Is Summer Camp an Affordable Answer to 'Mom I'm Bored?'

As the school year comes to a close, and you congratulate the young ones on their achievements, the next thought is - what to do to keep them busy?

Even with summer vacation planned, and visits with friends and family on the schedule, there will be that moment when the kids says 'Mom I'm bored.'

To avoid this phrase and endless suggestions that are shot down by the pride and joy, a summer camp may be the solution to the problem.

According to Our Kids Go To Camp, summer camp provides more than just experience, but self-confidence, self-sufficiency and leadership. But will the expense of a summer camp fit the family budget? Here's some tips to avoid big costs for summer camp:

1. Consider a day camp, which will be more affordable than an overnight camp. It can also work better with your schedule, being similar hours to a school day.

2. For kids who are focused on a particular sports or arts activity, a specific camp may make more sense and many offer scholarships to offset or take care of costs.

3. For those planners, some camps have payment options, to alleviate the burden of paying lump sums, or have early bird offers for those who want to save a few more dollars.

4. Double the pleasure - many camps offer discounts for siblings, so do a little research to see if the kids can go to the same camp to help Mum and Dad's budget.

5. If there's competition in your area, and the camps are looking for participants, deals may be possible. It never hurts to ask right?

For more tips - check out the Stay at Home Moms column.