CampEasy, an online marketplace for parents and camps to find each other, is adding a calendar tool to its site. The new tool should make it easier for parents to search for, plan and track summer camp experiences for up to three different children.
The marketplace is the brainchild of Brooke Salkoff, formerly a national correspondent for NBC News. As a working mother, Salkoff says that for many working parents, trying to figure out what to do with their children over the summer is like trying to solve a giant Sudoku puzzle. "From New Year's Day to June, you're trying to figure out the optimal schedule," she explains. "You can shop for shoes or airfare in a targeted way. Why not camp?"
Salkoff says that summer camp programs are a $25 billion market, with parents spending more to keep their children safe and occupied than they do on recreational airfare. CampEasy is an online site to help bring camps and parents together. The site is free for parents to use and follows a freemium model for camps; camps featured on each metro area's homepage pay about $1,000 per year for the privilege of being there.
The site currently lists camps in 12 different metro areas, including greater D.C. Parents can search for camps by date, interest and location. "We also have the ability to search on a hyperlocal level," she says, "within a couple of miles of a certain address."
"CampEasy is all about being useful to parents," Salkoff explains. "The more successful we are in attracting parents, the more camps will want to be on our site. My focus has always been on helping women who want to stay in the workforce. As a working mom, your attention is divided. You can't let your family fall through the cracks."