Eye-popping summer camp price increases
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- January
- 20
Snow is still covering the ground, but many parents, myself included, are starting to make plans for the summer. For many kids, that means camp. Brochures are starting to arrive from local camps. The prices on many are eye-popping.
The Girl Scouts, long one of the less expensive options, has increased its prices by 17 percent. A week at Camp Addisone Boyce, in the wooded, rural, Rockland community of Tomkins Cove, cost $300 per week last year. This summer, the cost has soared to $350 per week.
While the price is still lower than fancy, private camps, that’s a big increase (in the midst of a recession) especially for kids who would normally attend for all six weeks.
I sent an e-mail last week to the head of Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, which includes Westchester, Rockland and Putnam, asking why the price has gone up so much.
So far, no answer.
I bet the 17 percent price jump will keep many girls from attending this summer as their parents struggle in this bad economy.
I’m sure that camp will be on the casualty list for many families dealing with unemployment and financial uncertainty this summer.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 at 3:38 pm by Jane Lerner.
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Category: Parenting
Tags: Camp
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No kidding! We had to sign my son up for camp in the beginning of December because the spots were filling up fast. As for the cost, let’s just say it’d be cheaper if I parked my son in a midtown garage for the summer.
Even though it’s expensive, camp CAN’T be on the casualty list for many working parents. Where else will their kids be for the summer? You can only arrange so many play dates.
In our case, we rely on our town’s camp at the local recreation center. It’s relatively inexpensive, compared to most private camps, and it offers a ton of fun for kids – including a lot of their neighborhood friends.
Good luck with your search!
My issue with the summer camps is that most of them have 9am – 3pm hours. What working parent can be on that schedule? Only some of them offer extended hours, and those are generally much more expensive. But you’re right – we’re stuck. Unless we’re in a position to take the entire summer off from work we have no choice.
I guess these people haven’t been reading the news about the economy. The days when people could increase their home equity lines in order to send their kids to summer camp are over. We’ll see how all this affects enrollment this summer.
I bet the town camps, which are generally the cheapest, will be full this summer. And I agree that camp hours don’t take into account the needs of working parents. I know of many that will arrange before and after camp care—for an extra price, of course.
Jane