Plus: Last-Minute Day Camp and Summer Enrichment Recommendations
BY LAUREL HOLLAND
With the close of the 2022-2023 school year a mere five weeks away, summer is just around the corner in the Wood River Valley. But for Valley parents, the scramble to register their kids for summer day camp has been well underway since March.
Much to the chagrin of many working parents in Blaine County, a large portion of the most popular –– and most affordable –– children’s day camps in the area have filled entirely, among them the Wood River Community YMCA’s Nature Explorers Camp, the entirety of the BCRD’s Summer Camp programming and Big Wood School’s Camp Bigwood. Parents like local realtor Erika Rixon, whose two boys are 5 and 7, have turned to a hybrid arrangement of soccer clinics, day camps and a babysitter/tutor share with friends to diffuse the cost of childcare during the work week.
“There are so many options for kids in the Valley in the summertime, and it’s wonderful,” said Rixon. “But in recent years, given the limited staffing and resources a lot of local camps have been faced with, there’s been an increased frenzy surrounding summer camp registrations in March and April.”
Why is this happening?
“It’s a combination of things,” Rixon explained. “In part, it’s due to the influx of full-time residents to the Wood River Valley in the wake of Covid-19 and the increased demand for childcare and kid-friendly activities. But it’s also due to stricter reservation and payment policies that weren’t in place prior to Covid.”
One example Rixon cited was Sun Valley Resort’s summer day camp, which runs 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 5 to August 24. While the Resort still offers a substantial discount to employees and local residents –– $65 per child per day versus the advertised daily rate of $150 –– prior to Covid, the local daily rate per child was $45. Moreover, parents were only charged for the days their children actually attended camp. Today, not only does the Resort require parents to lock in their kids’ camp schedules by mid-March –– nearly three months before the sessions commence –– but once enrollment is confirmed, parents are held financially responsible for all registered dates, regardless of their child’s attendance, even in the event of illness.
This is perhaps one of the many reasons the wildly popular BCRD summer camps have grown even more sought-after in recent years. The camps, which run 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for 10 weeks between between June 14 and August 25, are particularly accommodating for the working parent, and at a fraction of the price: $1,683 for the full 10-week session –– or $33.66 per day compared to Sun Valley’s $65 daily rate –– with need-based scholarships available for those who qualify.
But this year, due to record-high demand, the BCRD was forced to control its 2023 camp enrollment in waves and restricted the first round of registration to returning campers only. In just a few days, every age bracket of the entire summer session had filled before the second round of registration could even be opened to first-time campers.
“We never want to turn away campers,” a representative for the organization emphasized Monday. “Unfortunately, our current staffing situation limits how many campers we can feasibly accommodate this summer,” she added, noting a staff-wide push to expand the program to accommodate more campers in the future.
Despite all the talk of astronomical registration numbers and full or wait-list-only sessions, if you’re a parent looking for day camps and enrichment programs for your littles this summer, there are still some fantastic options and open slots available, a handful of which are highlighted below. Reach out soon, though; space is limited and summer is just around the bend!
Galena Youth Adventure Camp
Ages: 8-12
Available Sessions: June 19–23, August 14–18, August 21–25
Cost: $650/week
Contact: (208) 471–4852 or info@galenalodge.com
Each session runs 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Pickup and dropoff in YMCA parking lot.
St. Thomas Playhouse: Company B presents The Phantom Tollbooth, Jr.
Grades: Pre-K through 8
Available Session: June 12–23
Cost: $450/session (half-day campers); $595/session (full-day campers)
Contact: (208) 726–5349 or sgorby@stthomassv.org
Half-day campers (Pre-K through second grade) attend 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Monday through Friday; full-day campers (3rd-8th grade) attend 9am-3pm. Performances will take place June 22 and 23 at Sun Valley Community School. Payment plans and tuition assistance available.
Sun Valley Resort Day Camp
Ages: 9–12
Dates: June 5–August 24 (no camp July 7–16)
Cost: $150/day (email playschool@sunvalley.com for employee and resident rates)
Contact: (208) 622–2288 or playschool@sunvalley.com
Day camps run 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Campers must bring their own lunch, snacks, water and sunscreen. Spots are filling up fast, but the Resort recommends completing a Camp Request Form with your child’s age and requested dates. Visit www.sunvalley.com/things-to-do/kids-youth for more information.
Idaho BaseCamp Mountain Adventure Tours Day Camp
Ages: 4–8
Dates: June 12–August 24 (call for specific sessions)
Cost: $450–$595/week
Contact: (208) 720–1822 or info@idahobasecamp.org
Mountain Adventure Tours teach personal responsibility, life skills, and respect for the environment through fun outdoor and wilderness activities. Campers are transported to activities and sites in 15–passenger vans. Day camps run 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Scholarships available.
YMCA Summer Day Camp
Ages: 5–9
Available Sessions: August 14–19, August 21–25
Cost: $230/week for members; $325/week for non-members
Contact: (208) 727–9622 or info@woodriverymca.org
Each session runs 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Full–week registration required. Campers must bring their own lunch, snacks, water and sunscreen. Financial assistance available.
