Almost all representatives of the older generation remember how interesting and fun the rest was in summer children's camps. These institutions have not lost their popularity in our days. Knowing how to open a children's camp, entrepreneurs can build a profitable business and earn good income by organizing an educational, entertaining and cultural program for children and adolescents.
Classification
You need to choose the format of the institution. There are currently several varieties of camps.
The most popular sanatorium - parents are inclined in their favor, wishing that the child not only had a good time, but also strengthened his health. As a rule, sanatorium camps are created on the basis of medical centers, and their main task is the prevention of various diseases.
There are specialized sports camps. Basically, they focus on the physical development of children, but they can’t do without entertainment and games. Sports facilities can be highly specialized (that is, with a bias in any particular sport) or general. Groups of children are formed not by the age criterion, but by the level of physical fitness.
In addition, there are so-called training camps-schools. They can also be of different types:
- for students who do not keep up with the general school curriculum;
- narrowly targeted (linguistic, mathematical, psychological, creative, etc.);
- preparatory (for kids who are just going to go to school or high school students who are facing other tests - final exams and the exam);
- labor (for adolescents 12-17 years old, who do simple work before lunch, and at the end of the shift or daily receive a certain salary).
Being interested in how profitable the camp will be as a business and the stages of its creation, be sure to consider the format of the future institution.
Step 1. Documentation
To open and start an activity you will need the following documents:
1. A free-form application for a sanitary-epidemiological examination.
2. Extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities or Individual Entrepreneurs.
3. Water analysis protocols for chemical and bacteriological indicators (valid for 30 days from receipt).
4. The layout of the premises (including the catering unit) with an indication of their purpose, size, placement of sanitary and technological equipment.
5. Concluded agreements for the disposal of municipal solid waste and wastewater, pest control, anti-mite measures and disinfestation, medical examinations and hygienic training.
Before starting work, be sure to read the main documents that regulate the activities of children's camps. These are "SanPiN 2.4.4.1204-03" (for stationary facilities) and "SanPiN 2.4.4.2605-10" (for tent).
Units and groups | Maximum group size | Allowed Activities |
6-9 years old | 25 | Dressing beds, the simplest work to care for the camp territory and premises, the collection of medicinal herbs and berries under the supervision of a teacher. |
10-14 years old | 30 | Duty on the dining room (children can set the table and clean dirty cutlery after a meal). |
15-18 years old | 25 | Cleaning the dining room, cleaning the bedrooms and landscaping. |
Important: it is forbidden to involve children in jobs that require great physical activity, cleaning of common areas.
Buildings should be equipped with reliable water supply systems, sewers and drains. Mandatory access to hot water.
A medical center should be equipped on the territory of each building, and the height of buildings should not exceed 2 floors. Indoor daily wet cleaning is required, including toilets, showers and washrooms. Also, every day should be cleaned and garbage.
Bathing days are arranged at least once a week. Bedding and towels should be changed as they become soiled, but at least 1 time in 7 days.
Separate requirements are imposed on beaches near water bodies. The banks of rivers, lakes and seas in the bathing place should be gentle, without pits and cliffs. Before the start of the swimming season, an analysis of the water composition should be carried out, then the procedure is carried out every 2 months. The maximum depth of open water in this case should be within 0.7-1.3 m.
Step 2. Search for a room
Its size will largely depend on the number of children, the length of their stay and the type of camp itself. The room must comply with the requirements of sanitary-hygienic and fire safety. It is advisable that the leased building does not require serious repairs, as this will entail extra costs.
Private children's camp in terms of accommodation is somewhat reminiscent of a hotel. It also provides several types of accommodation: “standard”, “improved standard” and “luxury”. It is best that a separate building is allocated for each of them:
- "Standard". Up to 6-8 children live in each room. General showers and toilets are located on each floor.
- “Superior Standard.” Up to 5 people live in one room. Showers and toilets, as in the previous case, are located on the floor.
- "Lux". The rooms are designed for 2-3 people. Amenities - in every room.
Of course, the described separation of types is very arbitrary. In fact, the differences between rooms of different classes can be completely different.
Step 3. Catering
This is one of the most important issues that you need to pay attention to when drawing up a business plan. Children's camp does not have to have its own dining room. For example, you can sign an agreement with a local cafe for continuous service, after calculating the estimated cost of food for each month and day. In the case of the tent camp, you can cook both on a gas stove (you need to purchase special gas cylinders), and at the stake.
Meals, according to current standards, should be four meals a day (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner).
Step 4. Recruitment
What else needs to be considered when developing a business plan? A children's camp cannot exist without properly selected employees.
You will need a team of counselors. It can be students of pedagogical universities, for which work in the camp is counted as a practice, or volunteers. Depending on the orientation of the institution, you will also need specialists of one profile or another (sports trainers, teachers, etc.). In addition, physicians and educators with higher specialized education should be present in each camp.
Step 5. The program for vacationers
We strongly recommend that you consider this point, while still only making a business plan. Children's camp can work on conservative, regular or innovative programs. How do they differ from each other?
- Conservative. Programs developed for many years to come. Various events and holidays are held according to traditional scenarios created back in the era of the USSR.
- Ordinary. They are developed on the basis of conservative ones, however counselors have the opportunity to make small changes to them for a change.
- Innovative. Such programs are constantly changing and being refined.The fact that children from previous shifts was not very interesting is excluded from the plan altogether, new entertainments and games are added.
A private children's camp can gain a competitive advantage in comparison with state institutions due to such an original approach, because the latter do not have such wide opportunities for experiments.
Step 6. Advertising
Be sure to include this expense item in your business plan. A children's camp might otherwise be empty for many years. In order to attract the attention of potential customers, it is best to conclude agreements on advertising the camp with various children's institutions.
You can use any media: television, press, Internet, radio. Over time, the so-called word of mouth effect will work, and your advertising costs will decrease significantly - satisfied parents and children themselves will recommend your camp to their friends and acquaintances.
What kind of profit can I get?
So, you already know how to organize a children's camp. Time to talk about the most interesting - of course, about the income you receive. In total, you will need from 500 thousand to 1 million dollars to start work. When calculating the payback, you need to take into account that at least 40% of the cost of each ticket must go into profit. On average, one 16-day shift can bring you up to 300 thousand dollars.
The article was written by copywriters who do not know anything about the camp business?)