How To Bring the Magic of Summer Camp to Your Home 365 Days a Year

by Allison Miller
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Allison Miller

Allison Corey Miller is the Founder and CEO of Happy Camper Live, a lifestyle brand centered around the world of summer camp. Her vision is to bring the magic of summer camp to every kid in the world 365 days of the year. The happycamperlive.com website and App, provide both free and subscription content which includes hundreds of activities taught by real counselors and coaches, live broadcasts, an original 41-episode web series, a 360 virtual reality camp, the world’s biggest “campfire” where kids can upload videos and share their talents, a jam-packed camp store with the best stuff for summer camp, a directory of over 10,000 camps and programs, an informative family blog, and a global community dedicated to community awareness. This comprehensive platform was designed for kids to find their passions, share their talents, and inspire others, all in a safe COPPA-certified community.

Summer Camp is awesome for your child’s personal growth and a great way to stimulate your child’s learning abilities. While having fun, your child can enhance their problem-solving skills, creative thinking and much more!

Year round, parents have to find ways to keep their kids engaged and active. Although it is easy to let kids be occupied with their smartphones, tablets and TVs, studies have shown that an excessive amount of screen time in children can have negative effects, such as behavioral and sleeping problems and impaired academic performance. This is why summer camp is such a great option to continue to stimulate your child’s physical and mental growth! Summer camp allows for your child to build valuable life skills by doing fun and creative activities in a safe and nurturing environment.

Here are a few ways that you can bring the magic of summer camp right to your very own home or backyard in any season!

1. Invent a Toy or a Game
   Making a game or toy with your kid can be a great way to spend quality time together as a family and to promote their creativity. You can start by discussing with your kid what kind of game or toy they would like to make. It can be something as simple as a board game or card game with colorful pieces or even a stuffed animal. Once you decide on a project, gather the materials necessary and get creative. Ask your kids to help with the different steps in the process and provide guidance and assistance if necessary. Once the game or toy is complete, consider entering the Young Inventors Challenge, Summer Edition! You can find a design guide for ideas along with rules on how to enter.


2. Improve Your Sports Skills
   Sports activities are one of the best things about camp! Whether it is basketball, soccer or volleyball, summer camp allows kids to have the opportunity to explore many different kinds of sports and find something they’re passionate about! Children participating in sports is an awesome way to keep them active in a fun way that benefits their motor skills development, builds their self-confidence, and teaches them sportsmanship. The best part about it is– you don’t even have to leave your home! Happy Camper Live has 100s of activities taught by real camp counselors and coaches on things like how to hone your ball handling, how to catch a fly ball, and soccer and volleyball basics!


3. Classic Camp Games
   You can bring the fun of camp to your backyard with just yourself and your hands by playing fun clapping games like The Old Lady’s Cat or Zoomy Zoomy! Your child can get the mental benefits of playing games that allow them to focus, think critically and quickly, plan, work on their social skills by interacting with others and much more! What is even better about these camp games is that they don’t require any equipment! Having more people play along is better, so grab your kids and some friends and try out these fun classic camp favorites!


4. Upcycle An Old T-shirt
   Do you know how many things you can turn an old t-shirt into? A lot! Your child can tap into their creative side by upcycling an old t-shirt! Arts and crafts give your child a creative outlet to express themselves, manage their feelings, enhance motor skills and their focus! So, grab an old t-shirt and get to upcycling! There are so many ways you can upcycle your t-shirt– you can turn it into a new fashion accessory, such as a headband, scarf, or hat or even make it into a quilt!


5. Learn a Camp Cheer
   What would summer camp be without learning camp cheers? Camp cheers like the Banana Cheer, Jungle Cheer and You’re Wanted On The Telephone are fun ways for your child to express their creativity while benefiting their mental development. Much like the classic camp games, these camp cheers don’t require any equipment– just you, your kids, and a few friends! These camp cheers can turn any night at home into a magical camp experience! There are so many possibilities and Happy Camper Live has detailed step-by-step directions on all of the things you can do with your old t-shirt!

Want more ideas? Check us out at our website HappyCamperLive.com and we are now streaming on your favorite kids’ platforms KiDoodletv! and HappyKids.tv. You can also follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest!

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