By now, we’ve all grown accustomed to virtual offerings, new safety precautions, and sometimes even cancellations for some of our most-anticipated community events. And for our kids, this can be especially challenging — especially when summer rolls around.
However, there are a number of ways to keep the little ones entertained and active this summer! Several organizations and programs throughout Colorado, from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, are offering virtual summer camps covering a variety of topics. Help keep their minds sharp (and get a few hours of kid-free time!) by signing your kids up for a virtual summer camp. There’s something for every interest on this list, including science, technology, art, gardening, outdoor adventure, theater and more!
iD Tech Virtual Tech Camps
Technology | Ages 7–19
Each year, iD Tech hosts summer camps at the Colorado State University campus. But this year, they are postponing in-person camps until 2021. In the meantime, they are offering Virtual Tech Camps in subjects like coding, AI, machine learning, film, robotics and game design. Designed for kids ages 7–19, iD Tech camps allow students to develop in-demand skills, collaborate with friends online, and gain confidence in the tech industry alongside more than 50,000 students — all from the comfort of home.
Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Science | Ages 3–14
The adventure at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is continuing online this year! Although they have, unfortunately, decided to cancel all FCMoD summer camps for 2020, they are offering several virtual programs. Some of them include workshops for all ages, weekly early childhood experiences, discovery labs for families, livestream lectures, fun “drop-in” live programming and more!
Plus, they are launching a monthly Discovery Box, which will be delivered to your home once a month and will include a variety of activities, challenges and at-home experiences designed for early childhood and elementary explorers. FCMoD Members will receive special discounts on all FCMoD programs. For more information and to stay updated on their virtual summer offerings, click here.
University of Colorado Boulder Science Discovery STEM Classes
STEM | Ages 5–12
The University of Colorado Boulder is offering their popular K-12 summer stem classes in a remote format that combines online learning with hands-on activities. Kids ages 5–12 can choose from a variety of subjects of interest, including coding, game design, science, engineering, robotics, math and much more. These week-long classes are designed to inspire creativity and a thirst for knowledge, while allowing students to interact online with their peers in a safe setting.
Colorado State University Virtual Summer Camps
Sports + Recreation | All Ages
The format for Colorado State University’s much-anticipated summer camps is still up in the air for 2020, but one thing is certain: they are offering virtual summer camps. They will provide a variety of offerings on their YouTube channel, which will have fun games, exercises and other programing, plus a variety of resources for at-home fitness, mental health exercises, science experiments and other activities.
Playcrafter Kids Online + Park Classes
Art + Theater | Ages 3–7
Playcrafter Kids has gotten even craftier this year and are offering four, unique performing arts summer camps for kids ages 3-7! They are providing two options for camp this summer: Online and Online & Park. The Online Only option includes four 1-hour virtual classes, recordings, a personalized video compilation, and a Camp-in-a-Box full of everything you need for two weeks of fun with professional teachers and special guests. The Online & Park option includes everything in the Online Only package, plus four 1-hour socially distanced outdoor classes with a parent or adult at Avery Park in Fort Collins. With each of these options, children will explore the arts (drama, dance, music, crafts) and yoga through guided activities where imagination, wonder, creativity and curiosity come alive. Playcrafter Kids’ camps are rooted in musical theater with activities that promote life skills, including confidence, emotional regulation, self awareness, teamwork and collaboration.
Longmont Museum Summer Camps
Art, Science, Culture + More | Ages 3–16
Longmont Museum Summer Camps are going virtual this year! The team has been hard at work developing innovative at-home camp programs that deliver the creative, hands-on learning the museum is known for. Topics include biology, arts and crafts, archeology, science, culture, and more, and age ranges vary from class to class. Register online or by calling 303-651-8374; registration for all camps will close 1.5 weeks before the camp begins to allow time to create supply kits. All camps will include a specialized supply kit for your camper to use and keep. These kits will be available for drive-by, curbside pick-up at the museum before your camp begins.
