22 summer camp activities you can do at home — from a '90s camp kid and mom of 2

  I went to sleepaway camp every summer from 1993 to 1999. Incidentally, those are also years in which the only screens in our house were a TV in the den, a countertop one in the kitchen so my mom could watch her stories, and, of course, the family computer.   Now it is — gulp — 20 years later, and I am working on my laptop while my daughter watches a movie projected onto the wall. The baby is napping, but I can check on him via the app we have installed on our iPad. That is one-third of the devices in our home.   Summer camp and screen time may not have coexisted during my '90s childhood, but they certainly do now. And while some parents may be considering virtual summer camp options, I'm taking this summer to reflect on my days in the sun, grass, and water, and help my kids take away some of the same things I did at camp as a kid: the importance of personal connections, how to be a team player, and the magic of the outdoors.   Amanda Kilton, a high school educator and former New London County 4-H Camp Director, said that now more than ever, kids need the chance to be kids. "Getting a little messy playing with your kids this summer can give them the benefits of camp while creating amazing memories and connections with you," she said. "As camp counselors across America and the world know, kids will take the lead from you (or maybe you should take the lead from them!) and experience all the joy of being in the moment."  

Here are 22 summer camp ideas for kids, including bunk time, campfire, outdoor, arts and crafts, and mess hall activities:

 

Hosting a teen birthday party is often stressful but add a pandemic to the mix and it seems impossible. My teen daughter turned fourteen and I was determined to celebrate the date that I gave birthday to her. Unsurprisingly she had no interest in a party but I was able to pry a guest list out of her. With the stay-at-home orders in our area, we have been celebrating birthdays and graduations by driving by and beeping the horn. On a few occasions we got out the car to give elbow bumps. The sheer look of happiness on the faces of the recipients is how I knew I had to host something despite what my daughter stated. And I knew a scooter obstacle course would add to the fun.       How to Plan an Outdoor Birthday party?   Gone are the days where I could just hire a clown or a bubble machine for party entertainment. Teen birthday parties require a little more to keep the kids engaged before the mobile phones come out. It was important that those who just wanted to drive by and beep could participate along with the kids who got out of their cars. With great weather and creativity you can create a party to remember.    

Razor Scooter Obstacle Course

  We were gifted a Razor A5 DLX Kick Scooter, and we loved creating an obstacle course that lead to the backyard. The kids used the scooter to follow the course created on the driveway with chalk. Hula hoops were used to remind everyone of the 6 ft social distancing.       Once the kids maneuver they course they are invited to toss a dart in the ring to get points. Each successful toss equals one point. The person with the most points gets to decide where they will stand for the next activity.   Start of Razor Scooter Obstacle Course   If your yard doesn’t have a pool, a sprinkler provides lots of fun and entertainment, while helping you cool down during hot days. Everyone eyes widened when they realized the final piece was water balloons. There was a time that I hated water balloons because as the parent you have to blow them up. Bunch o Balloons take that stress away. Easy to prepare in under five minutes.     It was very easy to see that this party was just what the kids needed. There was no pressure to participate but everyone did gladly and it was obviously what they needed. They all made signs for her and no teen birthday party is complete without a game of “Just Dance”.  

Easy Supplies for the Ultimate Outdoor Party

  Washable sidewalk chalk– You can outline the obstacle course and use it to leave messages for the birthday teen. No need to worry about it staining clothing or hands.   Hoola Hoops– I would not recommend the ones we used as they are funny shaped and hard to use as intended. It did however make a great marker to remind the teenagers about social distancing at the birthday party. There are lots of other options that seem to work better, I especially like the weighted ones.   Darts with Rings– An easy game to show off you’re skills. It looks easier than it is. The rounded bottom doesn’t always go where it should.   Bunch O Balloons– These water balloons are self sealing and you can fill up 100 in under 60 seconds. No need to stress over the waste as the parts and packaging are 100% recyclable with TerraCycle. Just sign up to the TerraCycle program, collect all waste in an available box, download a free TerraCycle shipping label and send to TerraCycle for upcycling. These are going to part of our weekly summer camp. I hit a few for those days we need to let off some steam.   Razor DLX Kick Scooter– This super strong aluminum kick scooter with adjustable handles made navigating the obstacle course easy. The back break helped them stay on course and I love that is has a kickstand. Suitable for ages 8+ up to 220 pounds means that even I can take a spin on it.   Ready to create your own Razor scooter obstacle course? Simple leave a message telling us the first thing you will add to your course. (Winner will be randomly chosen and contacted on 6/30/2020)

Right now on Amazon you can grab this Bunch O Balloons 100 Rapid-Fill Crazy Color Water Balloons (3 Pack) at its lowest price ever- under $6!  

