The Summer 2021 Camp Debate: Online vs. In-Person

Camp Partridge
May 28, 2021
3 min read

Updated: May 28, 2021

Even though things are looking up, some things in the world are still uncertain. Will summer camps be opening in person? Will they have to close mid-summer unexpectedly? For most of the world, Summer 2021 is still TBD.

Many in-person camps have already closed their doors again for this summer, but as the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. Thankfully, the doors to online summer camps are open.

I’ve had my fair share of in-person camp experiences, as a camper myself as well as a camp counselor, instructor, and leader. These wonderful in-person camp experiences led me to the dream of one day owning my own camp; the must of rustic cabins newly opened for the summer, the gooey marshmallows gluing your fingers together by the campfire, the millions of stars only viewable far away from civilization, the laughter and smiles of campers enjoying camp activities. It was all so clear in my head. But, as life would have it, I became a teacher instead and spent the last 14 years honing my teaching skills and working with children and teens in a different capacity, yet always yearning for the day I could open my own camp.

I still had the laughter and smiles of children each day, and the musty smell of old school buildings in need of de-molding, and my student’s fingers were glued together by unknown (possibly edible) substances about as often as you’d imagine. I made learning fun and created an environment of positivity, kindness, caring, and trust within my classroom. It was a place where I helped students find their unique voice and gave them the tools to use their creativity to make a difference in the world.

So why should your learners attend online camps in lieu of in-person camps?

With this summer still TBD, in-person camps may start, and then during the summer, they may have to close their doors due to any number of reasons. Some people are also still unsure if in-person summer camps are safe options yet. And others already have a jam-packed schedule with sports, vacations, and locations that don’t allow time in their schedule for in-person camps.

Online summer camps can solve all of these problems:

They don’t rely on being in-person to be open; very little will stop them from being an option.
You control your child’s wellbeing; your child participates in camps from the safety from your own home.
Online camps with flexible schedules allow your child to work on their learning and projects whenever, wherever. In-person camps are not able to offer this mobile flexibility when you are on vacation, traveling, etc.

2021 changed the landscape of learning. Online camps and courses are not an enigma anymore, they are a known and viable way of teaching and learning. And this summer, they are the best option for anyone looking to provide their children with learning, entertainment, and connection with others from the safety of their own home, on their own schedule.

The yearning for the camp-life never left me, and my desire to help children and teens reach their creative potential never left me either. In 2020, after retiring myself from public school teaching, I founded Camp Partridge, a place where your child can learn the tech and creative writing skills they need to explore and expand their creativity so that they can make their extraordinary impact on the world with their unique perspective.

If you’re looking for a summer camp that will stretch your child’s creativity, with a flexible schedule that fits your needs, check out Camp Partridge’s online summer camps for ages 10-16!

Happy camping,