Mid-winter is a good time for Arlington families to start thinking about summer camps, and a new guide aims to ease the decision-making process this year.
CampARL.com launched last fall, and founder Anne Lyons Knapp has been tweaking it as parents begin thinking about camp opportunities during spring break, teacher workdays and the summer season.
“Since launching CampARL.com in October, I’ve focused on features that make day-camp discovery easier for busy Arlington families,” said Knapp, who is, herself, a parent who lives in Arlington.
“The most recent addition is our save-and-share functionality, which lets parents bookmark camps they’re interested in and share their shortlists with co-parents, friends or their carpool crew,” she told ARLnow. “This idea came directly from feedback from families, which I love to receive.”
The online database currently lists more than 80 camp opportunities. They’re mostly in Arlington, but some are elsewhere in Northern Virginia and in D.C.
They can be searched by month, price, age range and other criteria.
“I’ve also expanded our search filters so parents can find exactly what they need, whether that’s STEM camps, arts programs, sports-specific options, camps with extended-care hours or camps in a specific neighborhood,” Knapp said, adding:
“My target audience is Arlington parents and caregivers who are juggling work schedules, perhaps multiple kids with different interests, and the very real challenge of finding quality, convenient programming for summer as well as teacher workdays and holidays. These are families who want their kids to have enriching experiences but don’t have hours to spend researching dozens of camp websites — and since CampARL.com is completely free for families and camps, it’s an easy way to streamline that whole process.”
The platform embraces user input, its founder said.
“We’re constantly improving based on what families tell us they need,” she added. “Even my daughter has ideas that will make the site more useful.”
Some privately run camps in the area, such as Encore Stage & Studio, already have opened registration for the summer season. Registration for camps run by the Arlington County government and its contractors will open in February.
According to advice from the American Camp Association, there’s still time for families to consider camp options, but the window of opportunity gets smaller as winter gives way to springtime.
“In our data and when surveyed, we found that parents spend time researching camps and then make purchases at least 2-4 months before camp begins,” the organization said earlier this month in a memo to members. “In fact, many camps saw their full sessions booked up during the first few months of the year.”
Families should anticipate higher costs, especially if they have not taken part in camp programs in recent years.
“Inflation has continued to cause price increases across the board for both businesses and families — camp is no different,” the American Camp Association said. “In 2025, we found that camp providers increased their prices by 20% when compared to 2024. And this price increase is on top of a 23% increase in 2023.”
The organization is encouraging its member camps to be responsive to families where pricing may be an issue, and to take steps to stand out from the crowd:
“As families make these tough decisions on where to spend their money, it’s up to you to show value and help increase checkout conversion with high-quality images, class descriptions, instructor bios, and reviews.”
Knapp agrees there is a need for camp opportunities available to families of all income levels.
“I think our area needs more affordable options, with extended-care hours that align with working parents’ schedules,” she said.
Knapp said she also would like to see “more camps specifically designed for kids with sensory needs or neurodivergence, and programs for the middle-school age group, [as] there’s a real drop-off in options once kids hit 12 or 13.”
“I also hear from families looking for half-day camps that offer more flexibility, especially for younger children who aren’t ready for full-day programs,” she added. “And if there are already camps out there offering these programs, please reach out — I’d love to add them.”
Image via Josh Campbell/Unsplash
