Summer is a great time for kids to unwind, relax, engage in free play, have fun with friends, meet extended family and go on exciting vacations. It is also a time to learn something new, pick up a useful skill or try out an activity.
Covid has given rise to a number of fun virtual activities and the trend is still alive this summer. Virtual activities are convenient, easily accessible and flexible and they save parents the trouble of driving kids to activities. Kids are able to attend activities from the safety and comfort of their homes. While it is good to still go out to get physical exercise and to meet and make friends, a good number of activities can be done virtually.
The Children’s Science Center offers virtual camps via zoom for rising 2nd through rising 6th graders. The camps run in one week sessions, M-F, 3 hours a day. Parents can register online for the camps for a fee of $150. A list of supplies needed for the camp will be sent after registration and there is flexibility regarding finding and using alternate materials.
The camps are Science related activities like Chemistry, 3D design and Robotics. The zoom classes are well structured and are meant to provide a complete experience of the activity virtually.
PBS offers a collection of wonderful activities for kids 2-8. It is a great resource for parents looking for summer activities in Math, Literacy, Craft and Art. All the activities are free for parents who have a free account on the PBS website.
The site recommends creating a daily routine for kids. Parents are provided with charts, calendars and resources along with tips and suggestions to create a daily planner with activities from the site. It is a great way to introduce structure and discipline for young kids as they enjoy a variety of creative and fun activities.
Summer Science offers a variety of books filled with Science adventures for kids. The summer camp is a set of specific Science camps in a 5 session format. The website offers the camps for free and provides downloadable PDF files that contain structured activities. Parents are expected to use the PDFs to create a structured 5 session camp.
Wonderopolis was founded to inspire kids to learn through wonder. It is a great destination for kids to develop their curiosity, hone their creativity and have a ton of fun. Camp Wonderopolis is a division of Wonderopolis that serves as a summer learning destination for curious kids.
The camp has several fun and interesting tracks where kids learn a variety of topics like Music production and composition, audio, writing, Science and Math, health, instruments, History and culture. All the camps are completely free and are great tools for a completely fun and interesting family learning experience in the summer.
Apple offers a wonderful movie making camp for kids age 8-12 in a safe environment with fun filled activities. The camp is offered in local Apple stores and is a 2 hour event in which kids are taught to make movie clips using the Clips app on iPad. Kids will receive a t-shirt and a certificate at the end of the camp. Devices will be provided.
How to build a robot is a Youtube channel that is a part of the Camp Youtube Learning hub. The camp is a series of youtube videos that teach you to build different robots from scratch. It is a wonderful camp for kids who are interested in STEM activities.
Amoeba Sisters is a Youtube channel that is a part of the Camp Youtube Learning hub. It is a series of short videos that teach concepts in Biology. The videos are creative and crisp and are great for kids to explore and learn Biology.
Ins and Outs of Memory is a Youtube channel that is a part of the Camp Youtube Learning hub. It is a series of short videos that teach concepts about the brain and memory. The videos are creative and crisp and are great for kids to explore and learn about the brain, memory and neurology.
Crash Course - Economics is a Youtube channel that is a part of the Camp Youtube Learning hub. This is a very popular youtube series and consists of 35 episodes that teach Economics based on the AP Economics guideline and introductory level college curriculum. It is a wonderful resource to learn economics and is highly recommended for all kids.
All about the Supreme Court is a Youtube channel that is a part of the Camp Youtube Learning hub. It is a great series that teaches beginners all about the Supreme Court, how justices are appointed and what kind of cases are decided in the Supreme Court. It is a wonder series for beginners looking to learn about the Supreme Court.
Kodeclik is an online coding academy for kids and teens to learn real world programming. Kids are introduced to coding in a fun and exciting way and are challeged to higher levels with engaging, high quality content.