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Is it too early to be thinking about summer camp?

11/4/09 - By Anna Fader

We haven't even been bombarded too early for Christmas yet. So how can it possibly be time to be pressured into thinking about summer camps? Seriously, no pressure, but there is a great camp fair this weekend if you want to get an early start on summer planning and I'll give you just one reason why you should: many camps give discounts if you sign up before December. So if you know you're doing it, why not figure it out now and possibly save some dough?

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I don't know a better way to find out in person about lots of summer camps in and around New York City than the New York Family Camp Fair. You can meet the people behind over 40 camps, ask them questions and find out about their programs. Everyone I know who has gone to these fairs always feels like they found a gem.

There will be three free fairs this weekend, one on the Upper West Side, one on the Upper East Side and one Downtown. See more details in our calendar.

About the Author

Anna Fader

Founder of Mommy Poppins

A fourth-generation Brooklynite, Anna started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to help families find the best things to do with kids in NYC, with a particular emphasis on sharing activities that are free, affordable, and enriching. The site, used by millions of families, has grown to become the ultimate resource for parents in the major US cities, plus travel guides for 100s of destinations.

Anna is a believer in the magic of summer camps, traveling with kids, and that you can raise kids on a budget and still have a rich life full of amazing memories. Anna's first Mommy Poppins book, The Young Traveler's Journal and Activity Book, published in 2025 and co-written with her daughter, Amelia Eigerman, brings that ethos to life, in addition to this website.

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