Is a Virtual Summer Camp in Your Plans?

After months of home schooling their children and being cooped up inside, parents are learning that summer camps and other summer plans are being delayed, canceled, or going online due to safety concerns and social distancing guidelines still in place due to COVID-19. An estimated 20 million U.S. children attend summer camp each year, according to the American Camp Association, leaving many parents wondering what they will do with their children this summer.

“Many families find themselves wondering what options they have for their kids this summer to get outside, have fun, and be safe,” said Nakeita Stewart, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Illinois. “While so many try to juggle work, kids, and health, the convenience of the latest mobile devices in conjunction with our powerful network can help create balance with convenient access to work platforms and to the many online resources for kids during the summer.”

U.S. Cellular suggests the following options to help keep your kids busy, entertained and safe this summer if overnight and day camps aren’t an option.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt: Brain Chase is an online scavenger hunt that allows each participant to create customized academic activities that help them unlock new chapters in an animated story as they participate in a global race to find a real, live treasure. This is a great option for a child that loves learning or needs more practice on academic trouble spots. The animated story unveils clues to find buried treasure. The first participant to find the treasure will win a $1,000 gold nugget for the summer adventure.

Staying Active: The United States Tennis Association’s Net Generation program has a website that includes fun activities and tennis-themed educational content to help kids learn tennis skills at home. The site also has math activities, drawing challenges from tennis stars, games and projects. All activities kids can do right from their backyard, driveway, and even inside on rainy days.

Find Your Interests: Outschool is a great online source for kids that have a variety of interests. Parents can sign kids up for a single class, multiple classes or even a summer camp. Teachers offer interest-based classes like: arts, life skills, coding & tech, health & wellness, math, science & nature, music, social studies, world languages, and even classes on Minecraft, Lego and Harry Potter. Students participate in a live video with virtual chat and interaction between the teacher and other students.

Coding: For kids interested in coding, game design and digital arts, Connected Camps is a live, hands-on interactive camp. Kids interact with one another in small online groups, encouraging teamwork, collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Go Local: Many local camps are modifying their camp experience either by reduced camper class sizes, staggering the number of campers or by going online with virtual campfires and even virtual sleepover cabins for overnight camps.

U.S. Cellular recommends checking in with your child’s camp organizers to learn more about how they are proceeding this summer, what safety procedures they are putting in place, and what is expected of campers should they decide to stay open.