Since a little before spring break, kids have been home and relying solely on parents for everything from learning to dinner. And while having your family healthy and together is such a blessing, it’s OK to want some alone time every now and then. Typically summer camps are a great way for parents to have personal time while the kids are out of their hair and having fun. But with most group events still in limbo and social distancing still fully in place, many parents are left wondering how they can keep their child busy this summer.

Luckily in the era of iPads and laptops, programs and organizations all over the Baton Rouge area are bringing day camps straight to your playroom. Yep, you read that right–rejoice because virtual summer camp is upon us.

Below are a few of the many area organizations committed to making summer fun while adapting to the new normal:

Theatre Baton Rouge will offer 18 different digital camp sessions this summer beginning in June and ending in August. The camps will focus on different aspects of theater, from production to acting and everything in between. For more information, visit Theater Baton Rouge’s website here.

While the in-person dates for Knock Knock Children’s Museum’s summer camps are pending, the team there will still be offering “mini-camp” on the museum website every Wednesday at 3 p.m. The afternoon camp will be focused on bringing fun, educational activities right to your home. For more information, click here.

Baton Rouge Music Studio is hosting online music lessons and group session for any child looking to find or improve on their musical talents. Visit brmusicstudios.com for more information on how to register your child.

Girl Scouts of Louisiana East will offer virtual living room camping trips in place of overnight summer camp experiences. Along with virtual camping trips, the organization will be offering other activities through its social media pages. For more information, click here.

If you’d like your child to pick up a new hobby this summer, like becoming bilingual, The Spanish Class will offer online Spanish camp starting Monday, June 1. And if you want to be involved in the class too, there is a Mommy and Me option as well. Click here for more information.

Bringing together the efforts of local organizations Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, BREC, Big Buddy Program, Boys & Girls Club, Capital Area United Way, Front Yard Bikes, Junior Achievement, Kids’ Orchestra, Knock Knock Children’s Museum and Volunteers in Public Schools, LA Summer Experience is an online platform aimed at providing all children with the resources necessary to keep up learning and fun during this socially distanced summer. Learn more about the program here.

LSU’s pre-college camps are moving online, with one-week sessions for kids in first through eighth grades. Each live-streamed day covers a different topic–from art to engineering to biology–and is taught by certified teachers. The session fun through July 31. For registration information and more, click here.

From June 29 to July 18, New Stage Theatre in Mississippi is hosting More Than A Building Virtual Camp. With six different tracks focused on different areas of theater and its production, the session aims to connect campers through a love of the stage, though they will be communicating through the computer. This gives kids the opportunity to build friendships even if they don’t live in the same city. Click here for more information about the camp.

The Louisiana Art & Science Museum is giving kids a reason to say “TGIF” this summer with Friday virtual STEAM camps every week through July 2. Each two-and-a-half hour long session will focus on a different discipline, complete with experiments and other hands-on activities. The classes are aimed at kids ages 6 to 12. Learn more here.

How will you be keeping your child busy this summer? Let us know in the comments below.