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8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

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Ahhhhhhh, summer! A time to kick back, relax and go insane when your children say, for the millionth time:

“I’m bored.”

Instead of listening to them complain about their free time, send your military kids to camp this summer. And do it on the cheap at these free or discounted summer camps.

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

Has your child attended any of these camps for military kids?

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

Operation Purple Camp

These are special camps just for military kids. They are held in a variety of locations around the country throughout the summer. Different camps run at different times and spots go quickly.

If you want to get your child into an Operation Purple Camp this summer, the time to act is now! Be sure to read the FAQs about who is eligible and the application process. While applicants are accepted mostly on a first-come, first-served basis, priority goes to kids with a parent deployed within the last year.

Armed Services YMCA

The Armed Services YMCA is a great resource for military families year-round, but it’s especially awesome in the summer. Through Operation Outdoors, the Armed Services YMCA helps to get military children enrolled in summer camps across the country.

To find out more about camp opportunities near you, contact your local ASYMCA branch.

American Wanderer Summer Camp

This camp is a super deluxe all-inclusive way to explore National Parks across the United States. Campers ages 11-17 can travel in “cabins on wheel” to different sites throughout each one-week session.

Military discounts and scholarships are available.

Camp Corral

This is a summer camp that is open to all military children, with priority given to the kids of wounded, injured, ill or fallen service members. With locations from California to Florida, Camp Corral can reach a great number of military children and families. Spots are limited, so be sure to register your child early.

Military Teen Adventure Camps

For teens ages 14-18, the typical summer camp experience might start to get old. That’s where these adventure camps come into play. With locations in several states around the country, military children can enjoy exciting new experiences with their peers.

These camps aren’t limited to the summer either. There are camping opportunities throughout the year! Find out more about the camps by location or date.

Camp Yellow Ribbon

Military children go through a lot. This Wisconsin camp, hosted by Easter Seals, aims to help ease that burden. Camp Yellow Ribbon is open to all military children! Find out more or register today.

Channel 3 Kids Camp

This is a camp just for military kids in Connecticut! Celebrate America and being a military child, over the week of July 4th at this camp. This camp has been around for several years and is part of Operation Purple!

Semper Fi Fund Kids Camps

These camps go beyond the summer by pairing high-school-aged military kids with younger children. They develop the bond during a summer session. Then they continue to connect throughout the school year in a mentor/mentee relationship.

The Semper Fi Fund Kids Camps are designed to help military kids learn coping skills and develop lifelong bonds to support each other. For more information, contact SffKidsCamp@semperfifund.org.

Ask for a Military Discount at Your Local Summer Camps

If your child isn’t attending one of these military child-specific summer camps, there are other options. Reach out to programs where you live and ask about military discounts. Some programs might not advertise their military deals or may offer them on a by-request basis.

Has your child attended any of these camps for military kids? Would you recommend them? Why or why not? Did we miss a great camp? Tell us in the comments!

5 Inexpensive Outdoor Summer Activities

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Summer is quickly approaching and your kids will be out of school before you know it. Keep them busy with these 5 outdoor summer activities that all cost under $10. They will be thrilled and your summer spending won’t get out of hand.

5 Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids for Less Than $10

Did you know you can make your own sidewalk chalk?

5 Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids for Less Than $10

DIY Slip ‘n Slide

Kids love to be outdoors playing in the sun. As parents, we worry about keeping them from overheating. Drinking plenty of water and playing in water can help. There are many summer activities that include water. Going to the swimming pool is great, but it isn’t always a possibility.

You can put up the water sprinkler for a quick cool off but have you ever considered making a water slide in your yard?

Jennifer from Hope Studios has a wonderful DIY slip ‘n slide. In 20 minutes, you can have one set up. The kids will be excited to have fun summer activities in their own yard and you might score some cool parent points.

To get the fun going you will need:

  • heavy-duty plastic sheeting
  • landscape anchor pins
  • hammer
  • garden hose
  • baby soap (optional)

Follow these step-by-step directions and you’ll be slipping and sliding in no time. Your family will have plenty of laughs and great stories to tell after making a slip ‘n slide as part of their summer activities.

DIY Sidewalk Chalk

Making your own sidewalk chalk is a fun family project to add to your list of summer activities. Children love playing with sidewalk chalk. There are many games you can play with sidewalk chalk including: hopscotch, tic tac toe, four square and making roads to race cars on. Drawing pictures and scribbling are my 2-year-old’s favorite things to do with sidewalk chalk.

Don’t tell your kids, but this can also be educational. Using sidewalk chalk helps children work on their fine motor and gross motor skills. If you have young children, you can use this opportunity to practice colors, shapes, counting and the alphabet. Just make sure to keep it fun.

Start off with some basic supplies to make your own sidewalk chalk:

  • toilet paper rolls
  • scissors
  • Duct tape
  • a small bucket
  • waxed paper
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 1½ cups Plaster of Paris
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons tempera paint
  • a paper bag

Follow these step-by-step directions for your own homemade sidewalk chalk. Note: It may take several days to dry the chalk before your kids can use it.

