How to Plan a Summer Camp at Home for Kids
Summer camps may be cancelled but fun isn’t! Have your own DIY staycation this summer with these easy ideas to plan an awesome summer camp at home for kids.
Things are going all topsy turvy around the world and it almost feels like we’re living in a movie. Only this is going much beyond three hours and no one has any idea how or when it ends.
Things being as they are, summer camps have been cancelled all over the place, leaving kids disappointed. They can’t go out for swim classes or picnics or play dates either, so it’s quite understandable if they get cranky!
But you can still solve this problem by setting up your own summer camp at home! Yes, it’s completely possible, and it’s a lot easier than you think. What’s more, you can involve all your kids, so siblings can keep each other company as they have fun!
Here are some ideas for a summer camp at home, including activities that can be done at home while maintaining social distancing. It helps to set up a creative space at home but even if you don’t, these can be done anywhere.
How to Plan a Summer Camp at Home for Kids
1. Have a Fun Breakfast
Start the day nice and bright, with a filling and healthy breakfast. Skip the usual toast and butter and try something fun. Take your pick from ideas like butterfly rotis, a submarine, scrambled egg pasta, egg-in-a-hole, chocolate idlis and many more!
2. Try some Printables
Once breakfast is done and the kids are full, let them settle down with some fun printables! Check out our Summer Printable Pack that’s perfect for preschoolers and early school goers. Crayola has some great coloring pages that are perfect for summer!
3. Make some Art
There’s never a bad time to make art, and summer camp is a particularly good time for it! Summer means you can make it messy and you don’t have to worry about having to wash stuff – it’ll dry off quickly! Make it a grand masterpiece not just in the result but in journey as well, with these process art ideas.
4. Have your own Fireworks Show
Summer is the perfect time for bonfires and fireworks, but considering the current circumstances, we don’t know how feasible they’ll be. But that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the fun – you can have your very own fireworks show with some amazing, sparkly fireworks crafts!
5. Get Moving
Being stuck at home can result in cabin fever, especially in young kids who’ve got loads of energy waiting to be burnt off! Even if you can’t go out to the park, you can create your own amusement park of sorts at home – with indoor activities like obstacle courses, basketball and more.
6. Feast on a Salad
After all that moving, you’re bound to get hungry and a little hot, which means it’s the perfect time for a cool, refreshing salad! We’ve got some summer salad ideas that are not your everyday boring BLT. These are colorful and packed with all kinds of interesting ingredients!
7. Get lost in a Book
There’s no school, which means kids have all the time to read for leisure. Yes, reading for fun, without having to worry about writing a book report afterward! Check out our reading corner for book recommendations for kids of all ages and interests. Once you’ve picked a book, go on and make a super cute bookmark for it – we have many DIY bookmark ideas to choose from!
8. Make your own Toy
Toys are fun, but you know what’s better? A toy that you made yourself!! Help your kid choose a toy from our list of DIY toys. You’ll soon have a unique handmade toy unlike any other and you can be guaranteed that kids will be much more interested in playing with something they’ve made.
9. Upcycle Something
Recycling is not boring, especially when you get to turn trash into treasure! Let kids search for something useless or old lying around the house and think up ways to turn it into something pretty or useful. For ideas, check out how we’ve upcycled a pair of jeans, a glass jar and some tin cans.
10. Take it Outdoors
No, we don’t recommend breaking lockdown rules – but if you have a garden or a yard, this is the perfect time to make use of it. Even if you have a small area, kids will enjoy getting out of the house. Make it even more fun with some fun outdoor activities for kids!
11. Get acquainted with Nature
The best part about doing nature activities is that you’ll always have a different experience in every season. Get the kids to explore their (near) surroundings and get creative with nature. Some ideas are a Nature badge from Little Pine Learners, Nature name activity from Mrs. Jones Creation Station and a frozen flowers sensory play from Crafts on Sea.
12. Try an Experiment
School’s out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try out some experiments! And don’t worry, we have some kitchen experiment ideas that you can easily do with things in your pantry. Be prepared for some mess, though!
13. Have Fun with Water
What other season will you use for water games other than summer? Go crazy with some fun water activities like making super soakers (Natural Beach Living), water pinatas (Hello Wonderful) or an ice block treasure hunt (Macaroni Kid).
14. Make Play Dough
As the day draws to a close, let the kids wind down with some play dough. Play dough is a child’s stress ball – all that squishing works away any nervous energy and relaxes them. Try out these Play Dough Recipes for Summer that kids can help make and play with.
15. Make a Summer Camp Journal
End the day’s camp by journaling the day’s activities. Check out this Kids Camp Journal from The Dating Divas which you can download and print. The kids can write or draw about all they did that day – it’ll make a lovely memory for later.
Along with these ideas, you can check out our massive list of a whopping 100 Summer Crafts for Kids! There’s a lot here, from making jewelry, to camping crafts and much more. With so many ideas, you can set up the ultimate summer camp at home, where the kids are sure to have a blast every day!
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