Summer months often evoke images of sleeping in and hanging out. But children’s summer activities typically involve money. The 27.6 million U.S. families with children at home spend an average of $601 per child on summer activities, according to American Express. Most families with children under 18 expected to spend more (29%) or the same (47%) on their kids’ summer activities in 2012 as they spent in 2011.
Most families will spend money on childcare, team sports participation, and taking their children on day trips during the summer months. Affluent families (with incomes over $100,000) are more likely than families overall to enroll their children in sports teams (45% vs. 34%) and educational programs (38% vs. 26%).
More than eight in 10 families (83%) host group activities during the summer, most likelybarbeques, picnics, and celebratory events, such as graduation parties. Families with children are twice as likely as those without children to host pool parties (21% vs. 11%) and, surprisingly, wine tastings (8% vs. 4%). Spending on hosting summer events is higher among households with children than those without ($460 total for the summer vs. $332). On average, families with children spend $167 per event on food for these at-home parties, while households without children spend an average of $145.
Families with children typically invite 19 people to an event; childless households invite an average of 15 people. Three quarters of families with children (75%) ask their guests to bring something to the party. These items include side dishes (57%), drinks (48%), and desserts (42%). Almost half of party attendees (48% of guests with children and 45% of those without) say they always bring something to a party, even if not asked.
Teen Spending
Teens ages 13-17 receive $434 per month during the summer, according to American Express. They obtain spending money from a variety of sources, with 32% working a summer job and 38% receiving an allowance from their parents.
Teens who receive allowances typically get $22 per week. Parents of those 6-12 give their kids an average of $19 per week in allowance. The majority of parents (70%) say the amount of allowance is determined by the chores their kids complete. While money may be tied to chores, not all parents give money in exchange for housework. Nine in 10 parents assign chores — both paid and unpaid — to their teens during the summer months. The chores most frequently assigned to teens include cleaning their rooms, taking out the trash, and doing dishes.
A little more than one in 10 teens (11%) rely on savings during the summer months for spending money, while 6% earn money from “odd jobs” such as helping out their grandparents or mowing lawns.
Contacts and Connections: American Express, Elizabeth Crosta, 200 Vesey St., New York, NY?10285; 212-640-6557; elizabeth.crosta@aexp.com; www.americanexpress.com.
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