From Language Skills to Maritime Adventures: A Guide to Finding and Registering for Summer Camps on the South Shore

In August 2024, my family and I moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to the South Shore of Massachusetts. Within a week, I sent my oldest kid off to Kindergarten. A few months after that, while recovering from the holiday craziness in the early new year, I somehow found myself knee-deep in summer planning.

It was our first summer in a new place. It was also our first summer with a school-aged kid. Knowing how active and social he is, we loved the idea of trying out different summer camps. That type of schedule and environment also seemed to best fit our family dynamics: two working parents, both of whom work from home on certain days, and two younger kids in year-round daycare. What was less clear was how to find the right camps and register for them. There seemed to be so much out there. Where and how would I begin?

With some extra time, energy, and, most importantly, trusted resources, I got organized and kicked the summer camp planning into gear. Here are the five steps I took between January and April to set us up for success and stay somewhat sane on the South Shore.

1. Developed a Clear Set of Criteria (January)

I had heard rumblings about some incredible offerings in the area from new friends. But before I looked into anything specific, I zoomed out to think about what mattered most to our family:

• Budgets. I calculated what price points were realistic for us. 
• Schedules. I marked the calendar with what I knew about school vacation dates, holidays, trips on the radar, and other special days, like visitors in town. 
• Locations. I considered how far we were willing to drive to nearby South Shore towns, factoring in the infamous Cape traffic.
• Experiences. I brainstormed the kinds of camps we wanted for our son, given his interests and our shared values. The environments that felt safe, organized, and supported his curiosity, independence, and confidence. I also thought about which activities felt right. Being outdoors, near the water, and doing arts and crafts are three things he loves most. Learning a second language is also a priority for our family, and summer felt like the perfect opportunity to formally brush up on his Spanish skills (in addition to these ways outside of the classroom).

These criteria gave me a starting point for evaluating specific camps. It was now time to dive in and see what the South Shore had to offer.

2. Learned the Lay of the Land (January)

I reached out to friends, neighbors, and other parents with older kids to hear about their experiences. Which camps did their kids love and why? Which ones did not land so well and why? How did they navigate registration?  What did they wish they had known when they first went through this process? 

I found out that each camp is drastically different:

• The South Shore has a wide range of generalist and specialized camps. Your camper can get a little of everything (the outdoors, swim, arts and crafts, and sports) in one day. Or, they can hone in on something specific. Surfing, science, and nature are all options. 
• Camp schedules really run the gamut. Some have a full-day, 5-day-per-week schedule. Others are half-day, four days per week. Being in a coastal town by the water, some schedules are tidal. Some allow you to choose between part-time and full-time. Or you can sign up for a half-day (3 hour) or full-day (6 hour) shift on an ad hoc basis.
• Registration is a common pain point. Every camp has its own system, process, and timeline. There was software like Homeroom and CampBrain, and then simple Google Forms. For some, you need to create an account in advance. For others, registration is first-come, first-served. Others set a deadline.
• Deposits, discounts, waitlists, and cancellation policies are important. Each one is unique, so take some time to understand exactly what you were getting into before taking any action. For example, I noticed that some camps offered a 15% discount for registrations made by March 1st. At the same time, full payment (non-refundable) was required to complete registration. Other camps required a small registration deposit, with payment due closer to the summer. Some didn’t require any desposit at all.

Next, I scoured the internet. I browsed various camp offerings, starting with the referrals I'd received and searching for ones that fit the criteria I’d developed. Blogs like How to Find Camps in Your Area gave me a wealth of ideas on where to start. Their newly-released Camp Finder is an endless repository of camps, allowing you to filter by age, interests, schedules, and registration windows.

In our town of Duxbury, Bay Farm and Camp Wing were at the top of many lists. The town’s Recreation Department also has an abundance of sports and activities, from soccer to LEGO club. At the Duxbury Bay Maritime School, we could enroll in general Maritime Adventures, or something specific like kayaking or sailing. In neighboring towns, Levitate in Marshfield offered several options, including arts and crafts, skating, and surfing. The South Shore YMCA in Hanover had Camp Gordon. I found Su Escuela Language Academy (SELA) in Hingham and the INLY School in Scituate for Spanish.

This was just the beginning. I put together a simple spreadsheet to track the camps that met our criteria and felt like the best fit for our family and our camper. I noted key dates, costs, location, and registration deadlines. There was a lot there, but it was helpful to visualize it all in order to narrow it down.

3. Discussed with my Camper (January)

The next step was bringing in the boss — the camper — himself. I wanted him to feel excited and involved, without overwhelming him with too many choices. At the same time, knowing that this was our first time registering for camps, I also used it as an opportunity to set expectations.

I found the right time to sit down and have a conversation (which might have meant taking him out for a special treat at French Memories, the local bakery down the street). We talked about this summer as a time to try new things, meet new people, and most importantly, have fun. I also explained that we may not get every camp we want. I then shared some options with him and asked him what sounded good.

Spanish was a far drive, but he was open to doing it for a few weeks. The general outdoor camps in Duxbury got two thumbs up. The reaction to Marine adventures was two bright eyes and a mouth drop. “I can actually go on a boat?” Arts and crafts camp had a day of tie-dying - what could be better?

This would be the summer of trying a variety of camps and figuring out what he loves. I strutted out of there, next to my almost seven-year old with chocolate frosting smeared in the corners of his mouth, ready to finalize our plan and prepare to register in the coming weeks and months.

4. Prepared to Register (still…January)

I went back to the calendar to slot in the different camps we were hoping to register for. I also checked in with a few friends to see if any of our camp choices aligned with theirs, and to find overlapping dates so he could go into it with some familiar faces.

I double-checked registration windows using tools like MomBrains’ Camp Finder, so I knew exactly when each one opened and closed. Then I marked the important dates and time blocks on my calendar to make sure I was available. I also created accounts for those that required to avoid any hiccups on the day of.

5. Registered with Confidence (February-March)

When registration time rolled around for each camp, I was ready! I was nearing the finish line of the summer camp planning marathon. With coffee in hand, I took a deep breath and sat down at my computer. My phone was buzzing with texts from friends in the same boat. We were all in this together. We commiserated as we waited to be moved from the waiting room to the registration room and as we watched the icon spin after selecting our weeks and entering in payment information. We celebrated after receiving confirmations and stayed hopeful when we were put on waiting lists. Keeping an open and flexible mind helped, knowing that if our top choices didn’t work, we could find something else just as great to fill in. While stressful at times, it was certainly a learning process and, dare I say, even fun.

By early March, I had a solid summer plan: 5 camps spread out over 9 weeks. 2 weeks of vacation — one in upstate New York with my husband’s family, and 1 week back in Minnesota with my family. And a few days off in between the last camp and the start of school to fully soak in the end of the summer at the beach. It was going to be a summer for the books, and I couldn’t wait for June to roll around for my son to experience it all.

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Are you a new mom on the South Shore with school-aged kids? Or just looking for a helpful starting point to save time and stress? MomBrains’ Camp Finder is here for you.