School Holiday Camps/ clubs - How much is a good one and what's the pros and cons?

[Dreamincolour]

I was looking at holiday camps for my DS and there seem to be lots of options but all so different. I've seen prices from £15 a day for a football camp (10 - 3) to £48 for something like barracudas or similar style independent providers (9:30 - 4;30).

What are the signs of a good one and what are the pros and cons of sending my little one?

First time mum. My DS is 6. We live in Kent.

I run a holiday club. In my experience there are different types - it depends if you need full day childcare or are looking for something to keep them occupied? Some run throughout the holidays, others run just for particular weeks.
Some are run as a business, others are run by charities so not as a money making concern. Either way, check their safeguarding policies and the ratio of staff to children! I also find that word of mouth recommendations are valuable - ask around at school to see if there are any that are recommended.

I tend to send DS to whatever one his mates are going to. Generally multi activity are better so they can try lots of things out.

We do a mix over the summer of Camp Beaumont, his football club do a week and then a few days forest school which he loves but is £50 for 9-3 so very expensive and harder for me to work on those days.

Our school run one is £60 for 8-5.

The football ones round here are run by teenagers affiliated to the local clubs. DS has been to 2 of them at different clubs. There is generally one older guy from the club who oversees things, but the ones who mostly interact with the kids are youngsters.

My son doesn't like them cos he says they swear and they don't enforce rules. He thinks they're a bit of a free for all so he doesn't go to the football ones anymore.

We used Barracudas for years as we needed it for proper childcare. DD was in general very happy, lots of different activities and the age groups were set up quite narrow.

We had other full day camps and the things DD mentioned as negative, especially when she got older, was too much free play and too broad age ranges. So think of 5-9 instead of 5-7 for example in one group.

She did a couple of drama school workshop weeks, 9-3 but they were run by the usual school teachers, not students or 6th formers.

For me it was who run it and also how the groups were set up which made the difference.

£20 a day at our school one 7.30-6. This will be my first summer of not using it, but his friends were there, he knew the staff from after school club, did lots of activities and had free time to play. Most of all he was happy to go so I didn't feel so guilty!

Between 35 and 45 per full day. I need 8 till 5 minimum so the local drama and sports clubs are no good as only 9 til 3. We have about 3 or 4 within 3 miles so not too bad. Dds after school club has started one now and she gets a discount so we mostly use that.