp I chose for my kids was one of the least expensive I could find among those that suited our needs, it's not cheap to keep kids occupied once school is out. Including bussing and the "extended hours" option, we're paying $1,485 per child for seven weeks. I did save $200, though, by planning ahead and reserving their spaces at the early bird rate way back in November. I also got a discount of 10 per cent for enrolling our second child.
Cost is an issue
Cost is the most important factor for parents when it comes to summer activity arrangements, according to a recent survey by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. Nearly half of the 500 parents polled said that affordability was their biggest challenge in finding summer care for children ages 6 to 12. The next highest priority for parents, a distant second, was finding care that fit into their schedules.
For single parents and those with several children, in particular, cost is a significant issue. The survey found that more than half (54 per cent) of parents expect to spend more than $500 per child this summer and a quarter (26 per cent) are spending $1,000 or more on summer activities.
There are different options out there to fit different budgets. For example, eight weeks at Camp Robin Hood, a favourite among several of my friends in Toronto for their offspring, runs at least $2,970 per child. At the other end of the spectrum are day camps run by organizations such as the YMCA, where the average full-day program costs $190 per week or $1,330 for the summer. As a registered charity, the YMCA even offers financial assistance to those who qualify.
By the time I reached the age of 12 and my brother 10, my parents were leaving us to fend for ourselves during the summer months, with only our bikes and $10 to entertain and feed ourselves for the day. But with young kids, unless one has a willing family member around to help, there is no way to avoid the cost.
The best way to save on summer camp fees, as for many items in one's household budget, is to plan ahead. Early bird rates can clip hundreds of dollars from the fees and be sure to look for camps that offer discounts if you have more than one child attending. Some camps may even be prepared to offer financial assistance or a payment plan that lets you absorb the fees during the course of the year instead of paying a lump sum. While it's too late to cut your costs for this year's camp season, it's a good time to start thinking about summer 2011.