Our Co-op Day Camp

When we were kids, my sisters and I greeted the ebbing of the school year with giddy delight. Back then, the long days of summer were simple and splendid. We'd sleep in until the sun was high in the sky, ingest large doses of Life cereal and Bugs Bunny cartoons, then bounce out the front door in search of our posse of friends, who were usually assembling somewhere down our quiet, rural street.

Kids of all ages joined the pack. Some arrived on roller skates, others on bikes, and a few would show up on their backyard ponies. There was no plan, schedule, or parent in sight — and that was how we liked it. We were content to climb trees, build forts, catch frogs, and meander from one house to the next, searching for fun ways to pass the time together.

I cherish the memories of those summers, but so much has changed in the past 30 years. Now that we're parents ourselves, my sisters and I find that we can't just let our kids run around unsupervised all summer long. Our neighborhoods aren't suited for that, and the rhythms of our daily lives call for a more predictable schedule for both parents and kids. So last spring, with the final months of school in sight, my older sister, Ellen, and I looked to each other for new ideas. We both had part-time jobs, hard-working husbands, and two children between the ages of 2 and 9 — and we both desperately needed a plan for summer.

When Ellen proposed the idea of a parent-run day camp, my first reaction was one of caution. I'd have to use my vacation days to babysit a gaggle of kids? Hmmm, I wondered, how much fun would that be? Then she explained that taking part in a camp co-op isn't the same as babysitting. Instead, it involves hosting a themed week of adventures and activities with a focus on learning and social development. Now I was intrigued. And when she pointed out that we wouldn't be spending as much money on pricey day camp fees, I was sold.

We agreed it was worth a try. If the co-op worked, our kids would be happy and busy, and we'd save some hard-earned cash. And what was the worst that could happen? If our plan didn't pan out, we could always return to watching our own kids in between paid-for activities.

First, we needed to fill out our roster of campers. We decided to focus on recruiting girls close in age to Ellen's daughter Skye, age 6, and my daughter, Taylor, 7. Our other kids would take part in traditional programs and make occasional guest appearances at the co-op (see "Want to try a camp co-op?" on page 29 for details). Next, we pitched the idea to our friends Laura (daughter Samantha is 8) and Lisa (her daughter, Kenzie, is 6). They signed on almost immediately, and Camp Wildflower was born.

As summer drew nearer, Ellen, Laura, Lisa, and I communicated via e-mail to fine-tune the details. Camp Wildflower would take place over four weeks during the month of July. Each mom would plan and host a week-long session with different activities and outings based on a theme. The day's schedule would begin after breakfast and end after lunch. Camp Wildflower was shaping up!