Reported by: Tanya O'RourkeMoney is tight these days. The problem is, the kids still need something to do this summer.
There are lots of affordable camps available. Remember one of the big keys when you search, government funded. Museums along with city and county parks will do their best to offer free or affordable options.
When you think of summer, trolling for tadpoles gets no better and it's all the rage at Cincinnati Nature Camps. A week of fun for residents in the great outdoors costs just $50. Vivian Wagner with
Cincinnati Parks says, "Every summer we offer 40 different camps in 11 to 17 different parks all ove the city. The whole idea is to provide affordable, low-cost options for families, for children."
In fact, check the park boards in your area for awesome ideas to keep the little ones happy this summer. There are places like Parky's Farm, where for $50, they can learn to milk a goat, collect eggs and fish.
Sara Lippert is Vice President of Sales for
Cincinnati Parent magazine, a free publication, which has a guide that gives great insight. She says, "There are lots of camps you can go to around the city that are under $100 for a week."
If your child likes the great indoors too,
The Cincinnati Museum Center has camps that range from $150 to $175 that are sure to spark the imagination.
At the
Kennedy Heights Arts Center, the most expensive camp is $50. Not bad, don't forget the arts centers in your area. Lippert pointed out a few, "Rosebrook Art Center, Middletown Art Center, the Art Academy of Cincinnati. They all have wonderful programs for all kinds of age groups that are really affordable."
The "Art Stop" program at the
Carnegie Arts Center in Covington is another. Not a week long camp, but enough to get the kids out of the heat and into creativity. Guy LaJeunesse of the Carnegie Arts Center says, "We foster decision making, self-esteem and life skills through art."
Don't forget our local universities. Sure, there are sports camps taught by some of the best talent in the area, but check out NKU which offers camps like astronomy for elementary students...for free!
Of course, museums are perfect for inexpensive excursions and camps. Lippert adds, "There's also the Taft Museum, which is free to kids 18 and under. They have specialized activities for kids to do all throughout the summer."
Finding The Right FunOne of the best places to search for camps is right here at KyPost.com with our search tool.
You can search for camps in your area, check by camps by price or look for that activity your kids are most interested in.
Just go to the tool by clicking
here, type in what you're looking for and the search tool does the rest.
