Planning activities for a summer camp can be a complicated thing to do, as you have to ensure that the kids don’t get too tired, bored and that they always have as much fun as possible. That’s why we want to help you plan the best programme! Even if you just want to look for ways to entertain your kids at home during the holidays, this guide will give you great ideas, which will even make you want to join them.
Go Outdoors .
One of the advantages of summer is the great weather and green scenery; it's important that kids turn off the screens and get out of the house to do activities. For this, sports are a great option, especially if you have a big group of kids. Sports encourage team building, socializing, exercise and discipline, but most of all, they can be great fun. You can choose from the most basic and known sports, like football, soccer, volleyball or basketball, to other sports that children might not yet know and really enjoy, like frisbee, field hockey, handball and even martial arts.
But outdoor activities don’t only mean team sports, there are plenty of games, tournaments and pastimes. Capture the flag, athletic competitions, sack races, jump rope and water balloon fights are only a few of the many examples of outdoor activities you can organize for children.
Get Artsy.
It is always important to encourage kids’ creativity and let them express themselves in different ways. Creativity can be manifested in multiple manners, so there is no need to limit to one approach, instead, you should try as many as possible, as each kid can find comfort in a different one.
The most popular one can be arts and crafts, this can be very easy to do, as it can require as little or as many resources as you wish. Think about drawing, painting, making bracelets, basic pottery, papercraft, collage making and even woodworks. Manual work can be stress relieving, entertaining and very healthy for the mind, and through it, children can find ways of communicating their ideas in non verbal ways and get in touch with their feelings.
Art doesn’t end with the crafts, there are many different art related activities; another great idea for summer is using the long time period to learn or make something. Motivate children to find something artistic that they are passionate about, whether it's learning an instrument, putting up a play, making a home movie, working on dance routines, talent shows or any type of artistic performance that they find fun.
Adventure Time .
Summer is a great time for exploration, and we know that kids absolutely love it. Whether it's in nature, the city, or even indoors, there is always a chance to go on an adventure to learn and discover. A great idea for this is a scavenger hunt; it doesn’t matter if it’s in a big space or even inside a house, a scavenger hunt will make kids develop their puzzle solving skills, work together to get to the treasure, and come across things that they may have not noticed before.
If you’re in a natural area, then don’t think too far, a hike is always a great idea. Hikes can be as simple or elaborate as you want; it can either be a walk around nature, to admire the views, plants and wildlife, or you can design it to have a purpose, like spotting a certain species, collecting certain plants, birdwatching, or many other things. And there is no better way to end a hike than by making a bonfire and singing below the stars.
Build a Workshop.
Workshops are a great way to explore the different interests of children and connect them to the real world and role models. By building a workshop you can introduce kids to new topics, create discussions, help them understand and express their own ideas and even develop an interest in an area previously unknown to them.
There are many workshops that you can build, it can be a session of learning, discussion, debating or even creating, and it doesn't have to be purely theoretical. There can be an astronomy workshop where the kids can stargaze, a science workshop where they can do experiments, even a magic workshop where a magician performs for the kids and teaches them some tricks. Workshops can help kids develop an interest in various topics and to present role models that teach them first hand information about their area of expertise; this can be encouraging and create new goals for them.
