Summer is here and so are the plethora of camps. How do you choose the right Summer Camp for your child? A cross-section of educators and mothers share their views.
Gayathri Sreeramaneni, a mother of three who leads a Montessori-inspired lifestyle, says following the child’s interest is key. “Let the child lead you. I prefer a camp which is more relaxed, has open-ended activities and encourages free play,” she says. Gayathri is inspired by the Montessori philosophy, that believes that the mind of a child has a capacity to unconsciously absorb everything about its environment. “Instead of pushing a routine down their throat, we should look for camps that allow children to explore things that interest them,” she adds. A summer theatre workshop and a swimming camp are what she has lined-up for her kids.
Visakhapatnam , Andhra Pradesh : 26/11/2018: Children enjoying at the All-Ability Park for children on the Beach Road near YMCA in Visakhapatnam. The park, taken up under Smart City Mission by GVMC, provides access to differently abled children. Photo : K.R. Deepak / The Hindu
Workshops with a difference
Story-teller Sangitaa Sehgall, who also conducts theatre workshops in the city, says that in the race to be the first, simple joys and acts of kindness are lost. So, her educational firm The Launchpad is organising a different workshop through the medium of cinema. Starting from May 1, the 10 day-workshop will screen 10 children’s films in different languages. The story lines of these films, she hopes will encourage kindness and compassion in the children. “The screening will be followed by discussions. We want to initiate a thought process as well as keep the creativity alive in kids. There will be no preaching or stuffing opinions down their throats,” she says firmly. The workshop will also include field trips to animal shelters and old age homes. “Kindness can be learnt like any other skill. Watching and discussing films can be a fun way to do that,” she adds.
- Choose a camp that interests your kids not you
- If you are unsure what your kid likes, pick a camp that offers multiple activities
- Ensure your child is ready to be away from you before deciding on a residential camp
- Visit the campsite with your children before you decide to enrol them
Psychologists say that residential camps are an excellent platform that provide team-building exercises and also help the children become better problem solvers. According to Saranya Srinivas, who is hosting an outdoor parent-child camp at Araku, “Residential camps help kids become independent. It gives them a whole new chance to explore Nature and they become more aware of their surroundings. Through the experiential learning process, kids pick up life skills.”
Learning, an ongoing process
Nagashilpa Seethamraju, CEO of Coding4Kids, says learning should be an ongoing process. “At the end of most summer camps, kids just move on to their regular school routine. They don’t take much forward in terms of learning.”
- Junior Golf A summer camp for six to 15 years old will be held at East Point Golf Club from May 1 to 30
- 9845287692
- Badminton camp Laqshya Badminton Academy at Green City (Vadlapudi Post) is conducting a summer camp in three batches from May 15 to June 30.
- 8790007579
- Magic of Cinema The Launchpad is organising a film-based workshop at Kirlampudi Layout from May 1 to May 11.
- 9490417053
Integrating the skill or methodology in regular schools can make a world of difference to the concept of learning, she says. She conducts workshops in coding technologies, physical computing and digital making in various schools in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “It is a progressive learning process. While I am not against workshops, these should be made a part of the curriculum in schools,” she reiterates.
