Summer camps, from the beginning of time, have been the best way to teach children in a fun and enthusiastic way.
A place to learn new skills and make some great friends.
Summer camps have long been known to develop and strengthen lifelong skills. It teaches children to work together as a team and make compromises wherever necessary. While sports camp helps children towards building physical skills, summer programs/ Science camps for children concentrate on working towards specific skill area by completing a project. These camps help children to bring the uninteresting theorical sessions to life by doing it themselves rather than just going through ambiguous concept taught in traditional set up.
We, as young adults have seen and lived pre-pandemic lives. But our toddlers are born in an environment where people are afraid of each other, they are advised to maintain social distance, interaction is encouraged to be minimum. Our children are growing up with the wrong mindset. The very element of human interaction is missing from their lives. The condition of students in online classes makes it evident that things need to change. For young students, this change is going to take time. At this point with remote learning and almost negligible social contact, summer camps are one of the best medium to help children transition to normal environment.
Devices have stolen the physical touch of objects and have confined their brains within the screen. If a person is not able to experience the necessary level of social contact and behavior, they may experience social isolation of some form. Study shows, socially isolated children are at an increased risk of problems in adulthood. It is high time we teach our children the importance of physical activities and give them a chance to bond with other children and enjoy their company. Our children are giving us signs, that they’re frustrated. If you’ve ever noticed your child being extra whiny for no apparent reason, they’re most likely tired of staying in those four walls.
Therefore, many people are visualizing summer camps as cure to covid ruined school year that left children caged indoors and glued to digital media spending days and months occupied on computers. Lot of experts are pointing out if there was a best year to send children to summer camps, it is this year. Even if traditionally, you are not in favor of such camps, this summer you might want to reconsider your decision given the benefits it can have on your child.
These days, summer camps are developing new and innovative activities to tackle these issues. These, otherwise known as STEAM camps are designed especially for toddlers, using STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) to build their motor and cognitive skills simultaneously. These methods tap into understanding more than knowledge. Every concept is well elaborated, and more attention is given to hands-on training over the theoretical practice.
One great example of the implementation of STEAM camps is at Little Feet Nursery, Al Khan in Sharjah. It provides fantastic opportunity to young ones to be with new children after almost a year. It fosters creativity in them, making them question everything they see around. This curiosity inculcates problem-solving in these young minds. Activities like ‘Color Surprises’ and ‘Dress Up Themes’ makes children excited about coming to camps every day. Foam and Water play adds further to their thrills.
These day camps help all these kids to overcome their social anxiety and cater towards their overall progress. Students take home these values of building self-esteem which promote healthy living habits. As the old adage goes, “an idle mind is a devil’s workshop”, these workshops keep them intellectually busy, where they are constantly trying to find ways to explore. Our aim at this point is to focus on the holistic development of our children, in constructive ways, and such camps help us move a step further in that direction.
Little Feet Day Camp for kids are offering exactly what is essential for them at this point. They are providing unique opportunity to step back in non-digital life with no internet connection and more human interaction.
In conclusion, Summer Camps, and STEAM camps must be declared mandatory for children in preschool, as such camps are essential in the growth of children, for their development. This will also aid them to develop the ability to grasp deeper and more complex concepts which would make it easier for them in their lives ahead to take the plunge to achieve milestones.
Content by Vraj Rajpura