Now Is The Time To Book Your Child's Summer Camp

By May, popular camps will be booked solid. Here's a four-part plan for getting this project under control.

(MONEY Magazine) - Letting your children sit on the couch all summer watching reruns of Hannah Montana might be cost-effective, but it's not exactly enriching. With 1,000’s of day and sleep away camps in the Tampa Bay area, there's almost certainly one that will suit your child's taste--and your budget. Don't wait: By May, popular camps will be booked solid.

Follow Families on-the-go four-step guide now.

Size Up Your Children

Cookouts or cuisine? Specialty camps that teach everything from astronomy to yoga are all the rage but can be much more expensive than traditional ones. If your kid has his heart set on stargazing, look for a traditional camp that offers that activity.
Can they sleep away? Some overnight camps accept children as young as four, but if your child isn't comfortable sleeping at friends' or relatives' homes, he likely isn't ready. Day camp can be much cheaper--an average of $250 a week, says the American Camping Association (ACA), vs. $400 to $900 a week for sleep away.
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Solicit advice from friends and family.
Ask good questions? Safety and camper-to-counselor ratio are important to know.

Tally the Fees

Public or private? Camps affiliated with nonprofit groups like the YMCA or the Scouts are often less than half the price of a private program
Egregious extras. Look out for additional charges for activities, luggage transport, computer usage or anything else that isn't included in the basic price.
An escape hatch. If your child changes his mind come May, or becomes ill or too homesick to stay for the whole session, many camps will offer you a prorated refund, less your deposit. Find out in advance.

Lower the Cost

Go later. July is camp high season. Some programs lower their fees in August.
Make it a quickie. A one- to three-week stay may be plenty for your child to get the full-fledged camp experience.
Enroll early and often. Most camps offer a discount of 10% or so to parents who sign up as soon as enrollment opens in the fall. Does your kid have a sibling? You'll typically snag another 10% to 15% off if you sign up more than one child for the same program
Grab tax breaks. If you have kids under13 enrolled in day camp (not sleep away), you may qualify for a tax credit worth up to $1,050 for one kid and $2,100 for two or more. You may get even better savings from a flexible spending account at work, which lets you stash up to $5,000 a year in pretax money for child care