MAKING CENTS: Summer camps a great way to fill up sunny days

Consumer advice with Gráinne McGuinness

PARENTS facing into a long summer with their school-age children may be worried about spending a fortune keeping them occupied. It is easy to let spending get out of control when being relentlessly asked what the next day out/entertainment is, but there are options available that can occupy days or weeks without breaking the bank.

There’s a summer camp for almost every conceivable interest children may have, from sports to programming to languages — you can check out a comprehensive list at www.mykidstime.com. They vary hugely in price, but it is hard to beat the main sports summer camps for value. Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps cost €55 per week and the FAI Summer Schools €65 — with a backpack and gear for the participants included in the price in each case. Both offer discounts where more than one child in a family is attending and also for booking more than one camp.