Spring has finally arrived, which means pollen, allergies, and sinus infections in my household. It also means that summer is creeping up around the corner. As a mom of three very active kids, I was finally able to enjoy a summer last year with very few camps because my daughter was legally old enough to stay home and watch her brothers. She quit on me a few times because they can be brats, but we fixed the problem, and she was back working for free. I remember being so happy to save that babysitter money. That gets so expensive!

This summer is going to be a little different. I have already signed up the boys for a couple of camps, and my daughter has dance classes during the entire month of June to prepare for Nationals. I think I might leave my July open and not overbook the kids. I want them to be active and not sitting on their Switches, iPads, or even the TV all summer. Have you noticed the behavior changes that can occur when children have too much screen time? Mine become little monsters that come from an evil place when they stare at a screen all day. I am not the parent who usually monitors this. As long as their grades are good, school work is getting done, and chores are completed, I could care less what they watch. Well, I care what they watch, but not how much.

So, now is the time to gather the information and talk to your children to see what they want to do for the summer. Is it a local day camp or a sleepaway camp? Do they need to improve some school skills over the summer? We have compiled an extensive listing of all the local day camps, including overnight camps, to help you make your summer camp decisions. Don’t forget to throw a vacation in there somewhere.

Happy planning for your eventful summer!