WANT EVEN MORE HEALTHY IDEAS FROM SHAPE YOUR FUTURE?
Turn simple ideas into something fun! With a few easy activities, families can make weeknights, weekends or visits with grandparents feel a little more special. From simple recipes kids can help make to backyard games, nature walks and healthy treats, camp at home is a fun way to move more, try something new and spend time together.
What Is Summer Camp at Home?
Summer camp at home can be as simple as one fun activity after dinner, a Saturday morning project or a backyard game before bedtime. It doesn’t have to fill the whole day or follow a perfect plan.
It can be like a choose-your-own-adventure for summer. Pick one healthy snack, one way to move and one way to wind down and frame it as a fun summer camp activity to your kids. You can make it work for your family’s schedule, space and energy level.
Kids can even “earn” a badge by trying something new, helping in the kitchen or joining a family walk.
Want to make it even more fun? Download the FREE Camp-at-Home Adventure Trail printable so kids can track activities, add stickers and earn badges as they go.
Quick Camp Ideas for Busy Weeknights
Camp at home doesn’t have to wait for a free weekend. A short activity after work, after dinner or before bath time can still make the day feel special.
Try one of these quick ideas:
Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course: Draw lines to hop over, circles to jump in and squiggles to follow.
Kitchen Helper Challenge: Let kids wash fruit, stir ingredients or build their own snack plate.
Living Room Dance Break: Turn on a favorite song and dance until the music stops.
Family Walk and Talk: Take a short walk around the block and ask everyone to share their favorite part of the day.
Color Hunt: Pick a color, then have kids find things around the house or yard that match.
These small activities help kids move, use their imagination and connect with family without needing a full evening of planning.
Healthy Snacks and Simple Recipes Kids Can Help Make
Camp food can be fun, colorful and simple. Let kids help with safe, age-appropriate steps like rinsing produce, spreading yogurt, stirring ingredients or choosing toppings.
Earn the Kitchen Camper Badge by completing two or more of the activities below:
Camp Activity: Fruit Kebabs
What you need:
Fruit like strawberries, bananas, melon, grapes or blueberries; skewers or toothpicks; yogurt for dipping.
How to do it:
Wash and cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Let kids choose their fruit and build their own kebabs. For younger kids, skip the sticks and make fruit cups instead.
Make it campy:
Have everyone name their kebab, like “Berry Brave,” “Melon Mountain” or “Camp Rainbow.”
Camp Activity: Frozen Yogurt Bark
What you need:
Yogurt, fruit and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
How to do it:
Spread yogurt on the pan, sprinkle fruit on top and freeze until firm. Break it into pieces for a cool summer snack.
Camp Activity: Snack Plates
What you need:
Fruit, veggies, whole grain crackers, cheese, nuts or another favorite protein.
How to do it:
Set out a few options and let kids build their own snack plate. Encourage them to choose different colors, textures and food groups to make it feel like their own camp creation.
Camp Activity: DIY Trail Mix
What you need:
Whole grain cereal, pretzels, dried fruit and nuts or seeds.
How to do it:
Pour each ingredient into a bowl, then let kids scoop and mix their own trail mix.
Camp Activity: Smoothie Night
What you need:
Fruit, yogurt and a splash of milk.
How to do it:
Let kids choose their fruit combo, then have an adult blend everything together until smooth. Pour into cups and enjoy as a cool summer snack.
Backyard, Park and Living Room Games That Get Kids Moving
Physical activity is an important part of a healthy summer! Games, challenges and family play can all help kids reach their recommended 60 minutes of daily activity.
Earn the Backyard Adventurer Badge by completing two or more of the activities below:
Camp Activity: Nature Scavenger Hunt
What you need:
A paper bag, basket or small container.
How to do it:
Ask kids to look for simple outdoor items, like something green, something round, something soft, something that smells good or something that makes noise. They can point things out or collect safe items like leaves, rocks or sticks.
