Time’s running out on getting your kid signed up for NJ summer camp

Space for summer 2024 is limited at many locations, but the cabin door isn't closed just yet on getting your child signed up for camp.

In New Jersey, summer camps will start welcoming kids in about two months, when schools finish out the academic year.

Demand for spots has spiked significantly since the coronavirus pandemic struck New Jersey and parents started looking for any way to get their kids outdoors.

"Enrollment is up across the country. It's still been the silver lining of COVID — parents understand and appreciate the importance of camp," said Alicia Skovera, executive director of the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey.

Even in 2024, some facilities are already operating with wait lists in April. Camps only have so many spots to fill, as many families chose to re-enroll when last summer ended.

You can choose to send you kid to camp on a daily basis for as long as eight weeks, but there are also less extreme options for families who don't want to commit or can't afford to commit for that long.

"There are day camps that allow you to choose only the weeks that you are available," Skovera said.

The payment structure varies from camp to camp. At a number of spots, though, the full balance may be due at the time of booking because summer is approaching. Camps have been taking deposits and installment payments for the past few months.

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And a camp may still be calling your child's name if they're too old to attend. Camps in the Garden State have entered hiring mode for 2024.

"If you're 16 years or older, you can work at a day camp in New Jersey, and if you're 18 years or older, you can work at an overnight camp," Skovera said.

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