The Ultimate Guide to Running Summer Camp Registration

Summer camp registration can be exhilarating or exhausting—often both at the same time. The weeks leading up to registration determine whether you fill your sessions with dream families or scramble to reach capacity.

This guide covers everything you need to run a smooth, successful summer camp registration: timeline planning, registration models, pricing strategies, waitlist management, and technology that makes it all possible.

The Summer Camp Registration Timeline

6-8 Months Before Camp (October-December)

Plan your camp program:

• Finalize session dates and themes
• Determine capacity per session
• Set pricing structure
• Plan add-ons (extended care, lunch, transportation)
• Recruit and commit key staff

Prepare marketing:

• Update website with camp information
• Design digital and print materials
• Plan email campaigns
• Schedule social media content

4-6 Months Before Camp (January-February)

Launch registration:

• Open early-bird registration for returning families
• Open general registration 2-4 weeks later
• Monitor enrollment by session
• Begin waitlist management for popular sessions

Ramp up marketing:

• Email campaigns to prospect list
• Social media promotion
• Community partnerships and cross-promotion
• Early-bird deadline reminders

2-4 Months Before Camp (March-April)

Manage enrollment:

• Identify underperforming sessions
• Targeted marketing for sessions with space
• Waitlist management and offers
• Process deposits and payment plans

Operations planning:

• Finalize staff assignments
• Order supplies and materials
• Plan transportation logistics
• Coordinate with vendors

1-2 Months Before Camp (May-June)

Final preparations:

• Send parent welcome packets
• Collect remaining balances
• Health forms and documentation
• Staff training and orientation

Fill remaining spots:

• Last-chance marketing pushes
• Convert waitlist interest
• Offer promotions if needed to fill sessions

Registration Models: Choose the Right Fit

Not all camps register the same way. Your model should match your program structure and family expectations.

Model 1: Simple Week-by-Week Registration

How it works: Parents select which weeks they want. Each week has a set price.

Best for:

• Day camps with general programming
• Programs without specialized activities
• Simpler operations

Pros:

• Easy for parents to understand
• Simple to administer
• Clear pricing

Cons:

• Less flexibility for families
• May not maximize per-camper revenue
• Doesn't showcase specialty offerings

Example:

Week 1 (June 10-14): Adventure Week - $350
Week 2 (June 17-21): Science Week - $350
Week 3 (June 24-28): Arts Week - $350

Model 2: Activity Selection

How it works: Parents register for a week, then select specific activities for each day within that week.

Best for:

• Camps with specialty activities (swimming, horseback riding, etc.)
• Programs wanting to differentiate from competitors
• Higher-end camp experiences

Pros:

• Customizable experience for each child
• Can charge premiums for popular activities
• Families feel in control

Cons:

• Complex to administer
• Requires robust registration software
• Parents may feel overwhelmed by choices

Example:

Base Week Registration: $300
Daily Activity Add-ons:
  - Swimming: +$25/day
  - Horseback Riding: +$40/day
  - Archery: +$15/day
  - Standard Activities: Included

Model 3: Schedule Selection (AM/PM/Full Day)

How it works: Parents choose their schedule for each day—morning only, afternoon only, or full day.

Best for:

• Programs serving working and non-working parents
• Centers wanting to maximize capacity
• Areas with mixed family needs

Pros:

• Flexibility attracts more families
• Can fill capacity across time slots
• Serves diverse family situations

Cons:

• Complex scheduling
• Transitions between sessions can be chaotic
• Pricing structure more complex

Example:

Daily Options:
  - AM Only (8am-12pm): $45/day
  - PM Only (12pm-4pm): $45/day
  - Full Day (8am-4pm): $75/day

Weekly Packages:
  - Full Week AM: $200
  - Full Week PM: $200
  - Full Week Full Day: $325

Model 4: Track Selection

How it works: Themed multi-week tracks (STEM, Arts, Sports) with integrated curriculum across sessions.

