After a long winter, spring has finally arrived – which means summer can’t be far behind! But, this year at least, roasting marshmallows, swimming in the lake, or even just going for hikes with friends – all typical summer camp activities – will likely be on hold.

Summer camp often acts as a rite of passage for many children and teens. In early summer, when school has just let out and kids are looking for adventure, camps offering anything other than learning are embraced eagerly.

While certain provinces are hoping to have day and sleepaway camps open by late June or early July, many parents and campers will prefer to wait for clear health guidelines before they jump back into normalcy.

The staples of summer camp activities like swimming in the pool, canoeing, or sleeping in tents all require that kids band together in tight groups – something we’ve all been trying to avoid with social distancing restrictions for the last two months. So, summer and sleepaway camps must find new ways to adapt this season as COVID-19 continues to spread around the world.

“We also need to say, can we adapt to this new reality even if it’s a short-term reality,” said Shauna Joyce, executive director of Camp Amy Molson. “And so many camps are considering going virtual this summer.”

What Are Virtual Summer Camps?

As you might guess from the name, virtual or online summer camps offer opportunities for kids to learn, meet, and interact with other kids – only from the comfort, convenience, and safety of their own homes. For many virtual camps, the only equipment that is required are computers with internet and audio/video capabilities, and an inquisitive and interested child!

Online camps work to emphasis the interactive elements, tend to be less expensive (and on rare occasions, even free), and tend to have a smaller teacher-to-camper ratio. And because campers and counselors enjoy plenty of one-on-one time, relationships are formed and those counselors often continue mentoring their students long after the camp has ended.

Why Kids Love Them

Kids love virtual camps because they get to sleep in later and stay in their PJs longer – they could even attend in their PJs if they want! With their commute time consisting of walking to wherever the computer is, there’s no hassle at all!

What’s more, kids – and their parents – love the fact that virtual camps can give them access to topics that are specialized and of specific interest to them. There may not be a Minecraft Camp your kids can attend physically, but there is a virtual one! If you live in a small town, there may not be a science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) camp within 100 miles of your home. But thanks to the internet, whatever interest your child has, odds are good there’s an online camp that will cater to those interests.

Add to that the fact that, in many places across North America and the world, kids have been home, and away from their friends and peers for weeks or months now. Virtual summer camps provide them with the much needed opportunity to socialize with other children of their own age – even if it’s only done through the relative safety of the internet.

Discuss the Possibilities & Find the Right Camp

If a virtual summer camp is something you’re considering for your child, it’s a good idea to sit them down and talk it out before signing them up. After all, one of the advantages of virtual summer camps is the incredible breadth of subjects that are available – there are so many options it can be difficult to choose.

So, talk with your kids. Ask them, if they could do anything this summer, what would it be? What were their plans before the pandemic changed things? From there you have a framework to build your plan for a virtual summer.

Next, it’s time to consider the camp’s reputation before you sign up.

That means doing your homework and looking into the options. Ideally, you’ll want to look for a place that’s been holding camps for a while – long enough to have feedback and reviews. You’ll also want to look for videos and examples of past camps they’ve run to make sure it will be a good fit for your child.

Taking the time to find the right virtual camp for your kids is well worth the effort. Virtual camps can provide kids with a sense of camaraderie and friendship, consistency, and fun, and can help parents keep their kids’ minds active and occupied during this global pandemic.

Stay tuned to The Music Studio for information on our upcoming summer camps!