DIY Summer Camp at Home: Four Themes to Try

Many summer camps in Washington state will be forced to go online this year due to the continuing COVID-19 crisis. Some organizations will be operating in-person camps, but most will be virtual this year.

It’s a tough situation, as many kids (and parents) were hoping to get a break from online learning and have been desperately craving some much-needed outdoor time.

While we really appreciate that organizations are doing their utmost to make online camp feel like a fun experience, convincing your kids to partake in yet more Zoom classes is going to be a tough sell. Also, the cost of online summer camps may also be prohibitive, especially as so many parents are on reduced hours or out of work due to the pandemic.

So, what’s a parent to do? Many will just have to improvise — perhaps a sort of hybrid model with online learning and fun projects might just work and get you through a few weeks this summer. We’ve gathered up our best ideas and grouped them by category to help you come up with a DIY summer camp plan.  

We’ve got ideas for kids who love to create, cook, experiment with science, or just really want that old-school camp experience. Scroll through the arrows above for some practical activities, plus free or low-cost online resources to help you get through the summer at home with the kids.