Increased Demand for Summer Programs Provides Opportunity for Online Participation

As lockdowns and mask mandates continue to be lifted, parks & rec agencies across the country are gearing up for an eventful summer, with programs and facilities coming back in full swing. Over 98% of parks and trails have reopened and are once again allowing visitors, and programs are seeing a post-Covid enrollment boom.

Over the past year, we’ve learned that parks & recreation is an invaluable resource for millions of Americans. 4 in 5 Americans agree that parks and recreation is an essential local government service, and according to data from the NRPA, over 190M people visited a local park/trail, public open space, or recreation facility in the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This summer, 6 in 7 adults report looking forward to participating in local programs and activities.

Summer programs provide activities for both children and adults to keep them active and outdoors. Swimming pools, beaches, and lakes are popular spots for people of all ages to cool off in the hot summer months. Programs geared toward children, like summer camps, summer school, swim teams, and more, provide activities to keep them busy while out of school and provide an opportunity for structured learning outside of their regular schooling routine. They can also provide some relief for busy parents, allowing them to have some free time of their own.

This summer, park program attendance is expected to see record numbers. In many counties across the country, summer camps have had to begin offering a waiting list because demand is so high. And though this summer means the return of many popular programs, we’ll also likely see some new programs based on the events of the last year, including those with a larger focus on both physical and mental health. 

One way to allow maximum participation without the need to hire new staff or increase overhead costs is to offer programs online. When interactive programs are made available online, anyone can access them at any time, which means you are more likely to reach a much larger audience. Additionally, though restrictions are being lifted nationwide, Covid remains a threat for many at-risk individuals who may not feel comfortable participating in in-person programming. By offering programs online, these members of your community feel seen and included, and they can participate in fun summer programs from the comfort of their own homes. 

Though activities such as swimming or team sports require members of the community to be physically present, others can be presented online to be completed at home. Programs like cooking classes, art lessons, yoga, and many others can be completed alone or in small groups at home, while still allowing viewers to feel connected to their communities. 

Niche Academy allows you to give more people a chance to participate in your programs without adding to your own workload. Easily upload summer program videos online, so members of your community can access them at any time from anywhere. Create your own videos and tutorials, or choose from our marketplace, which contains videos created by a global pool of experts.

Learn more.