11 virtual summer camps for kids, carefully vetted using criteria from camp and education experts
Halley Bondy
When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.
- 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.
Allow for a grieving periodIf 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."
Research the camp's staff and historyVirtual 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.
Pay attention to digital safety complianceThere 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.
Look for active learning, not sedentary device useOne 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."
Personal assessment is keyIf 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?"
Ask questions and expect answersIf 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."
Every family is differentOne 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.
Here are 11 of the best virtual summer camps for kids:Read the original article on InsiderCamp WIT (Whatever It Takes)
For kids in seventh through twelfth grade, the California-based Camp WIT is offering an immersive summer virtual camp experience complete with cabins and daily schedules aligned with Pacific Daylight Time. Campers are placed into virtual cabins based on their application, and once a week, each cabin will present something at a virtual bonfire. Activities include morning exercise, creative activities like cooking or photography at noon, and a career development session in the afternoon, such as a session run by a Hollywood director or scientist.
Theme: General/career
Duration:
- 5 days a week, activities available all day
- Option for a 4-week session, June 1 to June 26 (late arrivals are welcome to enroll)
- 2-week session, June 1 to June 12
- 2-week session, June 15 to June 26
Age group: 13 to 18 years old
Tuition: $1,750 for each 4-week session, $1,000 for a 2-week session Financial aid is available on the Camp WIT application.
Learn more or sign up at Camp WIT.Virtual Summer
Headed by ACA's former executive director Adam Weinstein, Virtual Summer is an offshoot of the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Camp, which has almost 90 years of history. Their virtual camp is a flexible experience, offering six activities simultaneously during each "period." Parents and kids can choose how many periods they want to buy. Activities include cooking, baking, arts, dance, fitness, yoga, Lego, magic, chess, and plenty of peer socializing during each period. The camp is rooted in Jewish values of respect, community, and charity. However, the camp is open to everyone.
Theme: General, rooted in Jewish values but open to everyone
Duration: 2¼-hour period, twice a day. Choose as many periods as you want.
Age group: 7 to 16 years old
Tuition: From $60 per week for one period per day to $200 per week for four periods per day.
Learn more or sign up on the Virtual Summer website.Challenge Island
Challenge Island engages kids in virtual STEAM activities they'll actually enjoy. Kids can learn to make slime, cast spells a la Harry Potter, play sports, blast off (virtually) into space, and more. In its in-person form, Challenge Island has consistently ranked as a top franchise in Entrepreneur Magazine, and the program won a Parents' Choice Award in 2018. Each camp is taught live by certified instructors, with class materials available for shipping or pickup. Kids interact with each other throughout the experience during collaborative projects or sharing sessions. Some classes are available in Spanish, too.
Theme: STEAM (STEM + arts)
Duration: Two to three consecutive hours a day for five days. Spots are available through August.
Age group: 4 to 14-plus years old
Tuition: Between $100 and $125 dollars per week
Learn more or sign up on the Challenge Island website.KiDS NEED MoRE
KiDS NEED MoRE is tailored to children who have experienced serious illness, whether the children themselves or members of their family have suffered from cancer, heart disease, or other illness including COVID-19. Staffed by volunteer social workers, educators, nurses, and more, KiDS NEED MoRE features voluntary live activities all day, including crafts, STEM, theater, and social time. The counselors are highly involved in the needs of individual campers, and they hope that by the end of the summer, small in-person gatherings will be possible.
Theme: General, for children who have experienced the trauma of serious illness
Duration: Voluntary live events take place throughout the day and are going on now.
Age group: 6 to 18 years old
Tuition: Free for children who have experienced the trauma of serious illness
Learn more or sign up on the Kids Need More website.Happy Camper Live
Happy Camper Live is a year-round digital program that has been in development for two years. The programming is extremely diverse, offering hundreds of prerecorded activity videos as well as live events from chess to tap dancing to crafting. There is no one-on-one interaction between your child and others, and activities take place on the camp's secure platform, not in Zoom. However, the site allows kids to interact around a "campfire" by sharing their talents and giving each other thumbs-up. It's great for kids who have many interests and enjoy curating their own adventures. Millennials will also love the fact that co-founder Steve Slavkin was the creator of the classic Nickelodeon camp show "Salute Your Shorts."
Theme: General
Duration: Ongoing
Age group: All ages
Tuition: $4.99 per month, $11.99 per three month. Comes with a 7-day free trial.
