Operation Purple Summer Challenge
Military Kids Serve Too®
Adventurers Around the World
Welcome to the Operation Purple Summer Challenge, NMFA’s summer-long virtual program that brings the fun and excitement of camp to families, wherever military life takes them. Our 2025 Summer Challenge will bring us together as “Adventurers Around the World” with five amazing themes:
- Outdoor Adventures
- Service Expeditions
- STEM Discoveries
- Story Excursions
- Wellbeing Escapes
What happens in the Operation Purple Summer Challenge?
The Operation Purple Summer Challenge is a FREE, eight-week virtual experience with self-paced challenges for military kids and their families, accompanied by live virtual gatherings to bring our community together. The Summer Challenge creates an environment where military kids can thrive in three ways:
- Exciting Activities for Anywhere: Our 2025 Adventurer Kit will give you the resources you need to explore and try more than 40 challenges designed to engage kids ages 5 to 15 with the outdoors, service, STEM, stories, and wellbeing.
- Family Fun and Connection: The Summer Challenge includes opportunities for your family to spend more meaningful time together. With 20+ family challenges and our Family Fun Pack, military families can explore, play, and celebrate together.
- Community Belonging and Friendships: Our live, virtual sessions include Adventure Club, an amazing opportunity for military kids to have fun with peers who have shared experiences, and Global Gatherings on Facebook Live, where families can meet our summer guest stars, ask questions, and even get a shout out for joining the fun.
Who Can Participate?
Every military kid whose parent or guardian completes registration is guaranteed a spot at NO COST! The materials and small group live sessions for the 2025 Operation Purple Summer Challenge are focused on adventurers ages 5 to 15. Kids outside of the age range and adult members of the household can join in for family challenges and Global Gatherings on Facebook Live.
What’s Needed for the Summer Challenge?
Computer, Tablet, or Phone
Participants will need a computer, tablet, or phone with access to Zoom in order to join weekly Global Gathering virtual sessions.
Writing Tools + Paper
Live activities often require paper and pencil to engage and complete. Any type of writing instrument is great!
What does my family get if we participate?
Thanks to our generous partners, NMFA will send Adventurer Kits to the first 1,500 kids ages 5-15 whose families register for the Operation Purple Summer Challenge. These Kits will contain everything you need to participate in challenges all summer long.
Kids can also earn small gifts and earn entries to our prize raffle for each 8 challenges they complete. Parents and Guardians can submit Challenge Trackers for each of their kids by July 31 to be eligible for prizes.
What’s the Summer Challenge Timeline?
- April 10 – Registration opens for Operation Purple Summer Challenge.
- April 29 – Registration Info Session on Facebook Live
- May 10 – Final date to register to receive an Adventurer Kit before sessions start in June.
- May 21 – Family kickoff for the Summer Challenge on Facebook Live
- July 15 – Final date to register to be eligible to receive prizes
- July 31 – Final date to submit a photo of the challenge tracker to be eligible to receive prizes
- August 7 – Final celebration on Facebook Live