Our Kids
Glen Herbert - Editor

Glen Herbert
Editor/Writer, Our Kids Media

March, 2020


Many camps are offering programming online, and for perhaps a majority, it’s a first foray into making real use of remote platforms. The value is clear: kids need things to do, and parents welcome productive, engaging activities. Connection is important, too. Kids interacting with kids and counsellors online can, literally, transform the experience of isolation. (We soon will be actively promoting virtual activities and learning to our family audience, so keep an eye out for the launch early next week.) While it’s true that kids need camp in unexceptional times, they need it doubly now, namely, to receive a sense of community, a shared experience, and an affirmation of the values that inform all camp programs. Interacting with that favourite counsellor, that prized mentor—it’s not possible to overstate the power that even just those connections can have for a child in, what is for everyone, a stressful time.

To support the transition to virtual environments, Microsoft—with whom we’ve recently partnered—has developed a frankly impressive suite of resources. The tools were originally designed with schools in mind, though Microsoft is offering them to camps and programs as well. They’re also providing Microsoft Teams free. Teams is a virtual meeting platform that enables group discussion, collaboration, and program delivery. Online sessions can also include everything from group crafting activities, to counsellor training, to virtual classrooms. (If any of our overnight members does an online campfire, let us know!) Microsoft has created detailed interfaces to ease and support the transition, including a curated list of the top resources on distance learning. Also available is an itemized, detailed, step-by-step guide to shifting to online platforms.

This is very much a when-life-hands-you-lemons kind of moment, though it’s also an opportunity to reach out to your camp communities in important, creative ways. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to be in touch by responding to this email. We may not have the answers at our fingertips, though we can certainly point you in the direction of someone who does.

In the meantime, there’s this:


Web

Quickly get started with tools to connect remotely and engage your campers, staff, and parents in Office 365.

web tools

PDF

The ultimate cheat sheet right at your fingertips. Download the Microsoft Teams quick start guide.

pdf tools

Webinars

These are brilliant: webinars on how to get started with Teams.

webinars

Family learning

Free training for creating your online environment in Office 365. Get started. Visit the Family Learning Center for a collection of free family-led activities.

family learning

Sharing information and experience

At Our Kids, we’re preparing to launch a new section on our website that will showcase the resourcefulness and innovativeness of camps in this challenging time. In the meantime, please share stories of how you’re dealing with the Covid-19 situation with our marketing manager James at [email protected].





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