22 Virtual Summer Camps That Will Keep Your Little Ones Engaged
2 min read
Obviously, due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, summer plans are on hold until further notice. And for families who rely on camp during the warmer months, this can be problematic. Although traditional summer camps might be out of the question this year, there are plenty of virtual options that will keep kids of all ages entertained. Whether they’re looking to keep their academics sharp (hey, no one likes that pesky summer slide, right?) or just want some good, old-fashioned fun, these online summer camps will deliver.
Related: How and When Will Schools Reopen? Experts Outline the Possible Scenarios
Brain Chase
Designed for kids ages 7 to 14, Brain Chase invites students to go on an academic scavenger hunt by selecting three focus categories ranging from math to yoga to writing to foreign languages. They have six weeks to complete their objectives and find the $1,000 missing golden nugget. Send your child on this wild adventure for $100.
Camp by Walmart
Thanks to a top-notch lineup of celebrity talent including Neil Patrick Harris, Drew Barrymore, LeBron James, and Idina Menzel, Camp by Walmart will be a surefire hit in your home. Completely free, families can access interactive videos and activities that will keep boredom at bay.
Camp OshKosh
Each week through July 10, Camp OshKosh will feature a schedule of virtual activities to keep young children inspired. From cute crafts to outdoor relay races and old-fashioned camping, this program is completely free!
Camp PBS Kids
Children between the ages of 2 and 8 can get access to a slew of educational activities all summer long using PBS Kids’ website. Parents can also opt to get a daily newsletter that’s chock-full of fun activities based on age and topic, as well as a fun summer bucket list.
Camp Prime
Amazon Prime teamed up with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to launch Camp Prime, a free online destination filled with easy and fun activities, campfire stories, challenges, and recipes, as well as daily guided video tutorials.
Camp Supernow
Camp Supernow is offering kids ages 5 to 11 the chance to engage with counselor-guided arts and crafts, movement, games, field trips, mindfulness exercises, and more. With a new theme each day, children will bond with their “virtual cabin,” which is composed of eight to 10 campers. Oh, and there’s even an end-of-the-season talent show! Two-week sessions start at $199 per camper.
Camp TFK
Time For Kids is launching its first-ever virtual program, Camp TKF, a free, daily educational resource of activities to keep kids active. School-aged children can participate in activities like arts and crafts and sports and games, and learn scientific concepts and storytelling.
Camp Wonderopolis
Created by the National Center for Families Learning, Camp Wonderopolis encourages kids 7 and older to get creative through free STEM-based and literacy activities.
Related: Experts Are Against Schools Ending the Academic Year Early Because It Teaches “When It’s Hard, Give Up”
Connected Camps
Tech-savvy kiddos ages 8 to 13 can explore their passions using Connected Camps’ week-long, multisession lessons that explore Minecraft and coding.
DIY Summer Camp
Children 7 and older can access tons of classes like, “Drawing Bootcamp,” “Build Anything With Lego,” and “Strange Science” through DIY’s app. To keep learning interesting, they also can earn badges for improving their skills. Although kids can try the classes for free, there’s an additional cost for full-length courses.
K12 Inc. Summer Camp
K12 Inc. Summer Camp gives older kids the option to take free classes in coding, health science, business, and IT so they can explore potential career pathways during the warmer months.
MarcoPolo World School
Geared toward little ones ages 3 to 7, MarcoPolo World School’s app aims to give kids a better understanding of STEAM topics like math, science, and engineering through more than 3,000 online lessons and 500 educational videos. There are also new lessons being added every few weeks, so consider your summer completely taken care of! Sign up for its free trial to get started.
MDA Virtual Explorers
Geared towards kids with disabilities between the ages of 8 and 17, MDA Virtual Explorers is offering courses that focus on cooking, music, fashion design, crafting, virtual scavenger hunts, and escape rooms. Parents are able to sign up for a week of camp at a time at absolutely no cost.
Nat Geo Family Camp
Nat Geo Family Camp’s free eight-part series is for kids of all ages. Meant to help foster the same life skills as traditional camp does, there will be themed events – like a talent show and campfire activities – that will keep kids engaged all summer long!
Related: US Pediatricians Recommend Kids Return to School This Fall Despite Risks
NBC Sports Camp
NBC Sports and Chelsea Piers have partnered to create a free virtual Summer Sports Camp featuring gymnasts like Nastia Liukin and Allyson Felix. Aimed at kids between the ages of 7 and 12, the program provides children with a daily hour of free instruction across 10 sports.
Orvis Summer Camp
Kids of all ages can brush up on their outdoor skills in Orvis’ free six-week summer camp program that engages them in their local ecosystems by exploring topics like wildlife, mapping and navigation, fly fishing, and dog training.
Outschool
Kids ages 3 to 18 can spend all summer long learning through Outschool’s virtual camp program. Whether your children are interested in exploring space, want to learn how to draw portraits, or can’t stop thinking about My Little Pony, there’s truly something for every kiddo. Sign your kids up for these interactive Zoom classes and keep in mind that class prices vary!
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Reading Rockets
Designed for kids ages 6 and up, Reading Rocket’s free “Start with a Book” online program lets kids choose their own adventure by offering reading material, vocabulary exercises, and hands-on activities on topics like weather, planets, and stars.
Storyline Online Summer Camp for Kids
Between July 6 and August 31, children of all ages can spend their time recording themselves reading their favorite book or their own story on social media during Storyline Online’s Summer Camp For Kids.
Varsity Tutors
Kids between the ages of 5 and 18 can take advantage of Varsity Tutors’s Summer Camp Program, which offers free half-day classes like, “Recycled Art,” “Make Your Own LEGO Movie!,” “Minecraft: Create Your Own World,” and “Is it Ready Yet? Cooking 101.”
The Wonder’s Explorers Club
The Wonder’s Explorers Club transports kids 5 and older around the world through its “Adventures with Emma” program. Each week, little ones can explore countries like Japan through live videos. Additionally, they can opt into classes like “Work in the Animal Observatory,” where they’ll learn all about ecology and marine biology from experts.
YouTube’s Virtual Summer Camp
Through Youtube’s Virtual Camp program, children and teens can watch more than 1,200 videos, which touch on various topics ranging from yoga to science experiments and how to play guitar. The best part? It’s free!
