Is your preschooler ready to go to summer camp? Many preschool summer camps operate out of nursery schools and daycare centers, but there are some things parent need to take into account before they send their preschoolers to camp.

If your preschooler is potty-trained and can deal with being without a parent for a decent stretch of time, then those are good signs that your kid may be ready. There are full day and half day camps, so choosing the right length for you and your preschooler is important. The location of the camp, the staff, the cleanliness of the place, logistical transportation options, and of course the cost are all factors that need to be taken into account when deciding whether your child is ready for summer camp.

Not sending your kids to summer camp this year or going on a vacation and need some things to do with your kids during the long summer months? Taken from our guide Terri Mauro's great Camp Mom tips, here are some great ideas to make the summer days with your kids, entertaining, enlightening and a whole lot of fun.

Outdoor activities in your backyard, local park or pool and the beach could be supplemented with arts and crafts, cooking and baking, and movies and museums for the rainy days. Juts because your kids are at home doesn't mean they need to have a boring summer. Use these tips to make sure your children have a summer to remember at Camp Mom.

Apryl Duncan, one of our About.com guides, came up with a wonderful idea of parents coming together in a co-op babysitting group where parents would watch each other's kids for free, thus saving money and never having to worry about scarmbling for a teenage sitter you may not know or trust.

You could have one person coordinating which parents will babysit your kids on a certain time or individual parents can work it out themselves but remember that a babysitting co-op is a two-way street. As many times as you request parents to watch your children, you need to be willing to return the favor or the whole operation will not work. This co-op idea not only is a cheap alternative to hiring a babysitter, it also can build relationships between couples and begin friendships that could last a lifetime.

There's nothing more important than the safety of your child, so when you or your spouse has something come up at the last minute, a go-to list of emergency providers is incredibly important when you're short on time.

The first thing you need to do is make a list of the people closest to you that you know and trust. Call those people and ask them if they'd be willing to watch your kids in an emergency. Planning ahead and compiling a list will make a last minute engagement or emergency much less stressful because you'll already have a good idea of who will be there to watch your child.