During summer my family moves from New York City to Illinois. Summer camp is more affordable there.

• My family of four lives in Queens, NY, where day camps are expensive. 
• I'm an educator, so get most of the summer off and plan activities for my kids. 
• We are moving with family to Illinois so my kids can attend summer camp there. 

I've always wanted my kids to experience the joy of summer camp — hiking, singing, and weaving colorful friendship bracelets. But even day camp is exorbitant in New York, where I live. Thankfully, I'm an educator who doesn't work full-time during the summer, so we usually pursue an economical option, the DIY "Mama Camp."