Is Summer Day Camp Right For Your Child? Is It Affordable?
As the school year progresses, the time left to plan for your child's summer is disappearing. One possibility for the summer is to send him or her to a day camp. Day camps have many benefits but can sometimes be slightly out of the family budget. If you are considering day camp, here is what you need to know.
Why Summer Day Camp?
Summer day camp is more than just something to occupy your child throughout the day. It is an opportunity for your child to stay physically active throughout the break. He or she also gets a chance to unplug from the television and other electronics, which gives your child a chance to explore more creative forms of entertainment.
Attending camp encourages independence. Camp counselors will encourage your child to make decisions on his or her own and even host activities around growing independence. As a result, your child will end his or her day camp experience with more confidence, which can lead to more success in the classroom.
If your child's only interactions with other children is during the school year, summer day camp gives him or her the chance to continue interacting with children his or her age. Those interactions can lead to improvement in skills, such as conflict resolution.
Is Summer Day Camp Affordable?
There are many day camp programs that fall within many families' budgets. In addition to this, there are many ways you can save on the cost of sending your child to a day program.
One of the best ways is to contact the summer day camp program you are interested in and inquire about discounts. Some programs offer discounts for meeting various requirements, such as enrolling more than one child or being employed by a certain organization.
Depending on the camp, there might even be a discount for enrolling your child early. You might have to pay ahead of time, but the savings can make it worth it.
An important thing to remember is that the costs associated with sending your child to summer day camp might count towards a child and dependent care credit. If your child is under the age of 13, you could potentially receive a credit.
Talk to your child about the merits of attending summer day camp, and let him or her provide input on whether or not is sounds like a fun summer activity. You should also start reviewing programs with your child to help him or her decide which camp would be ideal.