The Future of Summer Camp? For 2020, “Online” May be the Answer
For many in the United States, camp is as quintessential a summer experience as baseball and ice cream. In fact, 20 million families turn to summer camps each year to keep their students safe and engaged while school is out of session.
Beyond its vital role in providing child care to working families, summer camp also offers a number of academic and socioemotional advantages. Children in summer camp are less likely to experience academic slide, thanks in large part to activities that reinforce key literacy skills, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
According to the American Camp Association, 96% of participants also form new friendships at summer camp. 70% of parents see increased confidence in their children. Both socioemotional faculties contribute to academic success, as well as later career success.
The benefits of summer camp are thus undeniable, but so too are the strictures of social distancing. With many cities and states banning large gatherings, and with so much about COVID-19 still unknown, K-12 parents are understandably hesitant to expose their children to the traditional camp setting in 2020.
Waning volume for “summer camp” Google searches—particularly at a time when interest usually begins to peak—confirms this outlook:
With millions of families poised to lose the summer enrichment they depend on, Varsity Tutors is putting its expert knowledge of online education to use. This morning, the company announced Virtual Summer Camp, a free online summer camp for kids ages 5-18.
Each camp will be live and interactive, with week-long themes tailor-made to get your kid obsessed with topics like coding and theater. These half-day camps will be led by expert instructors—which means your kid can learn from an awesome camp counselor without the hassle of a camp commute.
“Virtual Summer Camp, while not a direct replacement for traditional camp, can help students explore their interests, continue to learn, and stay busy this summer.”
Registration is now open, with space limited to 10,000 students. Sign up here.