• RAPID-FILLING WATER BALLOONS: Save filling time and jump into the outdoor fun this summer! Fill & Tie 100 Water Balloons in just 60 Seconds!
• SELF-SEALING TECHNOLOGY: No more tedious tying with ZURU’s innovative self-sealing Bunch O Balloons design!
• RECYCLABLE: Parts and packaging 100% recyclable with TerraCycle. Depending upon your local regulations, stems and caps may be also be curbside recyclable.
• TERRACYCLE PARTNERSHIP: ZURU’s new exciting partnership with global recycling leader TerraCycle means the unrecyclable is now recyclable! Just sign up to the TerraCycle program, collect all waste in an available box, download a free TerraCycle shipping label and send to TerraCycle for upcycling.
• TOY OF THE YEAR WINNER: Bunch O Balloons is a back-to-back Toy of the Year winner, taking out the prize in 2017 and 2019 for Outdoor Toy of the Year

Your kids may be too attached to their iPads and video games to realize that the weather is getting warmer and days are growing longer. Shut down the screens and banish the boredom once and for all!   These 35 outdoor toys will bring the fun all season long — check out our favorite picks here.

In many parts of the country warm weather has finally arrived, which means cookout season is upon us, ushering in a summer’s worth of charcoal-scented air, laid back afternoons that extend into evening, and al fresco feasts with (now, socially distanced) friends or family. While it doesn’t take much more than a grill and a package of hot dogs to create a worthy celebration, a few simple, inexpensive upgrades — think next-level condiments, stylish outdoor dishware and elevated lawn games — can make any backyard BBQ that much more special.  

In many parts of the country warm weather has finally arrived, which means cookout season is upon us, ushering in a summer’s worth of charcoal-scented air, laid back afternoons that extend into evening, and al fresco feasts with (now, socially distanced) friends or family.   While it doesn’t take much more than a grill and a package of hot dogs to create a worthy celebration, a few simple, inexpensive upgrades — think next-level condiments, stylish outdoor dishware and elevated lawn games — can make any backyard BBQ that much more special.         When it comes to light, easy-to-clean, outdoor-friendly dishware, melamine is king. It can also be downright stylish. Lay your table with these white, ruffle-edged dishes that mimic paper plates (minus the soggy mess that usually comes along with them), or evoke your favorite country quilt with a set of colorful, prairie inspired plates. Both designs are dishwasher friendly, making cleanup almost as easy as disposables.         Ketchup, mustard, mayo, relish — if you’re firing up burgers or hot dogs, these four condiments are non-negotiables. But why stop there? Designate one corner of the table as a toppings bar, and stock it with spreads like NY Shuk’s Signature Harissa, Stonewall Kitchen’s Roasted Garlic Onion Jam, Brooklyn Delhi’s Sweet Mango Chutney or Fly by Jing’s fiery Sichuan Chili Crisp       Grilling novices and pros alike can learn a thing or two from The Outdoor Kitchen (Ten Speed Press, 2020), Chef Eric Werner’s homage to all things cooked over the fire. His flame-centric philosophy — not to mention his recipes for Hartwood spiced spareribs, grilled tomato gazpacho and burnt strawberry ice cream — will inspire you to expand your barbecue repertoire.   And while burgers and dogs are typically the stars of the show, Shelly Westerhausen’s book Platters and Boards will teach you how to create photo-worthy spreads of cheese, veggies and other snacks (like crème fraîche deviled eggs and quick rose-pickled grapes) to beautifully round out the meal.     Chicken and sausages are easy enough for any newbie to grill with success, but for ‘cue lovers who are hesitant to try the more complicated stuff (or don’t own a smoker), it’s mail order BBQ to the rescue. Online purveyors like Porter Road have great cuts to cook up yourself, while Texas’ famous Black’s Barbecue and Corky’s BBQ in Memphis ship their perfectly made meats — tender beef brisket, smoky ribs and pulled pork — right to your door, ready to be reheated.     Bocce, badminton and corn hole are never out of place at a backyard barbecue. But adding in a few tabletop classics made life-size, like Tumbling Timbers or Four in a Row, will make the occasion ten times more fun.   Meanwhile, keep the little ones entertained with Stomp Rocket, a kid-powered rocket launcher; a running leap onto the launch pad sends the rocket (safely) soaring. Or with Zuru’s Bunch O Balloons, which uses a garden hose to fill 100 water balloons in 60 seconds. The self-tying system means you spend less time knotting balloons and kids spend more time splashing. (Plus Zuru partners with the global recycling company Terracycle, which lets you ship the spent balloons to be upcycled into new products).     Switch off your patio lights and instead string up a few rows of elegant outdoor bulbs to keep your barbecue twinkling after the sun sets. These soft-glowing globe lights with corrosion-resistant, nickel-plated bases will last the whole grilling season and beyond. For an eco-friendly option, opt for solar powered string lights that gather energy while the sun is up and shine long after it goes down.     There is arguably no more refreshing way to end a barbecue than with an ice pop, especially when they are homemade. Whether you’re making Smitten Kitchen’s sunset-colored peach melba popsicles or Fany Gerson’s creamy rice pudding paletas, Zoku’s Mod Pops mold has a cute retro look and is easy to clean and store. And for pint-size portions, freeze up a few pops with Zoku’s adorable mini molds.

