Temperatures are rising and so is the cost to keep your kids having fun

CINCINNATI - Families will pay a pretty penny to keep their children busy this summer.

The 2012 summer break is set to cost an average American family $600, according to new data from American Express. Affluent families are expected to dish out nearly double that amount, according to the study.
The study looked at a random sample of about 2,000 adults.

About 28 million families with children under 18 plan to spend hundreds of dollars on their kids this summer -- adding up to more than $16.6 billion. About 29 percent of Americans expect to spend more money than they did last summer, while 47 percent expect to spend the same amount.

The majority of families, or 63 percent, said they will take their children on day trips -- to theme parks like Disney World or Six Flags, for example -- and these excursions are expected to ring in at an average of $208 per child.

Another 34 percent of families are enrolling their children in sports, costing an average $180 per child, while 26 percent are signing their kids up for educational activities costing $139 for each kid.

To see the study, go to http://inr.synapticdigital.com/americanexpress/spendsave/ .