Learn more or sign up on the Happy Camper website.Woof Wag Dogs
Woof Wag Dogs is a small, UK-based camp that helps children bond with and train their dogs. Every day will feature live-streamed activities for kids and their dogs, as well as opportunities to socialize with (human) peers. While dogs are sleeping, kids will learn how to bake dog treats, do dog-friendly yoga moves, make dog toys, and more. Offline activities are an important part of the program as well. Woof Wag Dogs complies with children's protection and privacy laws in England.
Theme: Dog training/bonding
Duration: 5 consecutive days, approximately 5 hours of class time per day
Woof Wag Dogs currently offers a range of dates and times in different time zones and will be adding more programming based on feedback. Registration closes on June 30.
Age group: Suggested 9 to 13 years old
Tuition: £149 per week-long class
Learn more or sign up on the Woof Wag Dogs website.Avid 4 Adventure Online Camp
Avid 4 Adventure is all about outdoor activities, and their virtual camp is no different. Campers will learn how to build a solar still to purify water, how to cook trail snacks, how to build a primitive shelter, knot-tying, and more. These activities are supplemented with yoga, dance, nature crafts, games, and continual socializing. Avid 4 Adventure is committed to 100% active learning, so these campers will never be seen on the couch staring at a screen.
Theme: Outdoors
Duration: 2 sessions daily, 2 1/2 hours each, through August. Option to do morning sessions, afternoon sessions, or both.
Age group: 6 to 11 years old
Tuition: $99 per week for morning or afternoon session
Learning or sign up on the Avid 4 Adventure website.Roundup River Ranch's Here We Go Online
Roundup River Ranch has a long tradition of serving kids with serious illnesses and their families at Colorado campgrounds. This summer, Roundup River Ranch is going virtual, but their day-to-day sounds a lot like real camp — complete with gatherings, activities, and ceremonies all day long. Sessions are divided by diagnosis so that kids can share each other's journeys, but they will be able to interact with peers of all stripes in their "cabins." The full-time camp staff at Roundup River Ranch is very attentive and certified to educate special needs kids. Best of all, it's free.
Theme: General, for children with serious illnesses and their families
Duration: 6 1/4 hours a day, with 2-hour sessions in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Camp runs for 6 days.
The Family Camp runs for 3 days and includes other members of the camper's family.
Age group: 7 to 17 years old
Tuition: Free
Learn more or sign up on the Roundup River Ranch website.Camp DaKaNi At Home
Camp Fire Heart of Oklahoma (or Camp DaKaNi) is run by highly accredited camp, educational, and mental health experts. They're going virtual this year by creating highly interactive and chock-full "camps-in-a-box," which can stand alone, or they may supplement their live virtual camp. Small live group sessions include games, activities, and breakout socializing time in the form of virtual campfire circles.
Theme: General
Duration: 5 days, approximately 6 hours per day. First session begins June 1.
Age group: 5 to 13 years old
Camp in a box alone: $80
Virtual camp: $130 per week
Learn more or sign up on the Camp Fire website.Smart Buddies, Camp in a Box
With Smart Buddies, each camper receives a coding robot that will play a role in their virtual classes. Kids will learn the basics of coding including variables, sequences, and loops under the live, award-winning instruction of technology coach Leslie Fagin. In addition to small learning classes, Smart Buddies features a supervised socializing session every day with 10 or fewer kids.
Theme: Coding
Duration: 2 sessions per day, 25 minutes each, plus 1 hour of home assignments daily for 2 weeks (16 sessions total). The next available session is June 15.
Age group: 7 to 11 years old
Tuition: $179 for two weeks
Learn more or sign up on the Camp Buddies website.Act One Theatre Camp
A brand new camp, the Act One staff is composed of theatre and education professionals who pivoted to digital after the novel coronavirus hit. Little performers will enjoy themed acting, singing, movie-making, dancing, design, and improv programs and an optional two-hour Wrap Party for socializing every day. Some kids may participate in immersive film projects, which will allow them to include their families.
Theme: Theatre/Film
Duration: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. PDT, Monday to Friday. Optional Wrap Party is 2 hours. The first session begins June 15 and goes for 3 weeks.
Age group: 6 to 15 years old
Tuition: $650 for a 3-week session
Learn more or sign up on the Act One Theatre Camp website.READ MORE ARTICLES ON
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement