11 virtual summer camps for kids, carefully vetted using criteria from camp and education experts

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• Virtual summer camp ideas have popped up across the internet, but not all of the offerings are equal.
• While the real-life camp experience cannot be duplicated, some online summer camps offer alternatives that may benefit kids and their families.
• To find out what makes a great camp, we spoke to American Camp Association President Tom Rosenberg; Louis Soares, chief learning and innovation officer at the American Council on Education; and Marywood University Psychology Professor David Palmiter.

Nothing compares to real-life summer camp. However, as the coronavirus pandemic shuts down familiar summer activities, some camps are going virtual, leaving parents to make a decision in uncharted territory.

"We're like 'Alice in Wonderland.' We've arrived in a different world and we're trying to figure out what the rules and parameters are. No one really knows," said David Palmiter, PhD, psychology professor at Marywood University.

Virtual summer camps are cropping up everywhere. Since the practice is so new, there is little quality oversight, and many camps are learning as they go. So, what is a parent to do?

After braving months of virtual homeschooling, many parents are looking forward to an unstructured summer. However, a good virtual camp could be beneficial if it suits your family.

"The benefits of a virtual summer camp might be that a child can extend their learning in that year. They can learn how to socialize in a different environment and to advocate in a different way for themselves," said Louis Soares, chief learning and innovation officer at the American Council on Education. "But speaking as a parent, a structureless summer isn't so bad."

Experts say that, while we don't have a ton of data on virtual camps and their benefits and/or disadvantages for kids yet, some camps are already doing a better job transitioning than others. If you're looking for a high-quality, full-on structured camp with peer social components, we spoke to experts to find out what parents should consider.

If your child previously attended in-person summer camp and loved it, allow them space to grieve, said Palmiter. They may miss their friends and feel disappointed by the new restrictions. Don't force the virtual idea on them and pretend that it's comparable, because it's not. According to studies, in-person social interaction is much more beneficial than virtual interaction, and in-person educational opportunities produce better results than virtual ones on average.

"They're getting the next best thing, not the best thing. So, talk about the loss with your child," Palmiter said. "Parents tend to jump in with assurances and silver linings. Allow the kid to express themselves, maybe in drawings, and give them empathy so they can move on."

Virtual camp instructors and directors should be qualified. Ideally, instructors will have an education background in their field of instruction and the camp's board features educational and child development experts, according to Palmiter. Even better if the staff has undergone digital training to create a seamless virtual camp experience. Some camps that already have a history of virtual programs may be ahead of the curve.

Expertise like this could make the difference between a high-quality experience and a camp that was planned with haste. Palmiter cautions against going to a camp being run by "well-meaning adults brainstorming activities" versus, say, a camp with a developmental psychology advisory committee.

There is currently no official certification process for virtual camps. You can, however, make sure that US virtual camps comply with COPPA, or the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule. The law protects children's online privacy and safety, and ought to be a nonnegotiable feature during a camp search. Many Zoom-based camps implement the COPPA-compliant Zoom for K-12 Schools and Districts Privacy Policy.

Other suggested guidelines have been released but not legally codified. For example, the American Camps Association (ACA) published questions for parents regarding virtual camp online safety. The North Carolina nonprofit Redwoods Group Foundation released a detailed set of suggested guidelines for up-and-coming camps. Until these rules are widespread, however, much of the investigatory work falls on parents.

According to ACA President Tom Rosenberg, parents should always ask a camp about its practices regarding cybersecurity and cyberbullying.

"The key to in-person camp is that every camper feels emotionally and physically safe participating in that activity. That goes for virtual camps as well," Rosenberg said.

One pitfall of virtual activities is that children must stare at a screen to participate.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children between ages 2 through 5 have no more than one hour of screen time a day. Older children should have at least one hour of physical activity per day, with limited screen time so they can get plenty of sleep and family time. Some digital activities should include the family too.

A good summer camp abides by these limits and bakes in physical and social activity that caters to children's ages and disability status.

"You don't want to have the faculty person lecturing at kids," said Soares. "You want to have them do some activity. They're engaged. They're actively learning. You can do this with smaller groups, exercises, or simulation software."

If you want your child to get the most out of a virtual camp experience, the program should have a personal growth assessment track for your child, whether they're studying French, boating, soccer, leadership skills, or a combination.

"While it may be structured play-acting, kayaking — there should be learning outcomes and expectations, and parents should know how the camp is going to achieve those outcomes," said Soares.

Palmiter said that a disinterested camp enrollment process might be a red flag. Camp directors should be asking parents questions about their children as part of their overall assessment. If not, they may just be looking to fill seats.

Parents should ask themselves, "Do they have questions about my kids, what I am hoping will happen from the experience — and then will they tailor the experience?"

If a camp does not answer a parent's questions in a timely, transparent way, that camp should be crossed off the list. Parents have the right to know every detail, from the staff makeup to the camp philosophy.

"Parents should speak with, know, and understand the people directing the virtual camp program so as to understand the goals of it, philosophy of it, what adults are leading it. Just like you would with anything your child is involved in," said Rosenberg. "I think if you're not able to have all your questions answered, that's a red flag."

One size does not fit all when it comes to virtual summer camps. Cost, time commitment, accessibility, and theme are some of the factors that must be determined on an individual basis.

The 11 camps included in this list pass the parameters above and allow national enrollment, but remember that all of these options may not suit your personal family needs. Be sure to research your choices very carefully.