SUMMERTIME EXPERIENCES FOR KIDS

Summer vacation for kids: how best to use the time. (I’m writing from the point of view of a parent / grandparent / educator, AND one who upholds learning to learn for a lifetime.)

A short sampler list of groups for your child to enjoy this summer:

                Scouting: projects, meetings, camping experiences. Search summer camp directories. One example: www.camppage.com/canada.htm.

CAMPING

(Author: Joadl.This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Genericlicense.  Via Wikimedia Commons)

                Faith group: many churches, synagogues, mosques and temples offer summer educational/recreational experiences. Example: Bible schools.

                Music camps if you play an instrument. Will boost your skills quickly.

                Sports: your school district or recreation district may offer free or inexpensive summer sports training.

                Reading: check your public library for age-appropriate book or reading resources, internet-based or hard copy.

                Family activities: travel, camping, yard or house work, age-appropriate films.

College age young people idea:

                Work and save for next academic year tuition payments. 

• A MAJOR value of work: it’ll probably bring you into contact with an entirely different segment of society than you encounter on campus. You need to learn the basics of your multi-cultural world and work can help.

PARENTS: SEEK experiences that will help kids prepare for their own society and world up to 100 years out. 

You might say: “But I don’t know what the world will be like in twenty years, much less eighty years from now.” 

       

I agree. Absolutely true: we don’t know the future. The solution is to help kids learn to learn, so that they will adapt to unpredictable change and benefit from change throughout their lives. Let “anticipate change” and “lifetime learning” become your family slogans, along with “stay on the leading edge.”

One thing I know for sure is that change is always with us. In order to cope, learning to learn is a very important skill.

Here's a "learning to learn" idea: Look for a role model that your child might enjoy. A prominent example: Amazon, the corporation, has been and continues to be remarkably prescient about incorporating change in business. You don’t have to leave home to learn about Amazon. Open an account, order something (and it can be inexpensive), and let your kid open the shipment upon arrival. Then help the child learn online about Jeff Bezos, the founder and C.E.O., and his approach to anticipating change. Computer search: Jeff Bezos.

To get an idea of what’s readily available in your own territory submit online searches like:this "[your town, state or provincial name] summer experiences for children," or for teenagers, or for kids, and see what comes your way.

Just for fun, I tried a search myself: “summer experiences for kids in Steamboat Springs, Colorado,” and was surprised by the many  programs offered by Steamboat Spring Parks and Community Services. 

Encouraged, I then searched: “summer experiences in Bethany, Oregon,” where I live. I found some activities that I could try with my grandkids.

Go for it: summer fun and development of lifetime learning skills for kids! Never too early nor too late to start.