Best for:

• Educational or specialty camps
• Programs emphasizing skill development
• Differentiating from general day camps

Pros:

• Higher perceived value
• Attracts committed families
• Simplifies programming
• Can charge premium pricing

Cons:

• Less flexibility for families
• May limit enrollment if tracks don't appeal
• Requires more planning

Example:

4-Week Tracks (June 10 - July 5):
  - STEM Explorers Track: $1,200
  - Creative Arts Track: $1,100
  - Sports Champions Track: $1,100
  - Nature Adventurers Track: $1,100

Pricing Strategies That Maximize Revenue

Early-Bird Pricing

Reward early registrants with discounted rates:

• 10-15% discount for registrations before a deadline
• Creates urgency and secures cash flow
• Helps predict enrollment earlier

Structure options:

• Fixed discount: "$50 off per week before March 1"
• Percentage discount: "15% off full summer registration before February 15"
• Tiered deadlines: "20% off before Jan 31, 10% off before Feb 28"

Multi-Week Discounts

Encourage longer commitments:

1 week: Full price ($350)
2-3 weeks: 5% off
4-5 weeks: 10% off
6+ weeks: 15% off
Full summer: 20% off

Sibling Discounts

Make registration affordable for families with multiple children:

• First child: Full price
• Second child: 10-15% off
• Third+ child: 15-25% off

Or: "Family maximum" pricing caps total cost regardless of children enrolled.

Add-On Strategy

Add-ons increase revenue without raising base prices:

Pro tip: Bundle add-ons into "convenience packages" at slight discount to increase attachment rate.

Deposit vs. Payment Plans

Deposits secure commitment and reduce no-shows:

• Typically $50-100 per week or 25% of total
• Non-refundable or partially refundable
• Apply toward final balance

Payment plans make registration accessible:

• Split payment across 2-4 installments
• Final payment due 2-4 weeks before camp starts
• Automatic payment processing reduces admin burden

Online Registration: Must-Have Features

Manual registration (paper forms, phone calls, spreadsheets) doesn't scale. Modern camp registration software should include:

For Parents

• Mobile-friendly registration: Parents register on phones
• Account creation: Save information for future years
• Multiple children: Register siblings in one transaction
• Session browser: Visual calendar of available sessions
• Add-on selection: Easy add of extended care, etc.
• Payment processing: Credit card and ACH
• Confirmation emails: Immediate documentation
• Waitlist signup: When sessions fill

For Administrators

• Real-time enrollment tracking: See registrations as they happen
• Waitlist management: Automatic offers when spots open
• Capacity management: Set and enforce limits per session
• Reporting: Enrollment by week, revenue projections
• Communication tools: Email registered families
• Refund processing: Handle cancellations
• Integration: Connect to billing, attendance, communications

Waitlist Management

Popular sessions will fill. Effective waitlist management captures that demand.

Creating a Fair Waitlist

Options for waitlist ordering:

1. First-come, first-served: Simple, transparent
2. Priority for returning families: Rewards loyalty
3. Priority for full-summer registrants: Encourages larger commitments
4. Lottery: Perceived as fairest for high-demand programs

Communication with Waitlisted Families

At signup:

"Thank you for joining the waitlist for Week 3! You're currently #5 in line. We'll contact you immediately if a spot opens. In the meantime, would you like to register for Week 4 (same theme) which has availability?"

When spot opens:

"Great news! A spot opened in Week 3 Science Adventure. You have 48 hours to register before we offer it to the next family on the waitlist. Click here to claim your spot."

If spot doesn't open:

"Unfortunately, no spots opened in Week 3. We hope to see your family at camp another time! Here are sessions that still have availability if you're interested."

Reducing Cancellations

Cancellations create waitlist opportunities but also operational challenges:

Prevention strategies:

• Clear cancellation policies upfront
• Non-refundable deposits
• Cancellation fees that escalate as camp approaches
• Flexibility to transfer to different sessions (easier than canceling)

Sample policy:

• 60+ days before: Full refund minus $50 admin fee
• 30-59 days before: 50% refund
• Under 30 days: No refund (or credit toward future)

Marketing Your Camp Registration

Email Campaigns

Campaign sequence:

1. Early announcement (8 weeks before registration): "Summer camp dates announced!"
2. Registration opening (at launch): "Registration is OPEN!"
3. Early-bird reminder (1 week before deadline): "Early-bird pricing ends Friday"
4. General updates (ongoing): Enrollment updates, session spotlights
5. Last chance (2-4 weeks before camp): Fill remaining spots

