The Nashville Mom

Summer is just around the corner (thank goodness!)-and summer camp sign-ups are in full swing! I’ve partnered with The Curated Kid on a Camp Guide to make summer a little easier! Check out this Guest Post from The Curated Kid for all the camp details!

Do you work outside the home full-time and need a full day of childcare? Or some new,

engaging, unexplored activities for your kids? Do you just need a break and some time

to yourself? We all want to keep our kids happy and busy—summer camps are the

answer. But there are thousands of camp options in the greater Nashville area, so how

do you sift through the noise and find camps your kids will love that also work with your

schedule and budget? It can be overwhelming!

The Curated Kid List is the secret weapon for local moms. This site was

created by two moms who were sick of the annual slog to find camps. We were tired

of endlessly Google-ing, searching posts on social media and having dozens of tabs

open to compare camp options. Sound familiar?

So, we’ve created a site where parents can see all the camp options in one place (with all

the pertinent information!), and use filters to narrow down the options based on budget,

camp weeks, location, age, activities, and much more.  

Need more help? You can also use The Curated Kid List’s tools to compare up to four

camps side-by-side, or create a Favorites List that you can access later.

Need even more to love? We are partnering with lots of local businesses to

offer exclusive discounts just for Curated Kid members, so the membership pretty much

pays for itself. It’s such a time and stress saver! Right now, when you sign up for a new

membership, use code NASHVILLE to save 10%.

Think past the big-name camps

If the popular camp you had your eye on fills up before you can register, don’t panic. Big

camps aren’t the only options. Smaller camps tend to be locally owned (We love to shop

small!), have a lower camper to counselor ratio, and offer more unique activities. The

Curated Kid List has a theme filter you can use to narrow options by specific activity,

and they have over 50 tags to choose from! Art, board games, cheerleading, LEGO,

horseback riding, soccer, tennis…the list goes on. 

Consider your overall schedule 

Summer schedules get crazy! Half day camps and many full day camps end earlier than

work generally does, so you might need before and after care options. If you have

multiple kids in different camps, you don’t want to spend your afternoons racing across

town to avoid a late pickup fee! Add in summer vacations and summer sports, and

planning your camp schedule can be really complicated. The Curated Kid List has a

filter that allows you to select full day, half day, or overnight camp and even search by

specific week in the summer so that you don’t waste time looking at camps that don’t fit

your schedule. You can also filter by location, so you can search for camps close to

your home, office, or any other location that makes your schedule easier.

Watch out for hidden costs 

Tuition is only the start for many camps. Often there is a registration fee, materials fees,

or additional fees for meals. It’s pretty annoying to get through the registration process

only to discover camp will cost more than listed due to those fees! I love that The

Curated Kid List notes fees for each listing and lets you filter camp options by budget.

Not all camps are for all kids

Kids need chances to explore interests, hobbies, sports, and activities to find the things

that become their passions. Camps offer fun, low-stakes chances for kids to try lots of

new activities and see what interests them. The continuity of going to a favorite camp

each summer is awesome, but sometimes we need to push our kids outside of their

comfort zones.

Of course, you know your kids best. An introverted, indoors- y kid probably wouldn’t

select a huge, all-outdoor camp as their first choice. But, one week of camp like that

could be the push they need to make new friends and embrace nature. If you’ve got a

sports junkie at home, mix it up with a cool science or art camp that encourages their creativity.

In my opinion, the best summer schedules mix the familiar, the new, the challenging, and the comfortable. Use The Curated Kid List’s filters to uncover new camps you may not already know about. Nashville has so much to offer in terms of summer camps and programs. No matter which options you choose, you’re sure to pick a winner, especially if you use The Curated Kid List to find and register for camps quickly and easily!