ST. LOUIS — School is out and parents are searching for fun and affordable summer camps for their kids.
One St. Louis-based summer camp database is seeing a shift in the most sought-after camps, post-pandemic.
The database helps parents find what they are looking for this year in a summer camp.
In 2022, 5 On Your Side reported on a site called Blueprint4SummerSTL, a database for St. Louis-area summer camps.
Now, the site is just called Blueprint 4, and is a hub for college-prep programs, summer camps and more.
That's not the only thing that’s changed when it comes to camps.
Zasmine Johnson, from Blueprint4.com said camp is essential for families. “For parents-- it gives their kids something to do, a passion to follow, a thing to research.”
Summer camp brings a sense of nostalgia for most of us. But over the past few years, camps have looked anything but familiar.
When 5 On Your Side met with Zasmine Johnson last year, we did so through computer screens-- the same way many campers spent their summer making friends during the pandemic.
“Many [parents] turned to virtual options, which really worked for parents and families," Johnson said.
But a lot has changed in a year. “I think now that we’re living in a time where people are learning to cope with these types of things, programs are excited about being back outside," Johnson said. "They’re getting back to this new sense of normal.”
So camps are back in person! But, finding counselors is still a challenge.
“Staffing for all sectors is really tricky in general now. But, I think more camps are starting to re-up their staff, whether that’s partnering with school districts and meeting staff where they already are-- the school teachers. Whether they’re partnering with high school swim teams because everyone needs lifeguards right now…" Johnson said.
“There are a few programs that are either at capacity and would be able to serve more students if they had more staff, but have to turn students away and put them on a waitlist. And there are some camps that just don't have the staff or the operational budget to float through," she said.
Despite the challenges, there are thousands of camp options for parents to choose from. Johnson said the site posts a wide range of options. “We cover from O’Fallon to O’Fallon… We go all the way out to the metro east.”
All you have to do is go to the search engine on the Blueprint 4 website. You can search by a camp’s date of operation, location, activity and much more. “At least 98% of parents use 4 search criteria on our site.” Johnson said. “Typically we get about 100,000 searches per season.”
In the midst of record inflation, cost is a big concern. “The average cost of summer camp is about $280 a kid per week. That is a lot, especially if you have more than one kid," Johnson said.
Parents can search for a camp within their budget. “We make sure that we list free programs. We provide scholarships to programs directly to make sure families can attend camp," Johnson said.
Parents of kids who have special needs can even search for camps that cater to those needs. Johnson said, “We’ll show them everything from programs that are ADA accessible to programs that specifically service students with disabilities.”
Now is the time to sign up for summer programs before enrollment closes. “Programs are going to be closing soon and starting soon so it’s important you get your kids enrolled," Johnson said.
To learn more about Blueprint 4, click here.