Is Your Child’s Camp Cancelled? Here is a Fun and Convenient Alternative

For Parents May 11, 2020

Ah...camp.

I remember heading off to summer camp as a young boy in suburban New Jersey, so excited about the friends and fun I found each day.

There’s an innocence, a positive vibe at camp that other experiences just couldn't match. The benefits of camp are many.

Five reasons why summer camp is good for kids

Camp is a time to make new friends. After the school year ends, kids love to connect with new kids. Even if they’re comfortable in their friend group, camp is a chance for kids to leave their comfort zones and bond with others. This is an essential life skill.

Camp is a break from the typical routine. The new daily schedule is another great benefit of camp. Unlike the rigid school day that many kids experience for 10 months a year, camps offer more choice and flexibility. This freedom motivates kids to learn and grow.

Camp encourages independence. When your kids go away to camp (or experience camp from home), it’s a time when they can try new things. For children to grow and mature, it’s essential for them to have time without their parents right next to them to help, give advice, or intervene.

Camp is a time to develop new interests. Often, parents want children exposed to new activities, subjects, and experiences. However, families may not have the resources, knowledge, or awareness of things their kids want to learn and do. Camp provides these to kids in a structured way.

Camp is productive time off. When the school year ends, kids deserve a break. But you don’t want that breka to turn into lounging around for two months, staring at screens and eating junk food. Camp allows kids to productively use free time while learning, growing, and having fun.

This year, it may look different, but camp is still on!

Right now, there’s a lot of anxiety about losing the great benefits of camps. Many summer camps are being closed in response to health concerns.

This leaves parents wondering how you’ll offer the same social, emotional, intellectual, and physical benefits that camps provide children during the summer.

Outschool is committed to offering kids the nurturing experience of summer camps from home.

Our community of dedicated teachers offers over 15,000 camps, classes, and clubs to fit any interest your child may have. And small businesses with experience serving kids during the summer are using Outschool as a solution to keep camps running in a new way.

Why Outschool’s live online summer camps are the perfect option

Here’s why Outschool’s online camps give your kids many of the same benefits you expect from traditional camp - all from the comfort of your own home.

Kids make friends from all over the world. What better way for your child to make new friends than for them to bond with kids from all over the country and globe over topics they love and want to learn about?

When you give your child the chance to choose the topics and skills they learn through camps, you empower your child to take direction over their own learning. This builds their sense of Independence while motivating them to learn.

The broad range of topics your child can explore through Outschool camps is hard to beat. At in-person camps, the topics and skills offered are limited. Staff, facilities, and resources are inherently limited. On Outschool, your child can learn everything from Pokemon Writing to the History of Fashion - all in the same week!

And when it comes to making the most of time off, Outschool camps are a great option. Don't be fooled because these camps occur online. Outschool is nothing like the other ways many kids do screen time. Your child will be interacting and learning from passionate teachers and doing real projects they’ll be excited to tell you about.

(Check out our Instagram page if you want to see what we mean.)

So, while it is unfortunate that many in-person summer camps are shutting down this year, don't fret. This Summer, explore Outschool’s live online camps, and give your kids the chance to learn, grow, and have fun in a whole new way.

P.S. if you're a camp organization leader looking to bring your camp online, learn more about teaching on Outschool here

Gerard Dawson

Gerard Dawson is a teacher, parent and writer for Outschool.

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