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Camp can be just as educational as school, with the added dimension of children learning through experience. Through activities and play, children learn a wide range of skills and develop physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually. At camp, children learn by doing, living, and experiencing things for themselves. It's one thing to watch a nature program on television, but quite another to experience nature in real life.
Camp can be just as educational as school, with the added dimension of children learning through experience. Through activities and play, children learn a wide range of skills and develop physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually. At camp, children learn by doing, living, and experiencing things for themselves. It's one thing to watch a nature program on television, but quite another to experience nature in real life. The benefits of camp are worth every penny. Yet Private resident camps are expensive. When trying to determine how to save some money for summer camp, consider the following cost saving ideas.Camp Savings Current private campers especially those on the east coast, are now looking at alternatives that might be far less expensive. One way to save is to look in the midwest. Savings can be a much as thirty percent after airfare. For other families who still want to send their children to private camps, one way to save on summer camp is to look for alternative programs that might be similar to what you have done in the past yet less expensive. This is just a matter of shopping on the internet for price.Adventure Camp Many may need to leave private summer camp altogether and choose to save by attending a YMCA or a even a church program. Savings for these programs are often as much as 35%. Don't forget your local areas park districts. Many offer some form of day summer camp. These are usually the most cost effective, however, day camps generally do not offer the same opportunities as that of an overnight summer camp. Most importantly, most camps do have discounts and campership programs, yet rarely do these programs make camp free. Each individual camp determines how to run their own discounts, it's important to ask the director how to take part in a campership program to help make camp affordable for you. The ACA (American Camp Association) recommends: * Parents should ask whether the camp participates in income-eligible subsidy programs, for instance through Title XX. * A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account allows parents to be reimbursed on a pre-tax basis for child care or adult dependent care expenses for qualified dependents that are necessary to allow parents to work, look for work, or to attend school full time. Visit the FSA Feds Web site for more information. * In certain circumstances, day care expenses, including transportation by a care provider, may be considered dependent care services and paid with pre-tax dollars. Visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for more information. * Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit: The IRS allows an income tax credit of up to $6,000 of dependent care expenses if you have two or more dependents (up to $3,000 for one dependent). The amount of the credit is based on your adjusted gross income and applies only to your federal taxes. This applies to qualifying day camp expenses as well. Visit the FSA Feds Web site for more information. Not all camps are equal and cost is often reflected in quality of programs. Please do your research to ensure a quality experience for your child. Be sure to ask about staffing. Some camps use volunteers while others have paid staff. Look at counselor-to-camper ratios. Look in to, how many campers are sleeping in each cabin with what number of children. Are the counselors over 18? If not, be wary. Total cost of the camp is not only tuition, but transportation, canteen and spending money, laundry, off-site trips, and uniforms (if required). So look at the toal package. Ask the director about how much of a deposit is required and if it is refundable. When must the camp fees be paid in full? Ask about refunds. What the policy is if the family's plans change and they withdraw the child from the program before the start of camp? What if problems arise during camp and the child must come home? Safety is the most important area of any Summer Camp. Regardless of cost, you want to ensure that your child will be safe and will return home at the end of the program. One way to make sure your selected camp is safe is to verify that the camp is an accredited member of the American Camp Association. The ACA ensures that over 300 standards are met in their accreditation process. Lastly, It is important to try to remember what it is like being a kid. Summers are long! The experiences at summer camp create a lifetime of memories. Many adults fondly recall their camp days. Do what you must, but don't let this summer pass your child by without a Overnight Summer Camp experience. DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. About the authors: Jeff and Lonnie Lorenz are the directors of Swift Nature Camp, is a non-competitive, traditional coed Overnight Summer Camp. Boys and Girls Ages 6-15 enjoy nature, animals and science along with traditional camping activities. Swift specializes in programs for the first time camper as well as adventures for teens. Mention this article and save $200 Science Camp |