The sputtering economy has prompted parents across the country to wait longer to register their children for summer camp. Others are asking for more financial aid as they tighten spending.

At Camp Cherokee, hosted by the Upper Palmetto YMCA at Kings Mountain State Park, organizers are hearing from more families who need help in paying tuition, director Chet Tucker said. Like many families, Tucker says the YMCA is trying to do more with less as it deals with rising fuel costs and leaner budgets.

"Every year, the requests for financial aid go up, and this is definitely no exception," Tucker said. "We can't afford to give out the aid we've given out in this past, just from the strain of our budget."

Day camp directors said parents are making decisions a month or two later than usual as they assess their summer finances, said Peter Surgenor, the national president of the American Camp Association.

Similarly, YMCA resident and day camps started to see a slowdown in registrations in March "when economic news stories became more certain of recession in mid-March," YMCA camping specialist Gary Forster said.

The slowdown hasn't affected Camp Thunderbird on Lake Wylie, director Dave Purcell says. Most campers there registered last fall, before the economy turned sour, he said. The day camp is full with 1,100 youngsters, and the overnight camp stands at 2,300 with 50 spots left, about the same pace as last year.

"The more established camps that have been around for a long time are filling as always," Purcell said. "The camps that haven't filled are probably feeling the pain a little bit more. I guess we're better off than most."

Ten percent of Camp Thunderbird participants are on financial aid. Purcell said the requests haven't gone up. The camp is entering its 73rd summer.

Historically, camps feel a pinch

During past recessions and real estate downturns, as many as 25 percent of parents waited longer than usual to sign their children up for YMCA camp, Forster said, and the average length of a camper's stay declined.

The waiting lists for camps shortened, too, but camp attendance stayed steady.

Across the country, food and fuel costs are rising, housing values are dropping and access to credit remains limited. Consumer confidence has plummeted to its lowest reading in 26 years.

Some camp directors are hoping parents will use their economic stimulus checks -- set to hit mailboxes and bank accounts this month -- toward camp tuition. The checks are part of a $168 billion economic stimulus plan passed by Congress.

Families who have filed their tax returns for the year can get up to $1,200, plus $300 per child.