Why American Families Are Flocking to Overseas Summer Camps
Post-COVID, families are rethinking and reinventing the way they live.
Over the course of this year, I’ve been thinking about how I can use my global experiences to make out-of-the-box, more enriching life choices for myself and my children. One idea that I have not only mulled over but have built an entire online testing platform for is spending summers overseas.
And I am not alone in my thoughts. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of American parents are rethinking how they spend their summer months. With remote and hybrid work on the rise, families are discovering they can travel abroad and enroll their children in overseas summer camps—often at a fraction of the cost of U.S. programs. This allows parents to give their kids more than childcare, it’s a culturally immersive experience. And let’s be real, traveling with kids can suck. Stealing a few hours with your spouse to wander a museum or sip coffee at a cute café on those little cobblestone sidewalks—without someone pestering you for juice—is priceless.
But for some parents the idea of spending the summer overseas may seem overwhelming or like a pipe dream but, the truth is, it's not much different from simply planning a summer vacation. Families I spoke with who embraced this global approach say it has completely enriched their lives. They’re finding camps in places like Spain, Poland, and Austria that promise fresh perspectives and enhanced learning experiences. In doing so, they are also underscoring a simple truth: the modern American family can be more creative—and more global—when it comes to raising their kids.
A New Model for Summer
“We basically realized that if we’re putting our kids in camp here in New York, why not do it in Amsterdam or Barcelona?” said Maddy, a professor and Instagram influencer who has spent the last several summers home-swapping in Europe. “We arrive, and the kids go to day camp, which is way cheaper than anything we could find in New York. Then my husband and I can explore museums, cathedrals—things the kids wouldn’t necessarily enjoy all day. Everybody wins.”
When I spoke to Maddy, she reminded me of myself—someone who loves to travel and doesn’t want having kids to hold her back. She’s impressively creative in how she has found ways to swap homes, hire nannies, and make her trips as affordable as possible. Maddy, who lives in Harlem with her husband and three children, says her family’s international summers started out modestly—one or two weeks away—before eventually stretching to nine consecutive weeks in Europe. The couple uses HomeExchange.com (she gave me her referral code, and I’m sharing my own) to swap their Harlem apartment for homes in cities like Amsterdam, Paris, and Krakow. The result? Free housing, lower camp costs, and genuine cultural immersion.
“You see very early how it can broaden perspectives,” Maddy explains, noting how her kids are purposefully exposed to cultural, language, and economic diversity. “To me, it’s really important for them to understand global diversity, and that's one of the main reasons why we put our kids in the camps.”
Overseas Camps Are Seeing More Americans
I also spoke with multiple camps in different countries that parents recommended for their kids. These summer camp leaders say the number of international attendees has skyrocketed, particularly from the U.S. One Valencia-based program, Olé, says interest from the U.S. has ballooned since pandemic travel restrictions eased.
“Four years ago, we brought in just four international kids,” said Paloma, a bilingual educator who opened her family-run summer camp, Olé, in Spain. “Then 16, then 80, and this year we’re expecting around 150. A lot of them are Americans who discovered they can work remotely. They spend a few weeks in Spain, put their kids in camp, and explore the area on weekends.”
In Vienna, Nora runs a small day camp for children ages 3 to 6, offering German and English instruction. She has seen a surge in signups from traveling families:
“A few years ago, international campers made up about 10% of our total enrollment. Today, they account for nearly one-third of our 300 campers per year. The largest group of international campers comes from the United States and France, with many American families including our camp as part of their European summer travels,” Nora explained.
She says some kids are tourists in Vienna for just a week or two, while others are relocating for short or longer periods. In her camp, language isn’t much of a barrier because many kids already speak English or are at least accustomed to hearing it at home.
A Glance at Costs
But is this really feasible? Well, my husband and I ran the budget for our own family vacation to compare costs, and truly, if you are already planning an overseas trip, some of these hacks can help you break even.
Costs vary widely depending on location, housing arrangements, and the child’s age (younger campers often require smaller ratios and can sometimes cost more). You could also consider Airbnbing your home and using the savings to rent a place overseas, which may offer more options and flexibility than home exchanges.
The Challenges—and Joys—of Cultural Immersion
Now, there are some challenges parents should keep in mind with these exchanges. But to me, the good seems to outweigh the bad. Language barriers, new foods, and unfamiliar rules can spark anxiety for both parents and kids. Paloma said her immersive program in Valencia supports international children with an extra bilingual counselor to smooth cultural and language differences.
“We’ve noticed children in Spain might be used to getting changed for pool time right in front of everyone,” she explained. “Some of the American or British kids felt shy about that. Or at lunchtime, Spanish kids expect a teacher to tell them, ‘You have to eat your vegetables.’ It’s a bit stricter than some American kids are used to.”
Nora, in Vienna, says kids can be pretty jet-lagged when they arrive. She also notes that some cultural differences can be an adjustment for families.
“We’ve encountered minor cultural differences, such as varying perceptions of punctuality. In some cultures, being 'on time' is more flexible, which doesn’t always align with our structured schedule. Additionally, some parents feel uneasy about their children going on outdoor excursions twice a day, as it might differ from what they’re used to at home.”
To mitigate these cultural challenges, some camps send out notices about expectations so families can prepare before they arrive. And, of course, nothing beats your own planning. Maddy and her husband map out their home exchanges and camps months in advance, typically finalizing their summer schedules by January. Some families also coordinate with local babysitters or nannies abroad, providing extra coverage for half-day programs or unexpected closures.
A Summer Camp Service
But at the end of the day, parents and camp providers say they love seeing the intercultural connections kids are making, especially when the world seems to be growing less and less tolerant of people who are different.
“One of the most heartwarming experiences last summer was seeing three children—one French-speaking, one English-speaking, and one German-speaking—become best friends,” says Nora. “Despite the language barrier, they found ways to communicate, creating games together, and even arranged playdates outside of camp.”
These are the types of connections that Maddy says her kids make in the numerous countries they have visited. She frequently posts about her overseas summer camp experiences on social media if you want to follow her.
One of my many passion projects has been developing a community and service that supports families wanting to live and think more globally. One way we are doing this is by helping them find community and summer camps overseas. If this interests you, please sign up here, and we will send more information when we have enough interest to create a good group.
You Are Now More Cultured Because…
You know that intercultural summer exchanges can challenge comfort levels on everything from changing in public to eating everything on your plate.
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