How to Recreate Summer Camp at Home

By theadmin

To kids, camp isn’t just a way to pass the long days of summer. It’s an opportunity to learn new skills, explore the great outdoors, and let loose after an eventful school year. If camp isn’t in the cards this summer, fear not! With a little creativity, a few pool noodles, and some glitter glue, you can recreate the magic of summer camp at home.

summer camp at home — Photo by Imani Chet Lytle

Sleepaway Camp

You don’t have to go far to recreate the novel experience of “sleeping away.”

Build a pillow fort. In your living room, break out blankets, sleeping bags, and pillows. Don’t forget a battery-operated lantern for late-night spooky stories (and trips to the bathroom).
Camp out in the backyard. Dust off the family tent to sleep under the stars — and learn a little about them by downloading an astronomy app to explore the constellations above.

Wilderness Skills

There’s a whole wild world to explore just outside your door.

Collect friendly critters. Make a DIY bug catcher by poking holes in the top of a Mason jar and filling the jar with twigs and grass. Remember to release any captives by nightfall!
Scavenger hunt bingo. Fill bingo spaces with easy finds (like a big leaf) and challenges that leave room for creative interpretation (like something that smells good). Check out our scavenger hunt guide for inspiration.

Arts & Crafts

Mark the occasion with a handmade keepsake.

DIY birdhouses. Young builders can construct birdhouses with Popsicle sticks. Older kids may enjoy the challenge of a (supervised) woodshop project. Find specs to attract specific feathered friends from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
DIY bird feeders. Make birdhouses even more enticing with tasty treats. Smear peanut butter over an empty toilet paper tube and roll it in birdseed. Dry and hang it near your birdhouse. Find more ideas here.
Friendship bracelets. Or anklets. Or necklaces. Or keychains. All you need is a clipboard, scissors, tape, and several pieces of embroidery floss. You can also purchase kits at a craft store. Try this pattern from Houston Family Magazine.
Tie-dye. Groovy is in again, and there’s no better way to commemorate camp days than with original, wearable artwork. Nearly any white cotton fabric is a tie-dye canvas: bedsheets, pillowcases, canvas sneakers, scrunchies, shirts, and more! You can purchase kits at a local crafts store.

Field Day

Try these energy-expenders your kids will positively adore.

Make a splash! Cool down on sweltering days with water balloon fights, sprinklers, and kiddie pools. If your yard is sloped, try constructing a slip-and-slide with plastic sheeting and landscaping anchor pins (available at hardware stores).
Shake it out. While most summer camps are a welcome reprieve from screen time, there’s something to be said for the rising popularity of dance tutorials on TikTok and YouTube. See if you and your kids can learn to bust a move together.
Obstacle course. Repurpose objects from around the house (hula hoops, pool noodles, wooden planks, balloons). Up the ante by having participants complete challenges with an egg on a spoon!

Theater

Bring your at-home summer camp to a close with a chance for your campers to shine in the spotlight.

Puppet theater. Craft puppets out of old tube socks or brown paper bags, construction paper, and glitter glue. Build a stage out of a cardboard box with old rags or towels for curtains.
Storytelling. Write story prompts on pieces of paper. Fold and deposit them into a shoebox. (Keep prompts to a few words, e.g., “a sleepy turtle” or “a trip to outer space.”) Go around a circle, with each person pulling out a prompt to add to the story.

Summer Camp Is A State Of Mind

The days of summer are long, but they go by fast for kids with ample opportunities to exercise their bodies and brains. Learning and fun are right at your fingertips — all you need is a little imagination and some glitter glue.

When you wrap up summer camp at home, explore more summer boredom busters for kids.