HOUSTON — Why will it probably cost you more to send your kid to summer camp this year?
The school year is quickly coming to a close and parents are looking for something to do with their kids over the summer break.
With COVID restrictions disappearing, there are more options, but they could come at a cost.
According to the American Camp Association, the average cost of a day camp has more than doubled from $76 a day last year to $178, while sleepaway camp has tripled to $449 a day.
A lot of this can be blamed on inflation. The president of the American Camp Association told Yahoo Finance News the cost of running a camp has gone way up. Everything from labor costs, food, supplies and COVID safety precautions are costing more this summer.
That means while demand may be high for summer camp slots this year so will the cost.
This comes after a couple tough years for camps. In 2020, only about 20 percent were in operation thanks to the pandemic. Last summer that number jumped to 67 percent but that still cut into operators’ bottom line.
While more are expected to be open this summer, it could still be tough to find one in your budget.