Social Media Strategy

• Before registration: Build anticipation with throwback photos
• At launch: Registration link everywhere
• During: Session spotlights, countdown to deadlines
• Close to camp: Behind-the-scenes preparation content

Referral Programs

Happy families are your best marketers:

• "$50 off for you AND your referred family"
• "Refer 3 families, get a free week"
• Make it easy: shareable links with tracking

Common Registration Mistakes to Avoid

1. Opening Registration Too Late

If you open in April for June camp, you've missed families who booked competitors in January. Early decision families are often your best families.

2. Complicated Pricing

If parents need a spreadsheet to understand your pricing, simplify. Confusion kills conversions.

3. Poor Mobile Experience

Most parents will encounter your registration on their phone. If it doesn't work on mobile, you're losing registrations.

4. No Waitlist Option

When sessions fill, don't just show "sold out." Capture that demand with a waitlist.

5. Ignoring Returning Families

Your best prospects are families who already attended. Give them priority registration and recognize their loyalty.

6. No Urgency Creation

Without deadlines, parents procrastinate. Early-bird deadlines, capacity limits, and countdown timers drive action.

Integrating Camp with Year-Round Programs

If you run both year-round childcare and summer camps, integration creates operational and marketing advantages.

For Parents

• One app, one account: No separate systems
• Unified billing: One family balance
• Consistent experience: Same teachers, same communication
• Simplified enrollment: No re-entering information

For Operators

• Staff utilization: Year-round staff work camp
• Facility utilization: Maximize space usage
• Marketing synergy: Camp families become school-year families
• Data continuity: Complete picture of each child

"Before Bloomily, we used separate software for our preschool and summer camps. Parents had to download two apps, we had two billing systems, and staff had to learn two platforms. Now it's all unified. Our camp registration is up 40% because parents from our year-round program sign up automatically."

— Director, Sunshine Academy (Preschool + Summer Camp)

Technology Recommendations

For Small Camps (Under 100 campers)

A dedicated camp registration system may be overkill. Look for:

• Simple online registration (even Google Forms + Stripe can work)
• Basic waitlist management
• Email communication
• Integration with payment processing

For Medium Camps (100-300 campers)

You need proper camp management software:

• Online registration with multiple models
• Capacity and waitlist management
• Integrated payments
• Parent communication
• Basic reporting

For Large Camps (300+ campers) or Multi-Program Organizations

You need comprehensive camp/childcare software:

• Advanced registration models
• CRM capabilities
• Robust reporting and analytics
• Integration with year-round programs
• Billing and financial management
• Staff management

Conclusion

Summer camp registration doesn't have to be chaotic. With proper planning, the right technology, and clear communication, you can fill your sessions with excited families while maintaining your sanity.

Start planning now—even if summer feels far away. The camps that open registration earliest with the clearest messaging win the best families.

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Need camp registration software that actually works? Bloomily supports all 4 registration models, integrates with year-round programs, and makes enrollment management simple. See how it works or start your free trial.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I open summer camp registration?

For popular programs: October-December (6-8 months before camp). At minimum: January-February (4-6 months before). Later registration means competing for families who've already committed elsewhere.

What's the best registration model for my camp?

Simple week-by-week works for most general day camps. Activity or schedule selection suits camps with specialty offerings or diverse family schedules. Track selection works for educational/specialty camps emphasizing skill development.

How do I handle families who can't afford camp?

Options include: payment plans, sliding scale pricing, scholarship funds, corporate sponsorships, and partnership with community organizations. Many camps designate 5-10% of capacity for scholarship recipients.

What cancellation policy is fair?

Balance flexibility with operational needs. Common approach: Full refund (minus admin fee) 60+ days out, partial refund 30-60 days, no refund under 30 days. Allow transfers to different sessions as an alternative to cancellation.

How do I fill underperforming sessions?

Targeted marketing highlighting that specific session's theme, last-chance pricing incentives, combining underperforming sessions into one, reaching out to waitlisted families from popular sessions, and partnership marketing with complementary organizations.