Growing Gardens
Gardening + Farming | All Ages
Growing Gardens in Boulder is hosting virtual camps on the farm for summer 2020! There are several different themes to choose from each week, including starting your own garden, cooking from the farm and all the critters on the farm. Each day will include Zoom calls with instructors and fellow campers, online learning content, recipes for snacks, fun activities and crafts, and family activities. The planned camp activities are estimated to take about 4 hours per day to complete.
CodeREV Summer Tech Camps
STEAM | Ages 6–14
CodeREV is hosting Livestream Online classes for their summer camp this year. Campers can enjoy the same class with the same expert instructor — all in a controlled environment from home. CodeREV’s camps are designed for budding programmers, video game developers, virtual reality designers, app developers, robotics engineers, 3D animators and all technology fans! The program is designed with a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) approach to provide both education and fun for kids ages 6–14.
Colorado Academy
Outdoor Adventure | Ages 4–12
In addition to their on-site camps, Colorado Academy in Denver is providing a variety of virtual camps throughout the summer. The virtual camps will be interactive, fun, engaging, enriching and active. Offerings will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and partial-day online programs will also be available. And beginning June 15, their in-person small-group day camps and specialty camps will begin, following social distancing and personal hygiene guidelines. They are not accepting new registrations for on-site camps but they are still accepting sign-ups for their virtual offerings!
Avid4 Adventure Camp at Home
Outdoor Adventure | Ages 6–11
Avid4 Adventure in Boulder is offering Camp at Home, a week-long camp with one full-time instructor guiding your kids (or your kids and another neighborhood family) through a variety of activities and lessons. Your personal instructor will be with you all week, building on the previous day’s lessons to boost your child’s confidence with topics like navigation, shelter building, outdoor cooking, wildlife education, Leave No Trace, emergency response and preparedness, and much more. Camp at Home is designed for grades 1–5.
Avid4 Adventure is also offering a completely virtual camp option! Avid4 Online Camp is a digitally interactive adventure camp experience bringing the Avid4 experience directly to your home. Conducted entirely through Zoom video chat, a live Avid4 instructor will lead your camper through a variety of activities including yoga classes, outdoor skills instruction, and camp games tailored for an online experience.
Adventure Quest by Renaissance Adventures
Live-Action Roleplay | Ages 6+
Renaissance Adventures is an experiential education program in Boulder providing live-action role playing adventures for kids. They inspire youth to rise to their potential by facilitating a journey of discovery, excitement and responsible empowerment. Renaissance Adventures is hoping to offer in-person camps, but is also offering online summer camps for Adventure Quest, PlayQuest and Dungeon Delver over the summer months, whether or not in-person camps are happening. Plus, you can sign up for Home Quests, where an awesome Quest Leader comes to your home, backyard or a nearby park to guide your kids and their neighborhood friends through an adventure.
Venture Validator Online Summer Camp
Business | Grades 8–12
The CSU College of Business is hosting a week-long program for incoming 8th–12th grade students who are interested in entrepreneurship. The Venture Validator Online Summer Camp will explore what it takes to become an entrepreneur in a safe, engaging, and fun space — all from the comfort of home. CSU is hosting a number of additional virtual class options for all ages, including The CSU Writing Project, Math Jam, Middle School Coding Camp, and Prove It! Math Academy.
Virtual Theatre Summer Camps
Theater | Ages 5–13
The Fine Arts Center at Colorado College in Colorado Springs is hosting a number of virtual summer camps throughout the month of June for ages 5–13. Camps will include personal instruction, group interaction and recorded segments, all combined in this new and exciting format. The FAC Theater School covers topics such as musical theatre, design, acting, play analysis, stand-up comedy, and more — all taught by an award-winning professional staff of instructors.
Happy Summer!
What virtual summer classes are we missing out on? Let us know in the comments below!
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