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Online summer camps keep little nerds busy. But what if you cannot afford the cost? Luckily, there are several options for free camps. With many virtual camps, you can mix and match activities to tailor the experience to your nerd’s unique interests. If you go for the free camps, expect to be more involved, as fee-based camps will employ a camp counselor to support your child during the camp.
Kanopy
Free; age 3 and up
This online camp is available free to anyone with a library card. By entering your library card information, your nerd will be able to access all the free entertainment and educational videos this app has to offer. Most of the content available is similar to what a well-stocked library would have to offer.
With Kanopy, your nerd will find videos to explore science and math, learn a foreign language, and a huge selection of animated books from producers such as Scholastic and Weston Woods. In addition, your nerd can learn about history or take a break by downloading over 30,000 movies completely free.
Start with a Book
Free; age 6 and up
Start With a Book offers several options for online summer activities.
River Rangers is a book-based science adventure where your nerd will explore, read, invent, play, build, and learn. This program focuses on water and the rivers and streams in your community. This 5-day program connects books and writing with hands-on activities in your local community. River Rangers offers a downloadable toolkit has all the resources your nerd will need.
DIY science camp offers many ways to bring more science into your summer learning activities. This free online summer science camp has themes such as art, dinosaurs, weather report, and the night sky. For each theme, you will receive book suggestions, hands-on activities, reading activities, discussion guides, and suggestions of other websites to continue learning. Themes are available in many different reading levels and all additional information is tailored to that age group.
PBS Parents
Free; age 3–9
PBS Parents offers a variety of practical, step-by-step plans that emphasize reading. Your nerd can download a Summer Reading Chart to help them reach their reading goals over the summer. There is also an Explore Your Neighborhood packet that will walk your nerd through activities like leaf rubbing and going on a nature scavenger hunt.
Reading is Fundamental(RIF) is also part of PBS Parents. This program has many tools to help increase literacy for all grade levels. RIF includes summer fun activities, reading lists, and tips for families to get everyone reading together.
DIY
Free and fee-based; age 7 and up
DIY has both free and fee-based options. This is an app based community for kids that offers dozens of skill-based activities, which it calls challenges. DIY uses gamification to encourage kids to keep learning. Your nerd will earn badges for each new challenge passed.
Subjects include Art, Engineering, Math, and Science, and most challenges are available year-round. Most of the free camps do not have an online counselor so it will be up to the parent to monitor the child’s social activity. The staff at DIY staff does their best to keep the community safe. They do allow comments on activities, but any bullying will be addressed immediately.
Made with Code from Google
Free; age 12 and up
Made with Code began with the goal to increase the role of women in technology. More aspects of our lives are powered by technology, yet women aren’t always represented in the roles that make technology happen. While Made with Code was designed to inspire a love of coding in teen girls, there is no rule against boys also doing these projects.
This site offers a wide range of projects, including animating GIFs, making emojis, creating a geofilter for Snapchat, and composing music. Made with Code gives your nerd a look into what can be done using code. Made with Code also offers inspirational stories from female tech mentors as well as ideas to make coding social, such as a coding party kit.
Google Arts & Culture
Free; age 12 and up
Google Arts & Culture is the mobile app version of the website that puts the world of art, science, history, and travel at your fingertips. Using this app, you can take a selfie and compare your face to images from great works of art. Google Arts & Culture uses augmented reality technology for both entertainment and educational purposes.
One of the most engaging components of the Google Arts & Culture app is the feature that allows users to view artwork in your own environment. You can see the real size of the Mona Lisa on the wall in your home. Using this app you are also able to virtually visit artists, museums, historical figures, places, and historic events.
Khan Academy
Free; age 6 and up
This is one of my favorite websites. Both my son and daughter use it during the school year for extra practice in math. Khan Academy doesn’t offer specific camps, but it does provide step-by-step instructions in a variety of topics, including math, science, coding, and engineering.
Kids can sign up with or without a coach. This coach is usually a teacher, parent, or tutor who will monitor their progress and suggest lessons. Khan Academy uses gamification to encourage kids to keep learning. Your nerd can earn badges by learning new skills and teaching these skills to others.
Camp Wonderopolis
Free for campers; optional $25 instruction guide for parents; age 7 and up
This free online camp focuses on interactive STEM and literacy-building topics. Your nerd can explore topics like music, construction, weather, food, and technology. Camp Wonderopolis is sponsored by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL).
Each topic includes lessons, videos, outdoor activities, and suggested readings. There is an optional guide that parents can purchase that includes a printed family guide, supplies for activities, learning tips, and lots of fun tips for families to learn together. In addition to the lessons, there are quizzes to test your nerd’s knowledge. Camp Wonderopolis can help your nerd build vocabulary, increase their background knowledge in science, improve reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
Art For Kids
Free: Can upgrade to a membership for ad-free videos
Art For Kids offers short video lessons on how to draw and sculpt. Every week they give a challenge to all of the artists taking the course. Once the challenge is completed the parents will take a photo of their nerd’s artwork and post it to Instagram or Facebook. The winner is featured on the website the next week. Membership gives you ad-free access to the videos and also the printable library and member-exclusive lessons.
Video courses are available in drawing, painting, sculpting, and origami. There are also theme lessons centered around holidays and by age group. The lessons are well organized and include a list of supplies needed and the video length before you begin. Most of the supplies are markers, paper, and paint, but you will need Origami Paper
Online camps are a great option to provide something that is fun, educational, and instructional. With the free options available, every nerd can attend a virtual camp this summer. For additional Online Summer Camp options, check out my previous post, Online Summer Camps. Next week, we will look at sleep-away and day camps any nerd would love.
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