Playful Learning Lab Launches Virtual Summer Camp: the PLAYground

Monday, June 29, 2020

With summer camp cancellations, many people self-quarantining, and communities being heavily affected by racial injustice, the Playful Learning Lab (PLL) saw an opportunity to keep kids learning and playing over the summer and to foster community when people may need it most. Originally designed for students at Metro Deaf School in St. Paul, MN, the PLAYground is an eight-week virtual summer camp with free resources available to everyone. Camp kicked off on Monday, June 15 for 86 campers and their camp counselors. 

Each week, PLL members send or deliver to campers a themed box containing material for the week’s lessons and may even include a treat, such as a book or snack. The eight weekly themes are: Getting Started, Nature & Outdoors, Coding & Tech, LEGO, Science & Engineering, OK Go Sandbox, Games & Magic, and finally Celebrations. In addition to the boxes, other available resources include PLAYbooks (bi-weekly PLL original books of activities), lists of book recommendations based on weekly themes, and lesson plan videos in 4 languages—English, ASL, Spanish, and Arabic, with plans for Somali to come soon. Camp counselors (PLL members, staff from Metro Deaf School, and interpreters) host virtual check-ins on weekdays for campers to meet each other, get questions answered, showcase the activities they have completed, and build a community. A “Meet the Team” page is coming soon to the website, where videos will introduce camp counselors and others behind the scenes.

In addition to keeping kids playing and learning this summer, another goal in planning the PLAYground is to make its activities and resources available for teachers, especially those who may be teaching online in the fall. More resources will continually be made available on the website.

Check it out at playgroundcamp.org.