Create Your Own At-Home Summer Camp, Fort Worth Style

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Are you looking for ideas to do with your kids over the summer of all ages? Why not create your own summer camp? Something my daughter and I love to do is service projects and we also love to go experience new places. For the our at-home summer camp, we do service projects in the morning and a field trip in the afternoon.

If you want to be even more creative, center it around one theme. Here are some ideas and tips to make this camp one your child will forever remember!

Pick a Theme

Last year, our theme was “quest.” All of our field trips had some type of adventure or obstacle the kids had to overcome. The kids had a blast!

You can also do a food theme and try out different types of restaurants. We have also done an “Our World” theme in which we explored our natural world and went to the Fort Worth Zoo and Seaquest Aquarium. Talk with your children to see what they are interested in doing and create a theme around that. 

Pick a theme for your at-home summer camp, like under the sea at the aquarium.
Photo by Shaun Low on Unsplash
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Serve Others

Every morning during this camp, we start out serving others. It is very important in my family to instill a servant heart in my kids. We have all of the things we need to live comfortably, but other people do not. It is our job to give back to the community. There are many service opportunities throughout the metroplex for all ages.

My kids favorite service projects are visiting a nursing home and serving at Mission Arlington. Serving at Mission Arlington is HARD work, especially if you serve during the summer. You can call ahead to Mission Arlington and they will work with you based on your child’s age.

While serving at the nursing home, the kids feel rewarded after working hard.  The kids love reading and playing games to the residents at the nursing home. They will tell you that this is their favorite service project. If you choose to visit a nursing home, make sure to call in advance to make sure they are accepting visitors due to COVID.

No matter what your child’s age is, there is a service project that they can do. Check out this article, “Local Community Service Projects and Volunteer Ideas for Kids of Every Age” for great ideas on ways that your child can serve their community. Choose a service project for your children can do every day that week. Some you can do from home. Some you can go out and do. Some service projects may take more than one day. 

Children at Park

Go on a Field Trip

Going on a different field trip is a great way to see and explore the metroplex. There are a ton of activities to do around the area. As I said earlier, our theme last year was “quest.” We went to Playgrand Adventures in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth Stockyards for the four hours of fun, Jellystone Park, a waterpark, and we did Nerf Gun Wars through Games2U. We had a ton of fun! 

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When planning the field trips, I always try to do at least one day with a waterpark. There are so many waterparks around the area, you could even do a different one every day to  go with a sea theme. I would definitely do a waterpark after a service project that is outside. 

There are activities for almost every theme that you choose. Check out In + Around Tarrant County for great ideas of field trips to take. 

You don’t even need to do a field trip every day. You can do crafts, baking, or other activities at home that relate to your theme. If you are doing a theme of “Our Natural World,” you can go on a hunt around your neighborhood of plants and animals. 

Creating your own summer camp with your kids is a great way to not only have a good time, but also spend time with your kids and their friends. This is my favorite camp to do in the summer! I hope that you enjoy this camp as well. 

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