Summer is finally upon us, and even though it looks a bit different this year, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate! School is out and the sun is shining. Usually, that would mean that kids are preparing to head off to day camps, summer school, sports camps and even sleep-away summer camps!

Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a serious wrench into most summer camp plans for kids. But where there’s a will, there’s a way — and local Michigan organizations have risen to the occasion, providing virtual summer camps for kids all across the state. These programs will keep your children happy—and safe—while we all work through the COVID-19 crisis. So if you’re looking for something to keep your child’s attention this summer, we’ve rounded up some of the most interesting virtual summer camps Michigan has to offer this year for ages 3-17!

 

Michigan Virtual

Grades 3-8

Graphic courtesy of Michigan Virtual

Michigan Virtual is a virtual school, which has been working hard to provide a path to the future for students and educators since 1998! Today, this nonprofit provides online courses for students and professional development for educators throughout the year. Here, your children can learn new languages, take career-oriented electives, and even dual-enroll in courses for college credit.

Every summer, Michigan Virtual hosts an online summer camp, to help give kids something to help tease their brain during school vacation. This year, they are offering a Minecraft Edition of their summer camp because if your kids are going to play video games all summer anyway, they might as well learn along the way! During this program, students will be transported to the virtual island of Pangea where they will be asked to use their creativity and ingenuity to complete educational challenges in Minecraft. With four weeks of self-directed challenges, your child will learn at their own pace and engage with their literacy, math and coding skills.

 

University of Michigan Tech Revolution

Ages 7-14

The University of Michigan just happens to offer one of the best summer tech camps for children in the entire country! This year, they have gone completely virtual, working with Lavner Camps to provide more than 35 cutting edge STEM camps throughout the summer.

The camps are running from June 1st to August 21, 2020, and are taught by trusted, top-notch instructors in a live and collaborative group setting. Each tech camp meets for 3 hours per day—which can be in the morning or the afternoon, depending on what you register for. Click here for a full list of camps, which includes everything from creative writing to sports analytics and Fortnite camp.

 

Interlochen Arts Camp

Grades 2-12

Interlochen Center for the Arts, located in Interlochen, Michigan, is a nonprofit arts education institution centered on a 1,200-acre campus. Each year, thousands of artists and art patrons visit this gem to experience world-class educational and cultural opportunities. Students can study music, theatre, visual arts, film, creative writing, dance and more, guided by an outstanding faculty and guest artists.

While their extremely popular, in-person summer camp has been called off for 2020, they have decided to move the fun and education online! Join them, as they offer virtual arts, music, songwriting, dancing, filmmaking, creative writing, theatre and visual arts classes to kids of all ages online this summer. In addition to the classes, they’ll also be putting on “Gatherings” online for all students several times throughout the season, so students can get together. Students will also participate in a virtual camp cabin, guided by a camp counselor, who leads campers in daily camp activities that support the artistic program. These will include games, craft projects, and snack making. And, as if that wasn’t already enough, each student will receive a “Camp-in-a-Box” package before camp starts, which includes instructions for each activity, some materials for the activity, and a list of materials to be provided by the family.
 

North Star Reach Camp

Ages 7-17

North Star Reach Camp has been growing strong since 2005 after owner Doug Armstrong stumbled upon an abandoned summer camp in Pinckney. Today, it is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to giving children diagnosed with serious health challenges a place to get fresh air and enjoy a fun, safe summer.

This year, North Star is offering alternative programming for the coming months, to keep providing positive experiences for campers including “Camp-at-Home” sessions for families. They are also hosting “Camp-A-Thon” challenges to help raise money for camper families who are directly impacted by the pandemic. Click here to learn more about donating and to stay updated on upcoming virtual events.

 

The Roeper School

Ages 2-17

Photo courtesy of The Roeper School

The Roeper School in Bloomfield Hills is a school for gifted students. Their goal is to prepare students with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the unknowns of the future, while also involving them in the process. They specifically engage students with inquiry-driven learning focused around problems, projects and complex questions.

That’s why it’s no surprise that they’ve taken the pandemic in stride, offering a virtual summer camp this year for children between ages 3 and grade 11! Their programs will run 2-6 week programs in math, language arts, theater, forensic science, art, cooking and more, along with some free camp fun like scavenger hunts all summer long.

 

Northwestern Michigan College “College for Kids”

Ages 3-17

This public community college in Traverse City was founded in 1951 and enrolls nearly 4,000 students every year. During the summer, they normally offer a wide range of in-person children programs, from choir to creative writing and Tae Kwon Do. But this year, things are happening a little differently.

Northwestern Michigan College is still rolling out a fantastic lineup for kids this summer—virtually! Right now, they’ve announced online STEM classes, at-home math and reading classes, SAT/ACT prep and more. They are continuing to add more online “college for kids” options every week, so be sure to sign up for their newsletter to receive email notifications on future virtual class options.

 

Humane Society of West Michigan Youth Camps

Ages 6-15

Photo courtesy of The Humane Society of West Michigan

The Humane Society of West Michigan in Grand Rapids has always been dedicated to providing animal education to the community. That means in addition to taking in a wide range of abandoned animals and finding them homes, they also provide a full lineup of educational programs for the public each year. That includes their popular Youth Camps, which occur every season throughout the year.

Due to COVID-19, their Summer 2020 camp is going virtual, so if you have a child who is an animal lover, this one is for you! One full week of camp costs $100 per child and $25 for any additional siblings in the household who want to participate. They provide each camper with a camp kit for the week, which includes a camp t-shirt and all of the supplies they will need for the 40 hours of virtual camp activities. They are offering week-long camps throughout the entire summer, from June 1-August 28. To read full descriptions and age ranges of all the camps, click here.

 

Have a great summer!

We know this summer is going to look a little different from the last, but we still hope you and your kids have a grand time!