It’s only February, but parents are already battling for summer camp spots

Elizabeth Tenety
·4-min read
Kids playing at summer camp
Canva/Motherly

It’s not even mid-February, and I’ve already spent thousands of dollars locking in summer camps for my kids. Because if I wait? The best options will be gone.

As a mom of five, I can tell you—summer camp logistics are practically a part-time job. The research, the sign-ups, the scheduling puzzle that somehow never quite fits—every year, parents scramble to piece together 10+ weeks of childcare while somehow also, you know, working.

So when I saw Ashley Chang’s recent LinkedIn post on the reality of summer camp planning, I felt deeply seen. Chang, founder of Sundays, a virtual assistant service for working parents, put words to what so many of us are already feeling: summer camp planning is broken. (Full disclosure, I have used and love Sundays.)

The reality of summer camp planning

In her post, Chang outlines why summer logistics are a stress test for parents:

  • The research: Many parents spend 10+ hours finding camps that fit their kids’ interests, work with the family schedule, and don’t cost as much as a vacation.

  • The sign-ups: Registration often happens months in advance and fills up in minutes. And, of course, sign-ups open mid-workday.

  • The cost: Camps cost an average of $75 per day, per child, and that’s before extended hours, supplies, and lunch fees.

  • The schedule gap: Most camps run from 9 AM to 2 PM, leaving parents scrambling to cover the rest of the day.

  • The logistics: Every week may bring a different camp, location, packing list, and care plan—a constantly shifting puzzle.

As Chang puts it: “It’s a system that sets working parents up to fail.”

The bigger problem: A summer break that no longer works

The 12-week summer break is an American tradition, but it’s also a relic of an agrarian past, when children were needed to help with farming. Today, the impact of this extended break on working families—especially moms—is profound.

Studies show that summer break has far-reaching professional and economic consequences for mothers. Research from the UCLA Anderson Review found that employment rates among women drop during summer, with total work hours declining by 11%. Another study from the Center for American Progress reported that 57% of parents adjust their work schedules or reduce hours due to a lack of summer childcare.

So while kids enjoy their break, moms’ careers often take a hit.

Related: Mom’s TikTok about the pains of paying for summer camp will make you laugh-sob

Reimagining summer: What could be different?

If summer is breaking parents, why not rethink it? Some ideas:

  • Year-Round Schooling: According to the American University, School of Education, many innovative school models already implement balanced calendars with shorter, more frequent breaks, reducing both childcare gaps and learning loss.

  • Aligning Parental Leave with Summer Break: In many European countries, parents take extended time off during the summer to match their kids’ schedules. Could the U.S. normalize this?

  • Community-Based Childcare Solutions: Workplaces, local businesses, and city governments could partner to create affordable, flexible summer programs—because relying on parents to figure it all out isn’t working.

  • More Workplace Flexibility: Remote work, summer Fridays, and adjusted schedules could help parents manage childcare without sacrificing their careers.

Related: 4 ways to avoid summer camp scaries with a vision board

Parents need more than just a spreadsheet

Ashley Chang’s post resonated with so many parents because it’s the truth—summer isn’t just about pool days and sunscreen. For working parents, it’s a logistical and financial hurdle, one we’re somehow expected to clear without complaint.

Chang and her team at Sundays are helping families manage the chaos with resources like their summer camp planning template, but at the end of the day, the system itself needs to change.

Until then? We’ll be over here, filling out camp forms, Venmoing deposits, and refreshing registration pages—because summer isn’t going to plan itself.

Sources:

  1. School Summer Breaks Disrupt Women’s Careers. UCLA Anderson Review. Long Before COVID-19, School Summer Breaks Disrupted Women’s Careers.

  2. When Parents Can’t Find Summer Child Care, Their Work Suffers. American Progress. When Parents Can’t Find Summer Child Care, Their Work Suffers.

  3. Pros and Cons of Year-Round School. American University, School of Education. Pros and Cons of Year-Round School.