Practical guide to planning summer holidays and camps before everything is booked

Start earlier than you think

The golden rule: what you think is early, probably isn't. Popular camps often fill up within hours on opening day for registration, sometimes as early as January or February for the following summer.

Good habits to adopt right now:

• At the end of summer, take note of the camps your children particularly enjoyed. 
• As soon as camp ends, ask for the registration opening dates for next year. 
• Set reminders in your calendar as early as September.
• Centralize this information in Octave so the whole family is aware at the same time and you don't forget any important dates!

Inventory your summer before registering

Before registration begins, take the time to review your summer by answering these few questions:

• How many weeks of vacation do you have at work, and when exactly are they?
• Which weeks will the children be with the other parent, grandparents, or other relatives?
• Are there any weeks to keep free for family vacations?
• What is your total budget for summer activities?
• How many weeks of camp does each child actually need?

Having an overview will prevent you from over-scheduling certain weeks or completely forgetting others.

Create a week-by-week planning board

Once you've taken inventory, create a simple table for the 9 to 10 weeks of summer, or add the following information to your Octave calendar. For each week, note:

• 👶 Who is looking after the children (camp, family, daycare, home)
• 🏕️ What activity is planned and for which child
• ✅ If registration is confirmed or still pending
• 💰 The associated cost to track your overall budget

Of course, make sure to share it with your partner to avoid oversights and duplications!

Set your priorities before joining waitlists

Not all camps are equal, depending on the needs and interests of each child. Before rushing, take the time to discuss with your children:

• What do they really want to try this summer?
• What stood out to them last summer?
• Do they want to reunite with friends at a particular camp?
• Do they need novelty or stability?

Then, rank your options by priority and register in that order. If your first choice is full, you already have a plan B!

Consider lesser-known alternatives

If your first choices are full, explore these often more accessible options:

• 🏙️ Municipal camps, often cheaper and just as well supervised
• 📚 Summer programs at libraries and cultural centers
• 🎨 Workshops offered by neighborhood community centers
• 🏫 Private school day camps, open to non-members
• 🌿 Nature programs offered by national or regional parks

These options are often overlooked but represent excellent, enriching alternatives that are generally much more affordable than specialized camps.

Centralize all information once registrations are complete

Once camps are confirmed, gather all important information in one place:

• 📅 The exact dates of each camp
• 📍 Addresses and transportation information
• 📞 Contact details for supervisors
• 🎒 Lists of required equipment for each camp
• 💳 Receipts for employer reimbursements or tax credits

And that's exactly what Octave was designed for: to have all this information visible to the whole family, without having to search through ten different emails on the morning of the first day of camp.

Summer should be synonymous with lightness, not logistical stress! With a little upfront organization, you can spend the warm season enjoying yourself rather than managing. 🌞