Backyard Summer Camp Ideas

Growing up, my sister and I did multiple summer camps each summer. From horse camp to art camp and even just general camp- we tried them all. When college rolled around, I spent my summers at camp as a counselor and even ended up in an administrative role later on. I have always loved camp- being outdoors, meeting new people, learning new things were my favorite parts. Since camp was such a big part of my life, my kids have heard all about it. Naturally my kids are interested because it is something that comes up in many of my stories. In the current global pandemic, exposing my kids was not worth the risk of summer camp, but I wanted to give them a similar experience because they were BEGGING to go. This made me think, “Why not bring summer camp to them?” After some research and a little work I have found two options to create a camp-like experience for your children in your home. 

The first option is purchasing Slumberkins’ Summer Camp Kit. This at-home camp experience will help with social emotional learning and will be a very fun experience. Slumberkins isan educational children’s brand focused on positive attachment between child and caregiver. According to their website, “Through pro-active and supportive narratives, each collection is intentionally crafted to build resilient, caring, and confident children.” The Camp Slumberkins kit comes with 4 weeks of activities, 4 mini creatures and one limited edition Big Foot Stuffie, board book and affirmation. This kit is great for young kids, ages 0-7. This is a great option that will give children the chance to get an idea of summer camp without leaving home. You can learn more at https://slumberkins.com/pages/camp-slumberkins.

Another option for premade camp was our local parks and recreation department who was selling “camp in a box.” This consisted of a box of activities related to the theme that camp would have had for the week. The boxes were about $20 dollars US, and geared toward ages 8-12; my family decided to pass on this option, however, due to my children being too young. Though it wasn’t a right fit for us, check with your local parks and recreation departments and see if they offer something similar that suits your family. Many parks and recreation departments were selling to residents for a reduced price and non-residents for a higher price. This would be a great kit for a busy parent wanting to give their child the experience of camp.

Besides purchasing a premade camp, another option is to create your own summer camp for your children. Find a fun name and set up a schedule. Personally, I came up with 4 themed days and put together a craft, an “adventure,” an experiment, and a snack that all related to our daily theme. Our adventures ranged from playing in our backyard baby pool to exploring local parks to taking a nature walk in our neighborhood. I used pinterest to find experiments and crafts. I purchased some snacks and the supplies for crafts a few days before starting camp and kept them all together in a box with the day of the activity labeled with the supplies. The day before we started camp, I posted a schedule in my children’s room with all of the activities for each day. I also added some chores prior to the beginning of camp to give them an incentive to finish their chores- camp cannot start until all chores are finished. The structure gave my children the independence to check what was happening next. Structure seems to be very helpful for both my children and myself so having a set schedule was great. We did have some moments where we had to “go with the flow” because of weather and unexpected visitors. For me, having a “go with the flow” attitude is a big part of camp and a great learning experience. We enjoyed our own little camp so much my children have requested to do it again. I can’t wait to find new experiments, crafts, and snacks for my children. I get to enjoy being creative and they get to have a camp-like experience- that is a win-win in my book!

 There are so many ways to give your kids the experience of summer camp and while nothing will truly replace the real deal, any way you choose to introduce your child to camp is an amazing way for them to grow and learn. What is your family doing to give your child the experience of camp this year? Have you found another option that worked well for your family? Let us know! Find us on instagram or twitter @mapscookingkids or leave a comment below! Until next time, Agape, be kind, and happy parenting!