Are you running out of things to keep your kids occupied during this time of social distancing? If so, Zuru has so many new things for your kids to play with! Rainbocorns Sparkle Heart Surprise   Rainbocorns Sparkle Heart Surprise includes a Rainbocorn collectible with a unique gem heart! Pop the gem in your Rainbocorn or onto your bling ring, and swap your rainbocorn’s hearts and wings to create your own cute surprise! Find other surprises including boo-boocorns, rainbocorn poop and much more in every pack! ?Ages 3+, two-pack SRP $4.99; four-pack SRP $9.99. Available at Amazon, Walmart and Target.   5 Surprise Mini Brands 5 Surprise Mini Brands are real shopping brands that fit in your hands! Unwrap, peel, and reveal REAL miniature collectibles with 5 Surprise Mini Brands! Each capsule is a surprise unboxing with dozens of miniatures and surprise shopping accessories to find. What 5 surprises will you unbox? There are over 70 miniatures of your favorite brands to collect, including rare Metallic and Glow in the Dark minis, and Super Rare Golden Minis too! Collect them all to create your own mini shopping world! Ages 5+, SRP $5.99. Available at Amazon, Target and Walmart.   Crazy Bunch O Balloons Water The original and best-selling water balloons let’s one fill and tie 100 balloons in 60 seconds now come with a spark of color! Each Bunch O Balloons stem will come with a completely new mix of multi-colored balloons. PS, In addition, all ZURU Bunch O Balloons TM products in the USA are fully recyclable through ZURU’s TerraCycle Recycling program. ?Ages 3+; SRP $6.99   X-Shot Micro Fast-Fill and X-Shot Epic Fast-Fill Up your game with ZURU’s X-Shot dart and water blasters, the world’s number two brand in the category and winner of multiple toy awards including a finalist for this year’s Toy of the Year Outdoor Toy. The 2020 Spring line expands ZURU’s innovative Fast-Fill approach and Technology and ?brings new colors and real-to-life-size blaster fun to both the Micro Fast-Fill and Epic Fast-Fill. Micro Fast Fill   At nearly six-inches long, the newly-sized MICRO revolver-style water blaster can be refilled with one hand in just one second! Simply pull the hammer down, dunk, fill and blast. It is the perfect back-up blaster in water fights anywhere. ?Ages 3+, SRP $10.99 Epic Fast Fill At nearly 21-inches long, the newly sized Epic Fast-Fill is the must-have water blaster for any kind of water fight, anywhere. Holding up to 1250 ml – more than 5 cups of water! – the Epic also fills in one-second and comes with a robust pump-action feature that enables kids to blast up to nearly 34 feet. In addition, four different nozzles allow one to blast four different ways. Ages 3+, SRP $19.99   5 Surprise Dino Strike Surprise Unbox, build, and battle all new 5 Surprise Dino Strike! Assemble your battling dinos and get them ready to face off against their fierce enemies. Each dino comes with armor and headgear, customizable weapon backpacks and weapons that you can fire and swap for the ultimate combat combo. Collect all 13 battling dinos like the roaring T-Rex, charging triceratops and the fearsome velociraptors. Can you find and go into battle with the molten gold T-Rex fossil dino? Swap your weapons across each weapon backpack and even combine single and double blasters to make the ultimate triple blaster prehistoric predator ready for warfare!  

