6 Free Online Summer Camps for Kids (2020)
A lot of summer camps have been canceled in light of COVID-19. Even if your child’s favorite summer camp is running, you might not be comfortable sending them this year. But keeping kids engaged for the duration of the summer is a herculean task, and there’s no shame in seeking outside help.
That’s where online summer camps come in. They pack in fun and learning without any in-person activities. These six free online summer camps might be just what you’ve been looking for to keep your summertime living easy.
Camp Wonderopolis
Camp Wonderopolis focuses on fun STEM and literacy-building activities. There are five main camps your kids can enjoy.
Symphony of Wonders focuses on music. Kids can choose from six tracks, including Production and Composition, Science and Math, Health, Instruments, Careers, and History and Culture. Build Your Own Wonderocity centers on construction and engineering. Flex Your Wonder concentrates on health and wellness topics. Mission to Wonder focuses on space exploration and technology. Connect with Your Wonders has six tracks: Wonder Observatory (astronomy), Wonder Laboratory (chemistry), Wonder Zoo (zoology), Wonder Woods (biology), Wonder Dig Site (geology), and Wonder Amusement Parks (physics).
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors has countless free online courses with live instruction. There are options for kids ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade, and the courses span a wide array of topics so that kids can explore their interests. To narrow your options, you can also filter by class size, grade level, subject, and class times.
Here are a few options your kids might love: YEEOOW!: The Science of Bites & Stings, Ni Hao! Introduction to Mandarin Chinese, Hands-on Home Science Lab, and Presidential Secrets.
Numerade
Numerade offers free STEM sessions led by expert instructors. These camps are most appropriate for high school and advanced junior high school students. Topics include SAT prep, precalculus, calculus, chemistry, and physics. Lessons are broken down into clips to make them easier to digest. They’re also a great way to get a leg up on courses they’ll be taking this fall.
K12
K12 has two free summer programs, but they are so popular that one has already filled up. If you act fast, though, students from 8th through 12th grade can still sign up for Introduction to Virtual Reality, which starts July 6. They’ll learn the basics of virtual reality and develop the skills to put together their own virtual reality world.
Wide Open School
Wide Open School has virtual summer camps for kids from preschool through 12th grade. To get started, select the “we’re a family” button and choose your child’s grade group.
There are so many options to choose from, and there is a new theme every week. Depending on your child’s age group, activities may cover reading and writing; arts, music, and DIY; math; science; social studies; life skills; and more.
Camp Kinda
Camp Kinda is designed for kids in grades kindergarten through 8. The program runs through September 1, and you can hop in at any time. Every day, there are 3-4 hours of activities to engage participants. These activities revolve around a weekly theme, like weather, graphic novels, and sports. The program focuses on topics kids are already curious about, so it shouldn’t feel like homework.
How are you keeping your kids busy and engaged this summer? Let us know in the comments section below!
