Summer camps are a great way for kids to spend their time over the summer, but they can be expensive to attend. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for parents to save money while still ensuring that their child can have a fun summer camp experience.
Summer Camp Scholarships
Some camps will foot part of the bill for families in need. Typically, families will need to apply for a scholarship on the camp’s website. Priority is given to low-income campers, and the amount of money covered by scholarships varies by camp.
The Gift of Summer Fun
If you do not need a scholarship but would like to help others who do, many camps have a “send a child to camp” fund that pays for scholarships. The American Camp Association (ACA) and the UltraCamp Foundation have a fund that is distributed to camps across the United States.
Sibling Discounts
Sending multiple children to camp can be daunting when camp enrollment is already so expensive, but some camps offer sibling discounts for families who are enrolling more than one child at a time.
Refer a Friend
If your child already attends a summer camp, they may also be eligible for a discount if they get a friend to sign up. Depending on the camp, refer-a-friend discounts can stack — the more friends sign up for camp, the more you can save.
A Taste of Camp
If you can’t afford a full summer, some camps offer trial programs where prospective campers can spend a weekend away. These trial runs are designed to be affordable and to give children a sneak peek at what the camp experience is like, so they and their parents can decide if they want to attend an overnight camp in the future.
Cost-Saving Camps in the Baltimore Area
Summer Camp at Port Discovery offers a $25-per-session discount for siblings and museum members, and scholarships through its PlayMakers programs for families on nutritional support programs.
The Baltimore Department of Recreation & Parks Summer Camp offers discounted admission for Baltimore City residents.
The Y in Central Maryland has a Send a Kid to Camp campaign where donors can help fund camp scholarships.
SuperKids Camp is a free STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) camp that runs for six weeks at several campsites in Baltimore.
Cylburn Nature Camps has scholarships that can cover up to 75% of camp tuition.
