Welcome to camp season,

Can you seriously believe it’s January and here we are again? It’s camp registration time, and if you've ever found yourself with 20 browser tabs open, scrambling to remember five different passwords, or (heaven help us) camping outside a facility at 5 am to secure a spot, you know the chaos is real (and completely crazy).

And while I wish AI could do all of this for you and me, FNAME, unfortunately, we’re not there yet.  But it can save you hours of time, remind you of key deadlines, get you on coveted waitlists, and help you manage the madness! Let's talk about how to lighten the load this camp season. Keep reading for ways to sail through camp season like a pro, with my go-to prompts, plus an interview with a mom and co-founder who’s changing the way we book kids’ activities… forever. ⬇️

— Sarah

Molly Morse, co-founder of Recess, the booking platform for kids’ activities and camps, joins me to talk about the broken system of camp registration and how her Recess is fixing it. 

Molly reveals how Recess uses AI matchmaking to surface camps based on your location, schedule needs, and kids' interests, plus a calendar hack that I can’t stop thinking about.

Copy and paste these focused prompts into your favorite AI tool (like ChatGPT or Claude) to make camp planning manageable.

Prompt 1: Research Summer Camps In Seconds

Act as my [ROLE: summer camp research assistant]. Help me research summer camps for my [NUMBER] child/children aged [AGES] in [LOCATION: city/neighborhood]. I'm looking for [TYPE: day camps, overnight camps, specialty camps, sports camps, arts camps, STEM camps, etc.] that focus on [INTERESTS: coding, soccer, theater, science, nature, etc.]. I need [SCHEDULE: full-day, half-day, weekly, multi-week] programs during [DATES/MONTHS]. My budget is [AMOUNT] per child per week. Format the output as a comparison table showing camp name, age range, focus area, schedule options, cost, registration deadline, and key highlights. Include both well-known programs and hidden gems I might not find on page one of Google.

Prompt 2: Negotiate Your Way Into a "Closed" Camp

Act as my persuasive communication coach. Help me write a professional, warm email to [CAMP NAME] to request consideration for my [AGE]-year-old even though registration is currently closed or waitlisted. Include: (1) a brief introduction of my child and why this camp is a perfect fit, (2) our scheduling constraints or why this particular camp matters, (3) flexibility or alternatives we're open to (different weeks, morning vs afternoon, etc.), and (4) a gracious but clear ask to be considered if a spot opens up. Keep the tone respectful, not entitled, and under 200 words.

Prompt 3: Never Miss a Registration Date Again

Act as my summer planning assistant. Research the 2026 registration opening dates for the following camps: [INSERT PREFERRED CAMPS]. For each camp, add a calendar reminder to my Google Calendar for 7 days before registration opens with the camp name, registration date, registration time, and website link in the event description. Set the reminder to alert me via notification the day before and the morning of registration.

Austin & Houston parents: If you're in the Austin or Houston areas, Recess is your new secret weapon for finding and booking summer camps and kids' activities, all in one place. No more 20 tabs, no more 5 am alarms, just a simple search and click to get your kid into the activities they’ll talk about for years to come.

Recess is expanding nationally soon, but for now, Austin and Houston parents get first access to the platform.

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on what you’d like to see more of in this newsletter (there’s still time - answer my one-question poll here).  I’m listening and making changes based on what you want more of.