Mamas Facing Forward Stay Home Summer Camp was a project I developed during the isolated summer of 2020. For each theme I provide a menu of options to choose from, including: virtual learning resources, easy craft & snack ideas, simple activities, books, and movies/TV.
Trust me, whether you do it for a full week or just for a day, there’s something magical about doing a bunch of activities that all share the same theme. In fact, even though my kids will be traveling and attending regular summer camp this year, they’ve also requested some Stay Home Camp – so stay tuned for a couple of new themes!! I’ve also added “field trip ideas” to themes from past years as well.
I hope these ideas will provide your family with a little fun – while at the same time making summer a bit easier for you!!
Love, Mariah
MUSIC CAMP!
Below you’ll find a menu of ideas for learning, crafts, activities, books, and things to watch that all focus on music. I’ve tried to keep ideas pretty simple and make use of items you may already have – while also making it fun for the kids! I’ve also included a free printable you can hang up at home while you work on this theme.
NEW! Field Trip Ideas:
- To local playgrounds with music features
- COLORADO: Archibeque Park; Clement Park; Paco Sanchez Park
- To a concert (check for summer concerts in the park – often there are free options!)
- To a music store
- To the library to get more books about music
Things To Learn:
- How to draw (Source: Art for Kids Hub)
- Explore together online
- Brain POP Arts & Music (If your school does not provide you with a BrainPOP account already, you can request free access during school closures)
- More exploring online:
- PBS Kids Music Games
- World Science Festival: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale
Things To Make:
- Balloon Bongo + Shaker
- Recommended supplies: empty tin cans, rice/lentils, balloons, rubberbands
- Instructions: Mini Eco
- Homemade Kazoo
- Recommended supplies: toilet paper tube, wax paper, rubberband
- Instructions: Buggy and Buddy
- Paper Plate Tambourine
- Recommended supplies: paper plates, stapler, dried beans
- Instructions: Creative Family Fun
- Paper Towel Roll Rainstick
- Recommended supplies: paper towel roll, aluminum foil, duct tape, corn kernels/rice/small noodles
- Instructions: PBS Kids for Parents
- Popsicle Stick Harmonica
- Recommended supplies: popsicle sticks, rubber bands, paper, toothpicks
- Instructions: Housing a Forest
- Rubber Band Guitar
- Recommended supplies: rubber bands, glue, packing tape, empty tissue box or cereal box, scissors, craft sticks, paper towel tube
- Instructions for tissue box: Bring Science Home
- Instructions for cereal box: Made by Joel
- Singing Straws
- Recommended supplies: drinking straws, tape
- Instructions: Krokotak
Things To Do:
- Freeze Dance
- Instructions: Child’s Play In Action
- Side note: If you have one, apparently Alexa can play freeze dance with your kids for you!
- Hide and Seek Sounds
- Recommended materials: a toy that plays music or makes sounds for a few minutes at a time
- Instructions: Have seekers cover their eyes while you find a hiding spot for the musical toy. Turn the musical toy on and let seekers figure out where it is by listening.
- Microphone Ice Cream Cone
- Recommended supplies: cake cones, ice cream, chocolate sprinkles
- Instructions: Scoop ice cream of choice into cake cone and cover with chocolate sprinkles to make it look like a microphone!
- Piano Kit Kat Treat
- Recommended supplies: Kit Kat, white chocolate Kit Kat
- Instructions: Secrets of a Super Mommy
- Instrument Exploration
- Instructions: Take whatever instruments or sound-making toys you happen to have and spend some time exploring the different sounds you can make. Put on your favorite song and try to play along!
- Playing in the Kitchen
- Instructions: Grab pots and pans and whisks and spoons and see what kind of music you can make out of the contents of your kitchen!
- Song to play along with: Playin’ in the Kitchen from Music Together
- See the Music
- Instructions: Download the free app below, then play music on another device and watch how the sound waves move. There are several different visual ways of seeing the sounds. Try turning the music up and down. Try playing your own instruments, banging pots and pans, or singing and watch how the sounds move on the screen.
- Free app: Audio Spectrum Analyzer
- Singing Glasses Toothpick Mover
- Recommended materials: wine glasses, water, toothpick or matchstick
- Instructions: Steve Spangler Science
- Water Xylophone
- Recommended materials: several identical glasses or bottles, water, spoon, food coloring (optional)
- Instructions: TheDadLab
Time For A Break!
- Books to read
- Footloose by Kenny Loggins & Dean Pitchford
- Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andrede and Guy Parker-Rees
- Rent Party Jazz by William Miller
- Take Me Out Of The Bathtub by Alan Katz
- The Magic School Bus in the Haunted Museum based on the animated TV series
- This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
- To Be A Drum by Evelyn Coleman
- Zoogie Boogie Fever by Sujean Rim
- Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss and Marjorie Priceman
- Documentaries to watch:
- Movies to watch:
- TV shows to watch:
- Bill Nye The Science Guy
- Season 5: Episode 19
- Reading Rainbow
- Season 15: Episode 5
- Season 17: Episode 4, 5
- Bill Nye The Science Guy