• Every Capsule Includes a battling dino ready to be assembled, 1 customizable weapon backpack and 1 or 2 swappable weapons to battle with.
• Unbox, Build and Battle all new 5 Surprise Dino Strike with customizable weaponry and armor.
• Build the ultimate battling dino equipped with headgear, armor, scalable weapon backpack and firing weapons.
• Swap weapons across different dino teams to create the ultimate combat crew
• Collect them all and combine single and double blasters together to make the ultimate triple blaster.
• Collect all 13 of the Dino Strike army including the rare molten gold T-Rex fossil.

  My take: My kids had a lot of fun with all of these toys! We were all very impressed with how tiny and detailed the 5 surprise mini brands were!   My daughter LOVED the Rainbocorns Sparkle Heart Surprises   My middle son got a kick out of assembling the dinosaur:   We even had one very warm day where the Crazy Bunch O Balloons Water and water guns were used which made for very happy kids!!

The way we do things is changing so quickly in this crazy world in which we live. As we navigate the ins and outs of our new normal, I want everyone to remember to keep recycling. To do our part in making the world a better place to live, Nyquist Elementary School is part of the TerraCycle, Plant Green and ColorCycle programs. We are trying to save the planet one brigade at a time. We are slowly getting people to recycle the unique items that can be reused and kept out of the landfills.   TerraCycle is a program that not only recycles those hard to recycle items but also offers fundraising opportunities. While the school has bins in place at their facility, Emily Miller felt a need to make them more accessible to the community to help raise awareness on the importance of recycling. You will find bins for Eos products at Spire Credit Union, Colgate oral care (accepting all brands of toothpaste tubes, floss containers and packaging) at the Isle Dentist office, personal care beauty products (accepting lipstick tubes, mascara tubes, pump tops from lotion bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.) at JJ’s Shear Beauty. Isle Hardware Hank has a bin for Febreze products such as air freshener cartridges, plugins, packaging, and Febreze one trigger spray bottles. On your next stop to Thompson’s Lake Country Drug, be sure to bring your disposable razors to be recycled. They will accept all brands, packaging and disposable razor heads. The following items can be recycled at the school. GoGo Squeez pouches and caps, Contacts blister packs and contacts, Arm & Hammer and Oxiclean Laundry soap pouches, L.O.L. Surprize Packaging, accessories and products, #6 Rigid plastic cups (Solo) and not Solo, Popsockets, Swiffer refills, and Bunch O Balloons packaging, balloons, stem, etc.   The ColorCycle program accepts all brands, sizes and types of markers. You may drop your old, dried up markers in the bin at City Hall.   Plant Green offers recycling for ink cartridges. Those items may be dropped off at First National Bank.   For more information on what products can be recycled, please visit the bin locations. Each bin contains an information sheet on what they accept. I will also add information to my webpage on the district website. I want to thank Emily Miller and the area businesses for partnering with Nyquist Elementary on this project and helping to keep our Earth clean and beautiful. I encourage you to start collecting these highly used items and drop them off on your next trip to town. As one person, you may feel that you cannot make an impact, but as a community, we can start to change the world. Now, imagine if everyone in every community participated. Imagine the impact that would make on our environment. I hope you will get out and help save our planet. Afterall, Earth is for everyone.   Guest columnist Melisa Maxwell is the dean of students at Isle Public Schools.

