7 ‘Blow the Family Budget’ Summer Camps

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By CARLA SPRINGER, The Fiscal Times

June 26, 2012

The rising cost of summer camps hasn’t seemed to slow down attendance. There are thousands to choose from — and parents are disentangling their children from video games and cell phones and sending them off with the hope of improving their offsprings' self-confidence and world outlook. But they may need to dip into the college savings account to pay for these life lessons. Here’s a sample of the pricier options for a summer camp experience of a lifetime.

School's out and children are on their way to an adventure-filled summer packed with activities and learning experiences that earlier generations never had. From riding camps in Russia and tennis camps in Amsterdam, to spy camps in D.C. and Scuba adventures in Australia, kids are skipping the back yard slip ‘n slide and heading to exotic islands, exploring a range of cultures and learning leadership skills that can carry them through adulthood. The rising cost of summer camps hasn’t seemed to slow down attendance. There are thousands to choose from — and parents are disentangling their children from video games and cell phones and sending them off with the hope of improving their offsprings' self-confidence and world outlook. But they may need to dip into the college savings account to pay for these life lessons. Here’s a sample of the pricier options for a summer camp experience of a lifetime.