Summer camp may be over, but the curiosity, confidence, and skills your child gained don’t have to take a break. The weeks after camp are the perfect time to build on that momentum and carry it onward into the new school year! With a few simple strategies, you can help your child continue exploring, creating, and learning long after the last day of camp.
Here are five easy, engaging ways to extend the benefits of summer camp into the school year and beyond:
1. Turn Camp Projects into Home Adventures
Did your child come home talking about a favorite activity, maybe building a robot, performing a skit, or learning a new soccer skill? Keep that spark alive at home by:
- Gathering simple supplies to recreate an art or STEM project from camp.
- Challenging them to design a new version of an experiment or game.
- Hosting a “mini performance night” to share songs, skits, or skills with family.
2. Keep Their Hands (and Minds) Busy
Hands-on learning helps kids stay curious and confident. Try:
- Cooking together to sneak in math, science, and teamwork.
- Building with Legos, recycled materials, or craft kits.
- Exploring kid-friendly coding platforms like Scratch or Tynker.
3. Make Movement a Habit
If your child was running, climbing, or playing sports daily at camp, keep the momentum going by:
- Planning evening bike rides, nature walks, or trips to the playground.
- Organizing weekly family sports games in the backyard or park.
- Taking dance breaks or playing active games between homework sessions.
4. Connect Learning to Real Life
Help kids see the bigger picture by linking camp experiences to the world around them by:
- Visiting a science museum, art gallery, or planetarium.
- Attending a community theater performance or concert.
- Checking out books, documentaries, or YouTube videos related to their camp topics.
5. Encourage Them to Share What They Know
Teaching others reinforces learning and builds leadership skills. Encourage your child to try:
- Showing a sibling or friend how to play a camp game or sport.
- Creating a short “how-to” video or comic strip for the family.
- Leading a backyard art project or soccer drill for friends.
The end of camp isn’t the end of the journey—it’s the starting line for a new chapter of growth! Every art project, science experiment, and team game can spark ongoing curiosity when you nurture it at home. By building on what your child learned, you’re not just keeping the fun alive. You’re helping them develop resilience, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning that will carry into the classroom, the playground, and beyond.
Want to give your child even more opportunities to grow? Explore BAM!’s after-school programs and enrichment opportunities that keep kids thriving.
