Creating a DIY At-Home Summer Camp

Summer camp is a rite of passage for many kids. It’s a beloved tradition filled with good memories, s’mores, friendship, creativity, learning, and growth.

While it may not be possible to attend a traditional overnight camp every summer, creating a fun and engaging at-home summer camp experience is a fantastic way to keep your child entertained, stimulated, and connected with others during their time off from school. Even if your kid does go to camp, you can plan another week of at-home fun for them.

The Camp Schedule

Summer camps keep a schedule, so your child can too. Children thrive on routine, and a well-structured day will help them feel engaged and motivated. Start by creating a daily schedule that includes a mix of educational activities, physical activity, creative pursuits, and social interaction.

In addition to a daily schedule, it's important to create a dedicated space for your child's summer camp activities. This could be a room in your house, a corner of the backyard, or even a tent in the living room. Having a designated space will help your child feel like they're in their own special camp environment.

Finally, don't forget to involve your child in the planning process. Ask them what they're interested in learning about or doing during their summer camp. Their input will help you create an experience that they'll truly enjoy.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Reading and Quiet Time

Start the day with some quiet reading time. Encourage your children to choose books that they are interested in and let them read at their own pace. You can also read aloud to them or listen to an audiobook together. Depending on your child’s age, reading for an entire hour might not be possible. They can also try other quiet activities in addition to silent reading. The important thing here is that they’re starting the day mindfully.

Start with these ideas:
• Reading together or silently
• Coloring
• Putting together a jigsaw puzzle
• Doing a crossword puzzle, wordsearch, or sudoku
• Folding paper into origami

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Writing

After reading, have your children spend some time writing. They can write in a journal, create a story, or work on a creative writing project. This is a great way to help them develop their writing skills and express their creativity.

Start with these ideas:
• Writing a story
• Keeping a dream diary
• Writing to a pen pal
• Keeping a camp journal

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Physical Activity

Get your children moving with some physical activity. Exercise is important for both physical and mental health, and it's a great way to burn off some energy. Of course, make sure to check your weather report and prepare appropriately for the temperature outside.

Start with these ideas:
• Taking a walk as a family
• Throwing a frisbee or ball
• Playing hopscotch
• Jumping rope
• Doing yoga together or stretching

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch

Take a break for lunch and enjoy a healthy meal together. Don’t overthink your menu. Rather, lean into nostalgic camp food. This is also a good time to get a jump start on preparing the afternoon snack, too.

Start with these ideas:
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Walking tacos
• Hot dogs and hamburgers
• Mountain pies
• Make-your-own wraps

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Free Play

After lunch, have your children spend some time practicing an interest of their choice. Free play means that your child has full freedom to play in whatever manner they choose.

Start with these ideas:
• Board or card games
• Building with LEGO or blocks
• Playing with stuffed animals or puppets
• Dress-up

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Home Chores and Snack

Help your children learn responsibility by having them help out with some home chores. After all, the camp has to be taken care of too! Start with these ideas for chores: Tidying up their creative space or playroom Dusting Folding and putting away laundry Sorting and putting away Rotating their art project display Start with these ideas for a snack: S’mores made in the microwave Dirt dessert Frozen yogurt bark Ants on a log Trail mix Popcorn

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Creative Time

To end the day, have your children spend some time practicing a creative interest of their choice. This could be anything from art to music and beyond. Placing this time at the end of the camp day allows them to continue as long as they like. They may really enjoy having unstructured creative time!

Start with these ideas:
• Music
• Dance
• Photography
• Clay or Play-Doh
• Drawing or painting
• Collages 

Looking for a way to foster your young artist’s love of learning? With Outside the Box Creation, your child will explore a new art technique through video tutorials, illustrated guides, high-quality supplies, and a coordinating book.

Themed Days

In addition to the daily schedule, you can also have themed days to add some variety to your summer camp. Ask your child for their ideas and plan the days together.

Start with these ideas:

Make-It Monday: Have your children make something creative. They might want to work on a larger art project, make a new recipe, choreograph a dance, or write a play. Encourage them to think big and share what they worked on.

Trip Tuesday: Where would your child like to venture out to? Take a day trip to a local museum, park, or zoo. For a special treat (and if it’s really hot), check out kid-friendly matinees at your local movie theater.

Friend Friday: Invite your children's friends over for a playdate or Facetime with a faraway friend. Your child could even send a postcard from “camp” to their friends.

Socialization

An important part of camp is making camp friends. Think about how you can include other children in the family or local friends to vary who your child is socializing with over the summer. This is a great way to help them develop their social skills and make new friends.

• Do you have a homeschool group that you’re plugged into?
• Do you have a playground or park that you could visit?
• Does your community have summer activities planned for kids?
• Are there reading programs or groups taking place at your local library?

Outdoor Activities

Make the most of summer weather and have as many activities outside as possible, especially in the early morning or late afternoon when it's not as hot outside. You and your child will enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

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