Vegetable Garden

What kid doesn’t like playing in the dirt? Some of the best summer activities involve getting dirty.

Planting a garden with your children can be a fun and rewarding family activity.

You can plant a large garden or simply plant a flower or herb in a pot.

Gardening is another one of those sneaky educational activities. Children learn responsibility from caring for the plants. They learn cause and effect, such as if you don’t water it, the plant will die. They also learn self-confidence from seeing the success of the plant growing after their hard work.

5 Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids for Less Than $10

Caring for a garden is a summer activity that keeps your kids busy for the entire summer. Do you plant a garden? What do you grow in your garden?

No matter the age of your children, everyone can play a part. A small child can dig a hole, push some soil in, drop a seed in the hole, push dirt over it or maybe even help pour water. Bigger kids can enjoy adding personality to the garden by making plant markers. Try one of these 26 unique ideas for DIY plant markers.

Begin small by buying a bag of potting soil, some seeds and a clay pot. Tomatoes, green beans and cucumber seeds are all great starter plants. Let your little ones paint or color the pots.

DIY Bird Feeders

One of my favorite summer activities is making bird feeders with peanut butter and pinecones. It’s fun to go on a hike to look for pinecones to decorate. You get a chance to get out in nature and explore with your children.

This is one of the easiest and cheapest summer activities. All you need are pinecones, peanut butter or shortening if someone has nut allergies, bird seed, a butter knife and something to hang the pine cone with such as twine or string.

Kids love covering the pinecones, choosing a place to hang the bird feeder and watching the birds. This also gives you a chance to talk about different birds that live in your neighborhood.

Old-Fashioned Sack Races

Sack races are a quick, easy and inexpensive summer activity. All you need are start and finish line markers and sacks to use in the races such as sleeping bags or pillow cases.

If you’re ambitious and like to sew, you can make your own sacks using burlap.

The start and finish lines could be masking tape, little cones, leftover birthday streamers or anything you find around the house. Let the laughs begin.

What are your children’s favorite summer activities? Tell us about them in the comments section.

4 Cool Desserts Your Family Will Melt Over

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Summer is here and if it hasn’t started getting hot where you are, it will soon. When I think of the summer heat I think of a lot of water play and frozen treats. Anything cool that will help keep the summer fun going.

Cool Desserts Your Family Will Melt Over

What could be better than a homemade popsicle?

There are a lot of different types of treats you and your family can make and enjoy.

You can create something just for a day at home or bring a dessert to a barbecue or pool party. We, at MilitaryShoppers, have a database of recipes submitted by you, our readers.

Here are 4 cool desserts your family will melt over.

Fast and Easy Juicy Popsicles

What could be better than a homemade popsicle? The easiest way to do this is to take an empty ice cube tray, pour in your favorite juice, add the popsicle sticks and freeze. You could have even more fun with it, add fruits or even candies depending on how healthy you wanted to make your popsicles.

Frozen Fantastic Banana Bites

  • 4 bananas
  • 10 ounces baking chocolate
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter

This recipe is like making your own ice cream without all the calories. Start by slicing bananas into 1/2-inch rounds. Place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Next, apply about a 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter on each banana slice. Top one with another banana slice, making a small banana-peanut butter sandwich. Place in the freezer for about 1 hour. This firms up the bananas and allows for easy dipping.

Right before you remove the bananas from the freezer, melt your baking chocolate in the microwave. Microwave for 45 seconds on medium power and stir. Repeat this until your chocolate is fully melted and smooth in texture.

Remove bananas from the freezer and quickly dip each one in the melted chocolate. You need to move fast before the bananas start to defrost and become mushy. I used 2 forks to help dip the bananas. Place dipped bananas back onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Return to the freezer and chill for another 2 hours or until chocolate is firm.

Cool Desserts Your Family Will Melt Over

What cool dessert does your family devour on hot days?

No Bake Cookies

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 5 tablespoons cocoa
  • 1 1/2 sticks margarine
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups oatmeal & 1/2 cup peanut butter; set aside in a separate bowl

This one would be great to bring to a picnic or neighborhood barbecue. A yummy dessert without having to bake anything.

Bring to boil the first 6 ingredients on high, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute from center. Add oatmeal and peanut butter, mix well. Spoon out on wax paper, let cool and harden.

Super Cool Summer Slushie

  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1/3 cup Kool-Aid Island Twists Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade Flavor Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drink Mix
  • 1 tray prepared Kool-Aid Soft Drink Cool Cubes

This would be a great treat to make during a day at home. The kids will love it. Pour water into blender container. Add drink mix and Kool-Aid Soft Drink Cool Cubes; cover. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

What cool dessert does your family devour on hot days? Share the recipe with MilitaryShoppers and you could win a $50 commissary shopping spree. One winner every month.