Looking for summer camps/activities during COVID-19

[tcufrog]

All of my kids' summer camps have been canceled. It gets insanely hot here during summer so I just can't send them outside all day. Even though I'm a SAHM, I rely on the occasional camp to keep them from going stir crazy and to give me time with them gone so I can run errands and get work done. I'm not worried about academics so I view this as more like fun and enrichment. Does anyone have any suggestions? So far, I've signed DS13 up for a Duke TIP class and DS9 for a week of Model UN.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Daniel Radcliffe is doing a reading which looks adorable.

Maybe nightly campfire style book readings might be a fun way to break up the time. My DH read our family 1 chapter a night from the last book and I wished we did it the whole time for all the books.

 

[HeatherC]

What state are you in? Ages?
Maybe local movie theaters will be offering socially distanced viewings you could do once a week. At least that would be cool.

 

[katie01]

Do you already have a pool? I’d not, even one of those temporarily larger inflatable kinds might keep them busy outside sometimes?

 

[Kittyblue]

Keep an eye out on local museums, libraries, and kids places. Ours are offering fun little things online through facebook live or zoom now like drawing, music, D&D, etc, and might continue through the summer. Mystery Science has made a lot of their content free online since schools closed. DD has done a lot of their projects with her class and loves it. IDK if they have anything for the 13 y/o but they definitely do for the 9 y/o. I've also seen a lot of links to STEM engineering challenges shared on Facebook, you could probably google some if your boys are interested in that.

 

[mjkacmom]

When my oldest was 13 I’d have her babysit her siblings (she babysat other kids too). Put on a movie and run your errands.

 

[RamblingMad]

My parents bought me a Nintendo as a kid one summer and told me to play games and not bother them. Kids have it made these days.

 

[gotomu212]

My parents bought me a Nintendo as a kid one summer and told me to play games and not bother them. Kids have it made these days.

I was a latchkey kid by 5th grade- summer meant sleeping in, watching the People’s Court and finding out who the father was on todays Sally Jesse Raphael and getting the daily chore done before parents got home. Gen X kids!

To the OP a lot of colleges are offering fun courses for middle school kids that involve robotics, coding, STEM. It’s all online at home but it’s pretty focused and keeps them engaged for 6 hours a day- there are 1 week, 2 week, and 1 months courses through a lot of schools.

 

[Southernmiss]

13 and 9 are great ages to find their own things to do during the summer.

Have a few things, books, the Dangerous Book for boys has alot of life skills ideas, art/creative items, balls/sports equipment, children's cookbooks and ingredients, yard sprinklers and water guns, puzzles, board games, cards, and even videogames and a list of daily household chores and let them entertain themselves.

I never entertained my 4 and my mom never found entertainment for us in the summer.

I think kids need more unstructured time and summer is a great time for that.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I'm in the agreement that kids need unstructured time to just be kids and do kids stuff. I think it helps get their creativity flowing rather than having the camp counselor plan things for them. So much structure in todays world with sports, dance, school etc. Kids need to be kids. I was a SAHM as well.

 

[tcufrog]

My kids have had tons of unstructured time because of COVID-19 since they've figured out that once they get their schoolwork done, they can get do what they want as long as they do their chores and get some exercise. I'm not opposed to unstructured time, but this summer will be a very long one without some breaks to do something new, especially since it gets too hot to comfortably go outside during a large part of the summer. When they go to sleepaway camp, they swim and have quiet cabin time during the middle of the day because it's so horribly hot.

 

[daisy2013]

We bought an above ground pool (a fraction of the cost of camp for my 2) and our plan is to set that up and I’ll move my office outside when possible to keep an eye on them although I can watch them from the window. If we are permitted to gather in small groups I already have a couple friends where we will switch off hosting our kids and us hosting theirs.