Do your kids go to camps in the summer?

[Mydogisthebestbetterthanalltherest]

Just day type ones?

I live abroad and my Dd, almost 6, will be off school, on summer holidays for 11-12 weeks. Seeing lots of people putting kids in daytime type camps, is 5 too young to do this, is it necessary or should I just let Dd play in the garden, paddling pool, beach etc and arrange play dates?
Feel the pressure to do it, and the cost

Yeh because an annual leave allowance of 25 days per annum allows parents to spend the full summer holidays with their kids without the use of any childcare! The OP has 11-12 weeks to cover.

Mine used to enjoy summer sports day camps. The ones at schools run as supervised play groups weren't good. Hobby or sports specific clubs were better. We live semi rurally near a national park, so ours were at a nearby zoo, a national park visitor centre, a local leisure centre and a specific sports facility. We did a club a week, to give time for other activities.

Half and half I work full time but take extra leave. I have to cover 13 weeks at primary and a further 4; at secondary.

Mine will but only for a few days over the hols, maybe 4 days total. It's not really a camp as such just a 'normal' school holiday club where she usually goes for a day in each half term too. DH and I both work PT so we can cover most of the holidays but not all of them.

WT actual F?! I work as does my partner and we can’t take 10 weeks leave

what bubble are you living in

Mine have done a few days here and there over the summer. They are now 10 and 8 and we balance summer holidays but Dh and I having some time off, grandparents, some days at local sports camps and some days (last couple of years) then doing their own thing while DH/I wfh.

Round here they are almost exclusively sporty though and elder DS being very anti-sport it's pretty difficult. However he is going on a proper camp, with scouts for a whole week this summer for the first time.

Our holidays are only 5 weeks long though so it's all a bit more manageable.

Pre Covid yes when we worked in offices and needed childcare.

Post Covid no they go out to play (youngest) and we wfh.

Yes, mine has been going since reception - she has to, we both work full time. So she goes for 3 weeks and we take annual leave for the rest. As she has no siblings clubs are great for getting to socialise with other children. There are normally a few people from her class there as well. She loves going to them. We use a variety of different clubs - general sports, dance, gymnastics, forest school, circus etc. It is a great chance to get to try new things.

DS will be going we've booked 6 Flexi sessions, and will choose the dates closer to the time, we have two weeks leave and pil are taking him away for five days, and DH and I work consolidated hours so cover Mondays and Fridays between us, and my parents will have him every Wednesday we're not off. He's also an only child and his friends are going, he's very much looking forward to spending time with his friends over the summer!

Yep. DD goes to holiday club Tues, Wed and Thurs every week, she has Mon and Fri at home while we WFH or at her Nan's.

The club she goes to is all outdoor and they do kayaking, climbing bushcraft, target sports and all sorts of good stuff.

Mine enjoyed the sports ones.
We once put them for 4 days in a general one and DS2 absolutely hated it (he hates crafts!).

Do be aware of what the local culture is though if you are abroad: we are in France and the school holidays are really really quiet in terms of playdates/children playing in the park. All the children are either a) on holiday b) at their grandparents c) in holiday clubs.

My DC had a few really boring times cos they was no one around to play with.

I think five is too young for a full day, to be honest, they're mainly geared at older kids and can be quite full-on IME.

For what it's worth my parents both worked when I was young - I had 3 weeks with them 3 weeks clubs/camp/whatever you want to call it. I really don't remember much of the time with my parents (except the bits where we went away) but have some amazing memories of dance laughter cookery, learning new skills at camps :)

I was a sahm in the US and my DS did some summer camps at age 5. It was purely for my sanity rather than childcare. He loved it. 12 weeks of summer holidays is a lot to fill so it was good to break it up a bit.

There was intense competition for summer camp places, especially the full day ones as parents need the childcare! We were restricted cos of his age though so you will need to check what age they take.

The one we did was more relaxed at 9-12 for 3 days a week and you booked what weeks you wanted. It was at our local leisure centre type place and they took the kids to the pool every day as well as doing lots of sports and crafts etc. He also did a week of “safety town” which was just adorable. They rode little trikes through a course and learnt all about various safety things. The last day they got the fire department to bring down a fire truck for the kids. Again that was just mornings for a few hours, but he loved it!

Mine go because I work! They accept them from the nursery class (so three) here.
When I didn't work I would send them to some half day camps 9-12 to keep them occupied. Or an occasional full day here and there.

I think we refer to them as holiday clubs in the UK?

And yes most people use them to varying degrees.

This year, I have 3 of the 6 weeks off and my kids are with family for the rest of the time. These clubs cannot always accommodate my youngest, who is disabled but I use them sometimes for the older DC.

Aww that's a shame you don't have good provision where you live.

We have brilliant choices where I live. My kids loved them they when younger - scouts, football, tennis, swimming etc.

No. They never fancied the idea and we didn't see the point of them.

Yes - activity camps run by the school, sometimes craft/art camps during half term. And shock horror @VestibuleVirgin I was a SAHP!! My kids really enjoyed them, saw their mates, got fresh air and exercise and I kept my sanity. I still have some fantastic creations they made (they are 18 and 20 now).

Yes all the time to the ones in various local schools

When you work you have no choice

They enjoyed playing with other DC and the various activities

My eldest has asked to go from age 5 even when I was on mat leave and she could have been at home. There are lots to choose from round here - variety of outdoor sports, gymnastics, swimming/mixed sport, art, cooking, film making, tech/coding, drama, forest school. Mine choose based on their interests and which friends will be there!

Depends on your child but 3 months is a long time to be just pottering around the house, mine would be bored and so would I!

Definitely not too young if you choose the right camp

Ridiculous comment. Are you a stay at home parent?? Not all parents have the luxury of being able to spend all summer with their kids. My DD goes to a summer camp and she absolutely loves it. A week spending time with friends, doing outdoor pursuits and all sorts. The first year she went was the making of her if I'm honest. She came back so confident. I recommend PGL camps by the way!!

DD and 3 friends (all aged 12) are going to PGL Camp this year, they are beyond excited.

Mine have been doing week long sleepaway camps since they were 8. It's my 16 year olds last year and he's going to apply to be a cousellor next year. They all absolutely love it and at times we've prioritised paying for camp over our family holidays.

They don't go because we need childcare for the holidays, they go to have a week hanging out with other kids without phones and with lots of games, songs, outdoors, and activities. More parents in the UK should consider it!