Start A Summer Camp - Business Ideas

Pat Walls

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Updated: September 15th, 2022

Start A Summer Camp

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

Starting a summer camp business can be a fun and rewarding experience for anyone looking to enter the education and recreation industry. Summer camps offer children and young adults a chance to participate in various activities and experiences, including sports, crafts, nature hikes, and more.

To start a summer camp business, you will need to secure a location, typically a large piece of land with various amenities such as cabins, a pool, and a dining hall. You will also need to hire a team of trained and experienced staff members to oversee the campers and lead activities. Marketing and advertising will be important to attract potential campers and their families, and you may want to consider offering promotions or discounts to attract new business.

According to a report by the American Camp Association, the summer camp industry generates over $15 billion in revenue annually, with approximately 14 million children attending camps each year. It is a popular and growing business opportunity, with an estimated 2,400 new camps opening in the United States each year.

Starting a summer camp business can be challenging, but with proper planning and execution, it can be a rewarding and successful venture. By providing a safe and engaging environment for children to learn and grow, you can positively impact their development and create lasting memories for them and their families.

Starting a summer camp requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell summer camp, or selling summer camp online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size

$4B

starting costs

$18.9K

gross margin

43%

time to build

270 days

Startup Costs

	Min Startup Costs	Max Startup Costs
Equipment & Supply Expenses	$66	$1,200
Retail Business Expenses	$1,250	$11,650
Inventory Expenses	$350	$14,750
Advertising & Marketing Costs	$75	$9,636
Software Expenses	$0	$425
Website Costs	$13	$215
Total Startup Costs	$1,754	$37,876

See all startup costs ➜

Successful Businesses

Business	URL	Rank
iD Tech	idtech.com	76,661
San Francisco Recreation and Parks, CA	sfrecpark.org	168,360
Find Summer Camps & Classes for Kids	activityhero.com	207,202
STEM Education	madscience.org	324,960
Summer Camp Hub	summercamphub.com	362,608
Kids Camp	kidscamps.com	366,523
American Camp Association	acacamps.org	377,853
The YMCA	seattleymca.org	437,103
Pedalheads	pedalheads.com	455,103
YMCA SF \|	ymcasf.org	517,923
Interlochen Center for the Arts	interlochen.org	534,306

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Pros & Cons

Pros	Description
Rewarding work	Starting a summer camp can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.
Meaningful business connections	You never know who you will meet as a summer camp. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity!
Daily physical activity	Summer Camp's typically involve a much greater degree of movement than other lines of work. Most days, you will spend your day walking, running errands for your business, and performing a multitude of tasks. This can have a positive impact on energy levels and your overall health.
Amazing perks and discounts	Working in the summer camp comes with its perks! As a seller for these products/services, you typically also get to enjoy industry perks and discounts.
You are your own boss!	With starting a summer camp, you are the one to make decisions for almost all of the operations. Calling the shots can be empowering and liberating!
Local Community	One of the best parts of starting a summer camp is that you can develop a local following by selling your products at craft shows, farmers' markets, or even local storefront businesses! This gives you access to additional revenue streams and loyal customers.

See all pros ➜

Cons	Description
Crowded Space	Competition is high when it comes to your summer camp, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.
Finding The Right Supplier	Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section.
Motivation of employees	If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.
Low margins	The gross margins for your summer camp are typically around 43%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.
High employee turnover	In the summer camp, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment.
Taxes	As a summer camp, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.

See all cons ➜

Marketing Ideas

1

Direct Sales

Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.
For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.

Learn more about direct sales ➜
2

Word of mouth

Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.
Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.
According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.
Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.

Learn more about word of mouth ➜
3

Social Media Advertising

Social media advertising is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience with the objective to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic.
According to Oberlo, approximately 48% of the global population use social media, and the number is ever-growing.
Therefore, social media allows brands access to cost-effective advertising by enabling them to interact with a large audience.

Learn more about social media advertising ➜

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Key Stats

Startup Costs

Successful Businesses

76,661

168,360

207,202

324,960

362,608

366,523

377,853

437,103

455,103

517,923

534,306

Pros & Cons

Marketing Ideas

Direct Sales

Word of mouth

Social Media Advertising