The way we do things is changing so quickly in this crazy world in which we live. As we navigate the ins and outs of our new normal, I want everyone to remember to keep recycling. To do our part in making the world a better place to live, Nyquist Elementary School is part of the TerraCycle, Plant Green and ColorCycle programs. We are trying to save the planet one brigade at a time. We are slowly getting people to recycle the unique items that can be reused and kept out of the landfills.   TerraCycle is a program that not only recycles those hard to recycle items but also offers fundraising opportunities. While the school has bins in place at their facility, Emily Miller felt a need to make them more accessible to the community to help raise awareness on the importance of recycling. You will find bins for Eos products at Spire Credit Union, Colgate oral care (accepting all brands of toothpaste tubes, floss containers and packaging) at the Isle Dentist office, personal care beauty products (accepting lipstick tubes, mascara tubes, pump tops from lotion bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.) at JJ’s Shear Beauty. Isle Hardware Hank has a bin for Febreze products such as air freshener cartridges, plugins, packaging, and Febreze one trigger spray bottles. On your next stop to Thompson’s Lake Country Drug, be sure to bring your disposable razors to be recycled. They will accept all brands, packaging and disposable razor heads. The following items can be recycled at the school. GoGo Squeez pouches and caps, Contacts blister packs and contacts, Arm & Hammer and Oxiclean Laundry soap pouches, L.O.L. Surprize Packaging, accessories and products, #6 Rigid plastic cups (Solo) and not Solo, Popsockets, Swiffer refills, and Bunch O Balloons packaging, balloons, stem, etc.   The ColorCycle program accepts all brands, sizes and types of markers. You may drop your old, dried up markers in the bin at City Hall.   Plant Green offers recycling for ink cartridges. Those items may be dropped off at First National Bank.   For more information on what products can be recycled, please visit the bin locations. Each bin contains an information sheet on what they accept. I will also add information to my webpage on the district website. I want to thank Emily Miller and the area businesses for partnering with Nyquist Elementary on this project and helping to keep our Earth clean and beautiful. I encourage you to start collecting these highly used items and drop them off on your next trip to town. As one person, you may feel that you cannot make an impact, but as a community, we can start to change the world. Now, imagine if everyone in every community participated. Imagine the impact that would make on our environment. I hope you will get out and help save our planet. Afterall, Earth is for everyone.   Guest columnist Melisa Maxwell is the dean of students at Isle Public Schools.

While you are stuck in the house whether it be from coronavirus or spring weather, there are some great toys available to check out from ZURU toys. There are toys too perfect for backyard fun or to add to an Easter basket whether you have girls or boys there is something for everyone. I admit too I love all of these products and have played with all of them with my kids.   New for Spring from ZURU toys:     The original and best-selling water balloons let’s one fill and tie 100 balloons in 60 seconds now come with a spark of color! Each Bunch O Balloons stem will come with a completely new mix of multi-colored balloons. PS, In addition, all ZURU Bunch O Balloons products in the USA are fully recyclable through ZURU’s TerraCycle Recycling program. Ages 3+; SRP $6.99       At nearly six-inches long, the newly-sized MICRO revolver-style water blaster can be refilled with one hand in just one second! Simply pull the hammer down, dunk, fill and blast. It is the perfect back-up blaster in water fights anywhere. Ages 3+, SRP $10.99     At nearly 21-inches long, the newly sized Epic Fast-Fill is the must-have water blaster for any kind of water fight, anywhere. Holding up to 1250 ml – more than 5 cups of water! – the Epic also fills in one-second and comes with a robust pump-action feature that enables kids to blast up to nearly 34 feet. In addition, four different nozzles allow one to blast four different ways. Ages 3+, SRP $19.99   Looking for some little gift options or something instead of candy-filled eggs?       Smash open the NEW Smash Egg to find what’s crawling inside with over 100+ dinosaur characters to collect! Smash your dino smashers on the ground, to the wall or anywhere you can think and start building your Smashers collection today! The smashing will never end! Ages 4+, SRP $9.99. Available at Amazon and Walmart .       Unwrap the shrink-wrap and smash open the giant egg! Use the scratch n’ reveal map to start your journey and discover clues to find the fossils inside! Includes: Epic dino egg, dino scratch map, dino yolk egg bag, 5 compounds, digging tool, exclusive smash-o-saur, 6x smash eggs and smash egg rebuilder for tons more dino fun! Ages 4+, SRP: $24.99. Available at Amazon , Walmart and Target.         Here are some oldie but goodie fun toys from ZURU toys:             Cotton Candy Cuties look so real and smell so good! This latest innovative fun, fluffy slime is the new must have compound! This scented, squishy fun foam comes in four awesome colors. Cotton Candy Cuties items each contain a surprise Cutie inside! Combining two things girls absolutely love – fluffy, sweet smelling compounds and cute, collectible slow rise squishy toys. OOSH Cotton Candy SRP $5.99, OOSH Cotton Candy Cuties SRP $9.99 on Amazon and Walmart.