Summers and camp
How summers are spent: unstructured at home, day camps, specialty camps, sleepaway camp, or academics and work for teens.
How should our child spend the summer?
In short: Parents choose between 5 main approaches: Unstructured at home; Day camps; Specialty camps; Sleepaway camp; Academics or work for teens. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: school age.
- Evidence
- Your call
- Best settled
- School age
- Part of
- Learning & the wider world
Summers and camp: what are the options?
Parents usually land on one of these 5 approaches.
1. Unstructured at home
The child spends the summer at home with free time.
2. Day camps
The child attends camps during the day and sleeps at home.
3. Specialty camps
The child attends camps focused on one interest, such as coding or soccer.
4. Sleepaway camp
The child lives at an overnight camp for a week or more.
5. Academics or work for teens
A teen spends the summer on courses or a job.
Summers and camp: what does the evidence say?
Your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.
The main camp study is industry-commissioned
Sources
What else is worth knowing?
Summer leaves many weeks to fill, and working parents usually need care. Options range from free time at home to day or overnight camp. Cost and how early registration opens often drive the plan.
Questions to ask each other
- What did we do in summers, and what do we want for our child?
- How do we feel about sleepaway camp?
- What can we afford in time and money?
More in Play, activities and enrichment
First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.