I never went to camp as a kid and none of my kids have either except for when their sports required it. We go to the pool, the movies, museums, trampoline park, parks when it’s not too hot, etc. They also still do their sports in the summer. Most kids in our neighborhood also don’t do camps so they play with them as well.

Why would you pay for camps when you have a nanny.
Pool
Library
Parks
Zoo
Museums
Nature centers
Spray grounds

Lived summers like this when my kids were those ages.

Anonymous wrote:I mean if you pay a nanny can't they come up with a plan of summer fun? Museums, water parks, ice cream, arcades, movies, downtime, etc.

Yes fool I concur

Anonymous wrote:I mean if you pay a nanny can't they come up with a plan of summer fun? Museums, water parks, ice cream, arcades, movies, downtime, etc.

I'm a teacher and I'd love to nanny during the summer as long as the kids belonged to a pool and the parents gave me some money to do occasional paying activities.

Every summer I wish I did a no camp summer, but then I get fomo when other moms text about camps. And every year the kids hate the structure and just wish they could chill. This year I’m doing swim team and no camps. They can hang out at the pool or play with friends (though all their friends are usually in camps lol).

Anonymous wrote:I mean if you pay a nanny can't they come up with a plan of summer fun? Museums, water parks, ice cream, arcades, movies, downtime, etc.

+3

And there's a ton of stuff that's or discounted and good for both a 4 and 7 yr old.

It's not that hard.

How about a class or two instead a full camp?

Mine took an ice skating class and a hip hop one with 2 friends. Then went to the nearby playground after.

Once my kids were past napping age, I preferred to stay home in the morning and go to the pool or outing in the afternoon. Weather was nicer to play outside in the morning, and kids could entertain themselves (in better moods). My structure would be something like this —

Morning at home with kids outside early
Something adult-led if needed (game, craft) - but allow morning to evolve
Lunch
Pool (bring snacks)
Chill time (reading, playing with toys)
Screen time during dinner prep (just keeping it real)

Some days might be different, but that would be my go-to structure.

Anonymous wrote:I mean if you pay a nanny can't they come up with a plan of summer fun? Museums, water parks, ice cream, arcades, movies, downtime, etc.

+1. A nanny, a pool membership, and a sibling will also more than suffice. That’s essentially what our summers are except with me instead of a nanny.

Sidwell used to have half day camps. Never tried them, but they sounded good. Artworks also had a shorter day, I think… if you are in MoCo. I’ve always done full day.

I mean if you pay a nanny can't they come up with a plan of summer fun? Museums, water parks, ice cream, arcades, movies, downtime, etc.

I’d book a cheap one week Rec Center camp for the last week, be ready to lose the money, and then offer it to her as an option midway through her no-camp summer.

Swim team

If all the other kids she knows are in camps, that may be a problem

Some churches run half day camps. They are great for young kids.

I wouldn’t force camps. You have childcare and there are other kids at the park and pool she can play with.