Things You Need For Summer Camp
With long summer days in the mix, trying to pull together a collection of activities and play ideas becomes part of every parent’s to-do list. From thinking of fun games to play in the sun to engaging learning activities that can be done in the cool indoors, ensuring that your child’s summer break is packed with excitement and education can be daunting.
Summer camps are the perfect solution! Loved by parents for their fun, educational, and safe virtues, summer camps are also built to develop a variety of social skills in little ones, including communication and conflict resolution. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, summer camps had to adapt just like the rest of us. In order to retain the fun that could be had while keeping kids safe from the virus at home, online summer camps started popping up. Even two years out, these online camps remain popular. Today, children have more chances to take part in summer fun thanks to the flexibility that online camps offer. Online summer camps continue to provide flexibility that some families gravitate towards.
Enter Camp Skillmatics. Your go-to destination for summer learning at your fingertips, Camp Skillmatics allows you to plan six weeks full of education and skill-building for your child. Using everything from STEM projects to DIY crafts to printable worksheets and fun games, your little one will have an engrossing experience with each week’s fun theme.
Here’s everything you’ll need to prep for Camp Skillmatics
1. A Craft Station
There is no better place to start than setting up a station for your little one to use as their creative take-off point. Build a craft station for your child and get them involved in the procedure. Make the craft station accessible to them at all times and encourage them to be independent. This will help them feel like they are in control of their summer schedule and help them by taking on responsibility.
2. Games and Activities
Have a variety of fun games and activities on hand for your little one. Try out our own line of suitable summer camp games for kids:
- Guess in 10: Our award-winning card game Guess in 10 comes in multiple themes and is available for kids as young as 4. Learn about countries, sports, animals, and even superheroes through hours of play.
- Found It: Another bestseller card game by Skillmatics! If your child loves fun outdoor scavenger hunts, make the most of summer by exploring the great outdoors.
- Buildables: Help your child engage in fine motor activities and develop problem-solving skills through our STEM product, Buildables. Set up a foldable desk in your backyard and help them navigate through each piece to finish the task.
- I Can Write Activity Mats: Repetition is the best teacher. Work on writing skills, motor abilities and concentration through these repeatable activity mats.
3. Camp Calendar
While having some amount of independence is good, make sure that you keep your child familiar with the idea of routine. A camp calendar is one way to ensure this. Download the Camp Skillmatics calendar to keep track of Camp Skillmatics activities and get access to (free) learning activities and summer DIYs.
4. Good Playlists
Music is the cherry on top for any task. Even chores fly by when you have a great song in the background. Help your child concentrate for longer and take all tasks in stride by setting a good and positive environment for them through music. Compile a groovy summer playlist with endless happy tunes!
5. Snack table
A healthy snack table is the best thing you can add to your child’s summer routine. Teach them about the importance of healthy eating and the seasonal nature of food through our Guess in 10: Food We Eat card game!
Other tips
Encourage your child to clear the station at the end of every activity and assign them the responsibility to do so. This will teach them accountability and responsibility for their own actions.
Don’t wait until the last minute. Shop for summer essentials well in advance, and involve your child in this activity to teach them the skill of planning for things.
Don’t force your child to stick to the schedule strictly. Have at least two to three options ready for each day to help them build decision making skills. Encourage them to follow through with whichever activity they pick to ensure consistency. Doing so will also help them recognize the impacts of their decisions.