So many summer camps end at 12 yrs-what do 13 yr old/8th grader do?

[Anonymous]

I have two kids that are a year apart. They’ve always done summer camps together but this year there’s not many options. Most camps I’m seeing serve K-7th grade and very little options even for counselor in training for rising 8th graders. I don’t want my kid sitting home all day and driving them around different activities during the day isn’t an option due to work. Just curious what parents do.

[Anonymous]

Georgetown Day and Sidwell camps go up higher.
Sleepaway camps.

[Anonymous]

the one my daughter attended ended at 15

[Anonymous]

My son started being a CIT and then paid staff at his favorite day camp

My daughter did a mix of sleep away camp (and became staff at 16 for a couple weeks/summer) and some local camps with programs for teens -- art, outdoor adventure. Plus some weeks of just downtime to relax.

[Anonymous]

That's when the good sleepaway camps start!

[Anonymous]

Speciality camps at that age.

[Anonymous]

Camp Sonshine goes up to that age. They do a lot of field trips for the older kids.

[Anonymous]

I found some camps near us for rising 8th. But a lot are specialized and expensive. We are also doing two weeks sleep away camp. He will have at least three weeks unplanned - which I am sure will mean videos games.

Hopefully next summer as a 14 year old he can do some CIT or maybe get a job.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 9 and 12.

Last summer--at 8 and 11--they said no more camps ever. We got a babysitter...she was not good and it was a waste of money.

This year we are hiring someone we know only 9 hours a week (3 afternoons from 2-5) to hopefully take them to the pool.

Three weeks they will be visiting family.

We are just going to wing it. They will have to entertain themselves. Will allow 2 hours of ipad screen time in the morning.

Not paying thousands of dollars anymore on summer care that is never worth it.

[Anonymous]

What are her friends doing? Typically mine wants to do the same when at all possible.

We cobble together weeks of specialty camps, family vacations or visiting grandparents, and “free weeks” (home alone all day, so whatever you want once a few chores I’ve assigned are completed). Works fine.

[Anonymous]

Sleepaway camp for 4 weeks, vacation for another week, summer reading/math work, sleeping.

[Anonymous]

Volunteering at the summer nature camp he used to go to.

[Anonymous]

Summer school to get a start on HS classes then vacation.

[Anonymous]

Sailing camp is a great option for tweens/teens. There tends to be various programs through middle and high school.

[Anonymous]

Overnight camp and sports/extracurricular focus camps (if not sports, art or music or whatever) are usually geared to older kids. And then you let them loose with neighborhood friends. They also have each other so that’s nice. They can bike places and take the bus.