Make it campy:
Call kids “Nature Detectives” and ask them to report their favorite find at the end.
Camp Activity: Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course
What you need:
Sidewalk chalk and a driveway, sidewalk or patio.
How to do it:
Draw a simple course with lines to hop over, circles to jump in, squiggles to follow and stars to touch. Kids can go through the course one at a time or take turns adding new challenges.
Make it campy:
Time each camper or let them create a “secret path” for the family to follow.
Other Fun Activities To Try
Balloon Volleyball: Use a balloon and a couch, chair or string as the “net.”
Follow-the-Leader Walk: Take turns choosing silly movements like marching, skipping or big arm swings.
Family Field Day: Try simple events like jumping contests, relay races or water cup races.
Animal Walks: Crawl like a bear, hop like a frog or waddle like a penguin across the room for 10 minutes.
No backyard? No problem! Many of these games can happen in a living room, hallway, driveway or nearby park.
Work in Water Breaks To Stay Hydrated
Summer activities are more fun when everyone stays hydrated. Build water breaks into your camp-at-home routine, especially during hot days or outdoor play.
Earn the Water Break Champion Badge by having your kid drink 4-6 glasses of water five days in a row!
You can make drinking water exciting by adding:
- Lemon, lime or orange slices
- Frozen berries
- Cucumber and mint
- Fun cups or reusable bottles
- A “water break” timer during games
Kids can also decorate their own water bottle with stickers or choose a camp name for it. It’s a small way to make drinking water feel like part of the fun.
Calm Camp Ideas for After Dinner
Not every camp activity needs to be loud or high-energy. Calm activities can help kids slow down, connect with family and get ready for rest.
Earn the Restful Camper Badge by completing two or more activities:
Sunset Walk: Take a short walk and look for birds, clouds or fireflies.
Story Time Outside: Read a book on the porch, in the yard or by a window.
Stretch Like Animals: Try simple stretches named after animals, like cat, dog, butterfly or turtle.
Pajama Picnic: Put a blanket on the floor and enjoy a bedtime snack or story.
Stargazing: Look for the moon, bright stars or shapes in the sky.
These calm activities are a great way to unwind and slow down before bed, especially on busy weeknights.
Weekend Camp-at-Home Ideas
When you have a little more time, turn a Saturday morning or Sunday evening into a mini camp session! Keep it simple by choosing one food activity, one movement activity and one calm activity.
Here are a few combinations to try:
Backyard Explorer Camp
Make fruit kebabs, go on a nature scavenger hunt and end with story time outside.
Family Field Day Camp
Build snack plates, play relay races and cool down with fruit-infused water.
Kitchen Camper Night
Cook a simple recipe together, have a living room dance break and end with a pajama picnic.
Park Adventure Camp
Pack water and a healthy snack, take a walk at a nearby park and look for birds, flowers or interesting leaves.
You can repeat the same camp theme each week or let kids help pick a new one.
Camp Ideas Grandparents Can Do, Too
Summer camp at home isn’t just for parents. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and other caregivers can join the fun with simple activities that work for different ages and energy levels.
Earn the Memory Maker Badge by completing two or more activities:
- Make a family recipe together with a healthy twist.
- Take a slow walk and talk about what you see.
- Play cards or board games, then add a movement break between rounds.
- Look through old photos and talk about favorite summer memories.
- Teach kids a game you played growing up.
A simple activity can help kids feel connected, cared for and excited to spend time with family.
Make Your Own Camp-at-Home Plan
Summer camp at home can happen anywhere: around the kitchen table, in the backyard, at the park, on the porch or in the living room. All it takes is a little imagination and a few simple ideas.
The easiest way to start is to make a small list and let kids check off activities as they go. By the end of summer, they’ll have their own collection of camp-at-home memories!
Pick one activity to try this week, then keep building from there. With healthy snacks, fun movement and time together, your family can make this summer feel like an adventure right at home.