Enriching summer activities

With the Covid-19 pandemic having ruined two consecutive summer holidays, parents and children are set to celebrate the first post-pandemic summer holiday with vengeance. We present some enjoyable, enriching and immersive summer activity options writes Cynthia John, Mini P. & Catharinal Silvia. M With the summer holidays approaching, there’s a discernible buzz of excitement in the air which is getting louder by the day. After the Covid-19 pandemic having ruined two consecutive summer holidays, parents and children are set to celebrate the first post-pandemic summer holiday with a vengeance. Even as children are drawing up plans to vacation in India and abroad, newspapers and social media are awash with ads offering summer camps and upskilling activities ranging from computer coding, art and crafts, music, dance, and theatre classes to sports coaching, adventure and outdoor activities. The consensus of opinion among educators and parenting experts is that children should be encouraged to utilise the long eight-weeks summer vacation not only to frolic in sun-n-sand, but also enjoyably learn new skills, engage in immersive learning experiences while taking a break from stressful school routines. Therefore, while consciously avoiding the temptation to hurtle children from one summer class to another, parents are advised to encourage children to learn a new skill, play games/sports and co-curricular activity (music, dance, theatre) which interests them. In this summer issue of PW, we present some enjoyable, enriching and immersive summer activity options: Coding/Robotics classes During the pandemic lockdown of education institutions, a popular upskilling activity for children was to sign up for online robotics and computer coding courses. This summer, several edtech companies are offering in-class courses for children to learn the basics of robotics design and engage in hands-on practical learning in labs and makerspaces. “A large number of tech entrepreneurs have hit the jackpot because they started learning computer coding when they were children. For children who love computer science and its many mind-boggling applications, I strongly advise informal coding and robotics classes this summer. It will not only give them a good non-academic, practical introduction to these new-age sciences but also teach them vital critical thinking and application skills, ignored in school curriculums,” advises Dhananjay Singh, Bangalore-based founder of Roboprenr.com, which offers coding, robotics and STEM skilling classes where children learn informally. Some PW suggestions: Maker’s Loft Courses: Space-themed STEM skills for children aged 3-12 years Activities: Complete space-themed projects in teams while learning coding and robotics design Dates: May 15-19, May 22-26, May 29-June 2 Screen-free coding for 4-7 year olds Price: Rs.3,750 (5 days) Location: Kolkata Contact: 8240537675 Website: makersloft.in Roboprenr.com Courses: Introduction to robot electronics, scratch game development, robot mechanical (with kit), RoboHacks Competition 2023 Age: 8-18 years Duration: 2 weeks; 5 days per week; total 20 hours Date: March 20-31 Price: Rs.8,000-12,500 Location: Bangalore, online at roboprenr.com Connecting with nature Hectic school schedules don’t offer children the time to explore nature and outdoor activities. Summer holidays offer an opportune time to take a break from urban life and connect with…