Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are their interests and how much do you want to spend/what general area (dc, VA etc). I might be able to give some ideas.

Fairfax County. McLean area. Children push back a lot, as they are getting older (preteens) Do I involve them in the process? I have asked friends where they are going, but most of their camps are booked (I am late this year!). Also, I am overwhelmed by the choices for some reason.

Thank you for any help and advice. I know it should not be difficult, it is just a combination of negative factors this year.

There interests are coding, gymnastics, math, I don't really know, as they are pushing back. Sorry if I sound a mess.........

My tweens push back to. I listen to them. We hope to send them to three camps: 1) academic 2) recreational 3) spiritual. Obviously, the first one was my idea. They asked to do #'s 2 and 3. The rest of the summer will be spent hanging out at home and/or traveling.

Anonymous wrote:
Fairfax County. McLean area. Children push back a lot, as they are getting older (preteens) Do I involve them in the process? I have asked friends where they are going, but most of their camps are booked (I am late this year!). Also, I am overwhelmed by the choices for some reason.

Thank you for any help and advice. I know it should not be difficult, it is just a combination of negative factors this year.

There interests are coding, gymnastics, math, I don't really know, as they are pushing back. Sorry if I sound a mess.........

I definitely involve mine in the process (they are 10 and 11 - 4th and 6th grade). Over Xmas break we talked about what they liked or didn't like about last summer, what they ideally would like to do. I used to make them do a lot of the same camps to make logistics easier for me but with a boy and girl with very different interests I finally started letting them do a lot of separate camps last summer. With the caveat that the locations can't be too far apart (we're in Arlington). They also prefer variety rather than all summer at one place. DS does have a favorite that he's spending 4 weeks at.

Based on their priorities, some idea of new things i'd like to introduce them to, actual info from camps about scheduling or just educated guesses based on the prior year, I put together a rough schedule. Talk with friends about what they are doing to see if we can line up at least a couple weeks. Discuss options with the kids. See if we actually can get into the camps we refer for the weeks we prefer. It's such a hassle but we are now registered for all but 1 week.

DS (11) will do a mix of sports, his favorite general camp, a church youth group trip, and a 1-week field trips camp. He'll be with friends for the sports and field trip camps. DD (10) will do a mix of art and nature camps, joining DS for one week at the general camp and one week at the field trip camp, plus one sleep-away week. She's with friends for about 5 weeks, including the sleep-away that she's doing with her two best friends.

I do the same camp every year, and it is the one at my DS's school. He loves the camp, a bunch of his buddies from school are always there, and it means we have consistency, which is key with two WOTH parents and a kid who likes routine. He goes all summer, aside from 2 weeks of family vacation. I feel a little badly because everyone is doing all this research on great camps for this interest and that interest...but DS hasn't complained yet. If he does, though, yes, I am going to have him do some of the planning and research.

Anonymous wrote:What are their interests and how much do you want to spend/what general area (dc, VA etc). I might be able to give some ideas.

Fairfax County. McLean area. Children push back a lot, as they are getting older (preteens) Do I involve them in the process? I have asked friends where they are going, but most of their camps are booked (I am late this year!). Also, I am overwhelmed by the choices for some reason.

Thank you for any help and advice. I know it should not be difficult, it is just a combination of negative factors this year.

There interests are coding, gymnastics, math, I don't really know, as they are pushing back. Sorry if I sound a mess.........

Pick up a copy of one of the free local parenting magazines from your library, like Washington Parent or Washington Family - this month seems to be the camp issues. Those lists can be a decent starting point. Also your Rec Center, like a PP said.

My criteria is a camp we can use the entire summer, even if the program changes each week - DC does better with consistency, and I don't want to be changing the overall schedule multiple times in the summer. I also don't worry about who else is signed up. DC looks forward to seeing "camp friends", some of whom also go to the same school.

What are their interests and how much do you want to spend/what general area (dc, VA etc). I might be able to give some ideas.

Anonymous wrote:Where do you start? The internet seems to be all ads, in one form or another.

In MCPS, my kids brought home a few brochures of summer camps. You can start there, or your local Rec Center.

Where do you start? The internet seems to be all ads, in one form or another.

Anonymous wrote:Lol... DH asked me last night what week he should take off to spend with the kids. I just looked at him. Camps have been booked and paid for since winter break.

Yea, my DH doesn't know how much time I put into finding good camps for two kids. Grr.

Lol... DH asked me last night what week he should take off to spend with the kids. I just looked at him. Camps have been booked and paid for since winter break.

The part that kills me is having to prepay for the whole summer.

I hear ya. Ugh, the forms. So many forms. Why????!

The really good ones fill up by February. Get yourself moving. I'm down to my last one - week of Aug 6 - for one DC. I can't find anything good close to the other DC's summer camp. The logistics drive me crazy, too. I don't want to drive from the end of one side of the county to the other.

Recreation camp that allows one drop off for both kids!

I dread booking summer camps, so much so that I have yet to commit to any. I feel as if the camps force you to register early. Every year I go back and forth about which camps, who is attending, who is not attending, when, where.......combined with limited vacation, committing to camps is a big headache, a necessary evil for me. I have to plan everything around camps! Clearly I am doing something wrong.

I am fully aware this is a first world problem.

Anyone with me? Any suggestions? Elementary boys and girls, BTW.