Many families in the San Francisco area are not ready to have kids attend an in-person summer camp in 2020. But they also don’t want kids to sit at home with nothing to do. Online summer camps, with live instruction and a variety of topics, can keep kids engaged and learning over the summer from home. 

Online Art Camps

Art camps are available for all ages and are a great outlet for kids at home. Many online camps offer kits with the necessary materials for kids to use as they follow along in class.

Pacific Art League –  Various weeklong summer camps for ages 5-16, from Calligraphy to Digital Design to Birds, Bugs, and Butterflies!

CD’s Art Studio – Fun virtual painting camps for kids, an online painting party, and an online slime party. Packages of materials are sent via mail or can be picked up in San Jose, CA.

Art School of SF Bay – Online art summer camps via Zoom for various mediums and genres, including 20th Century studies, manga, and digital painting. 

Young Art – Virtual summer camps for K-6th grade students in both morning and afternoon. 

Online Coding Camps

Kids can be introduced to programming and other technological skills through coding their own games or applications! Coding camps may require software such as Scratch to be downloaded before the session. Coding skills become increasingly useful as our world shifts online.

CodingREV Kids – Coding fun challenges using drag and drop code. For ages 6-11 with no typing or coding experience needed. 

Digital Dragon – Creative coding with Swift for ages 14-18. Create an iPhone app while covering the basics of Apple Xcode, the Swift programming language, and mobile app design. 

RISU USA – One week camp for ages 8-13, learning coding in Python and algorithm development.

NR Computer Learning Center – An 8-day camp where students will learn to design and develop a website through lectures and hands-on activities.

Online Science Camps

Science camps are both educational and fun, with an endless amount of material to cover. Online science camps provide a great opportunity to experience fun projects and experiments from home. 

Camp EDMO – Camps for pre-K through 8th grade for all kinds of technology-based topics, including TinkerCAD 3D modeling, photography, Graphic Design, Minecraft, and Roblox. 

Camp Captivate (Science Smart Kids Inc.) – Kids learn about famous national parks from home using art and science kits. A fun virtual camp for ages 7-10.

Digital Media Academy Tech Camps – For ages 9-12, featuring 10 technology-based online courses for design, entrepreneurship, machine learning, journalism, and more. 

Online Academic Camps

Academic subjects like math and writing can be difficult to comprehend through only textbooks and Youtube videos. Live instructors at academic camps provide personalized instruction and help keep kids focused and engaged. 

Wizbots – Creative thinking and programming with Scratch. Students work through puzzles, and design and program their own puzzle game by the end of the week. 

Communication Academy – Offers writing courses for 8-14 year olds. Learn to express yourself through interactive activities and practice core writing skills in four-day camps. Topics vary by week. 

Mathletes – In Coach K’s Math Camp, kids will practice creative problem solving, playing games and solving puzzles, and building challenges focused on mathematics and geared towards middle schoolers. 

Summer Camp Online – Online SAT prep course for high schoolers. Two hours per day, Monday through Friday. 

Online Camps For Teens

Teenagers are already experts at navigating online resources. Online camps and academic programs can serve as a way to connect with peers and mentors to learn and grow while at home. 

Bottom of the Box, LLC – Teen resilience and leadership workshop. Gives teens the tools to exercise resilience, express themselves, and build confidence and perseverance. Skills can also help support the college application process. 

Inspirit AI, Inc. – An artificial intelligence pre-college program taught by Stanford graduate students. Students work on AI projects, learn about potential careers in AI, and help prepare for CS/AI college programs.

Math Enrichment Summer Program – Offers math and science courses for credit. Classes are taught by credentialed teachers and meet for four hours a day. Students receive UC/CSU/Private School/High School credit for these courses. 

Access online camps from across the country:

Kids may see fellow campers from all over the US or even the world. There’s a wide variety of online camps available, so be sure to take note of the time zone when registering for an online camp.

Beginning summer camp in the morning can help kids keep a steady daily routine over the summer and help prepare them for next school year. Morning summer camps will start the day with fun and education, leaving the rest of the day free for a second class or camp, physical activity, and free time. While kids have missed out on part of the school year, online summer camps are a reliable alternative for academic and enrichment programs in summer 2020. You’ll find schedules, details and reviews on ActivityHero.