Start Your Own Summer Day Camp

Establishing your tutoring business can wear on your patience as you gain more students and a consistent income.  One avenue of revenue that you may want to consider is running your own summer day camp.  Maybe you are not a tutor and just want to find a way to have fun this summer and earn a little cash too.

I wanted to take you on a behind the scenes tour of what to expect when running your own day camp.  Let's dive in together and hopefully you'll feel a little more prepared to run your own.

Step One:  Choose a Theme for Your Camp

My first camp was an academic one.  We called it Back to School Brush Up and held it in the month of August.  It turned out to be a great time because a lot of families were settling down from vacations and looking for things to do.

I've created some summer camp curriculum that you can find in the shop, some are free and others are paid. What's most important about choosing your theme is that you feel comfortable with the subject or tasks at hand.  Don't pick something like robotics if you don't know much about it.

Make sure to include some free choice in your camps.  It's summer time and kids are looking for a little freedom while they are still on summer break.  You could have it be a two hour open play with art, science, blocks, and exploration tables out.  Include a snack and you have one super fun summer camp!

Step Two:  Location and Size

I decided to hold summer camp at my sister in-laws home because she had a lot of space outdoors with a playground.  We never went inside for our camp!  A spacious home or yard may not be something that you have.  Check around with local churches, city parks, and schools to see if you can rent or use their space.  If you are just starting out, free rent is the best kind.

Start your summer camp with a small group of 6-8 children.  If you are running it all by yourself, you'll need the flexibility that a small group can offer while you work out the kinks.  As you get more comfortable with it, make the groups larger and increase the amount of classes you offer.  Get more help too as your class sizes increase.

Nothing drives parents and kids away faster than being unorganized and frazzled with loads of kids.  Keep in mind they are paying you to ensure their child has a fantastic summer!

Step Three:  Licensing and Liability Insurance

I am one lucky gal to live in the State of Idaho, we have a pretty relaxed regulation/mandate when it comes to day camps.  As long as the camp is less than 9 weeks long, the State of Idaho doesn't require you to get a license.  Check with your state or government to learn what the licensing requirements are for your summer day camp.

My state also doesn't require you to carry liability insurance, but most places that you would rent from will ask you to show proof of liability insurance before you can use the space.  Carefully check into the legislation of your state or country before pursuing a summer day camp.

Step Four:  Marketing

You want people to find your awesome day camp right?  Try stopping by the schools to see if you can place an ad in their newsletter or a flyer to be sent home with kids.  You also can look into your local kids guide magazines to see when you can post your summer camp.  I know that my local kids guide gets their summer camp guide issue ready as early as January or February.  So it may be too late for this year, but keep it on your list for the upcoming years when you are ready to grow.

Create a nice flyer!  Make sure to include these details:

1.  Activities
2.  Name of Camp
3.  Contact Information
4.  Pricing
5.  Dates
6.  Website/Facebook Fan Page

If you have a blog, create a Google form and place it on a summer camp page to send parents to when they are ready to sign up for camp.  You can also add a PayPal button for them to check out when they finish your registration form.

Step Five:  Get Some Help

Even if you start out with a small group, it is wise to find a teenager or another adult to help make the camp go smoothly.  Extra hands will help keep everyone safe and fairly happy.  My sister in-law and niece helped me significantly this past summer with our camp.  We were able to split kids up into smaller groups and really connect with them.

Deciding how to pay them (or not) is up to you.  I split my earnings 50/50 this last summer.  If you are doing most of the planning, marketing, and such, consider paying them an hourly rate.  A lot of teenagers need volunteer hours as well, but at the end of the camp, it's always nice to give them a little gift and offer to be a recommendation for them in the future.

Step Six:  Have Fun!

You've got to be an energetic person to make camp a memorable experience for the kids.  Each day remember to smile and laugh with them.

I've given you my version of a behind the scenes experience, read this article and this one too for more information.

Note:  Darling chevron background courtesy of Ashley Hughes of School Supply Addict Fans Only Page.