The exams are finally over and holidays are here. Hurray! Looking for ideas to make it a summer to remember? Here are a list of activities and camps for you to check out
Have some fun in the sun
How about some life skill lessons while you have some fun outdoors? Inme's summer camps are aimed at doing just that. Designed for children and teens from ages 9 to 17, this week-long residential programme costs around Rs 31,500 per head. The children get to stay at Inme's campsites in Coorg, Yercaud or Karwar and get to do activities like rock climbing, trekking, mountain biking and scuba diving. The organisers aim to create unique life experiences for the child that can't be replicated. "Schools can't give you this kind of experiences. After this, the child's mind opens up to do things they can't imagine," says Manvi Gupta from Inme's team.
For more information, visit: www.inme.com
Listening to the call of the wild
Kids and teens, this summer, give your video games and other gadgets a break. But then do what after that, you may wonder! Join Frolic Boonies’ 2018 summer camp. With three batches of 30 children each, the registration closes once they reach the desired strength. The children will be taken to Mudumalai and Coorg, where they get to explore wildlife while camping in the forest. There are also other activities like nature walks, birdwatching, kayaking, bug collection, fish identification, jungle safari, sky watching and trekking — all under the supervision of experts. Nivedita Bala, the camp's organiser, says that she was inspired to start such a camp because she wanted children to not waste their holidays in front of a TV. "I was looking for similar camps for my children when they were growing up and was unable to find any. So, I decided to start one," she says. The five-day-long camp costs approximately `13,500 per head.
For more information, visit: www.frolicboonies.com
Listen to soothing music?
How about indulging yourself in music, dance and arts — discovering your hidden talents? Sangeet Gurugriha in Bengaluru has a four-week-long course where children get to learn subjects from experts and parents can have an idea of what subject their child is interested in. The course costs around `4,500. Children as young as five years can join the course. The second batch begins on April 16.
For more info, visit: www.sangeetgurugriha.com
What's a reptile?
Head to the Madras Crocodile Bank for an annual workshop on crocodiles and chelonians! Get up close to these amazing creatures with enclosure cleaning, show and tell with your favourite reptiles and feeding shows! Learn about reptile husbandry and conservation from the staff through practical work, presentations and documentaries. End your day on the beach with the warm breeze in your hair and huddle up for a walk through the zoo to see (and hear) the animals at night!
Summer camps galore
This summer vacation, move away from regular summer camps and introduce your kids to the exciting world of camping. Join the Kids Summer Beach Camping where kids can relax, laugh, play, socialise and stay as close to nature as possible. The beach camp is located just 35 km from Chennai at Kovalam. Kids will be taught the basics of camping, pitching tents, setting up their tents and so on. What's more...there is also an interactive storytelling session around a campfire by expert storytellers and a stargazing session by Hari Shankar, an astronomer, where kids can learn about the mystical space above us.
Make your own robot
Kaizen Technology Program is exclusively for school students, who wish to gain hands-on experience in the basics of electronics and programming, and the latest emerging technologies. The top trainers from IIT-M will conduct intensive hands-on learning sessions at IIT Madras Research Park. Students will be taught to make more than ten robots from scratch. All the required resources such as components, resource booklets, software, and so on will be provided to the students. And that's not all, the participants will be certified by Lema Labs and IIT Madras.
Summer fling
Know the summer camp hotspots in Hyderabad
IIIT-Hyderabad
Who says Computational Thinking (CT) is for the mathematically inclined? IIIT-H begs to differ and through Student Technology Education Programme (STEP), its student outreach programme, the institute conducts two separate camps from March 7 to June 1, 2018. For middle school students, it’s about introducing them to CT and its application, while for high school students, it's about how CT can be used in problem-solving. “Because CT is nothing but a logical, step-by-step way of thinking, as opposed to what other people think, which is required in every field,” explains Prof Soma Paul, the in charge of the programme, emphasising that children will be encouraged to think analytically and solve problems in the camp. And how do they intend to do this you ask? Through visits to the Robotics Research Centre lab on campus, recognising patterns in sculptures and painting, decomposing elements of a recipe in culinary skills — that’s how! Another aspect to note is that former students of this camp have even qualified for National Olympiads.
Earn a certificate at the end of the camp that tells the world that CT is your thing!
Reach Out: iiit.ac.in/step/
Great Hyderabad Adventure Club
Trekking, rappelling, zip-lining, rock climbing, raft building, trekking — all this and much more is what awaits those who opt for Great Hyderabad Adventure Club's (GHAC) summer camp. All you eight to 15-year-olds out there, get ready to set up your tents in Keesara, in the Medchal district of Telangana from May 9 to 13, 2018. But don't be under the impression that there is nothing more to this than the adrenaline rush!
Diyanat Ali, the Founderand Director, says, "Being outdoors and having an adventure is not merely about rock climbing. There can be experiences that transform the child into a whole human being." And by ‘experiences’ they mean living in tents for five days and four nights and taking part in group activities that build qualities like leadership, empathy, resilience, survival, independence and more. "We create experiences that involve nature, adventure and children, dynamically," says Ali, adding that experienced and certified experiential educators have carefully designed the camps and will be facilitating them too.
So, it's time to learn some new skills on the lap of Mother Nature!
Reach Out: ghac.in
Kydz Hangout
If you thought aeromodelling, which was last year’s theme for the summer camp held at Kydz Hangout, Banjara Hills, was interesting, this year, they have stepped up their game by introducing Dash and Dot Robotics and STEMcamps. "While the world is going all digital, we wanted to expose children to coding early on," says the 28-year-old Co-founder of Kydz Hangout, Swathi Kandru. Engineers trained in Robotics and LEGO Education will helm the Dash and Dot Robotics camp, where kids will be expected to write codes for pre-existing robots and get them to do different things. This particular camp is designed by Wonder Workshop, a company that designs workshops for students, and will involve fractions, number lines and other mathematical concepts for kids as young as six to ten-year-olds. Whereas, the STEM camp teaches kids about underlying scientific principles from models for older kids. There are also camps likeself-defence, fashion designing and more throughout April and May. Take your pick!
Reach Out: kydzhangout.com
Our Sacred Space
Our Sacred Space in Secunderabad is always known to be buzzing with activity, but their summer camps are always extra special as they keep adding a new ingredient to there concoction of summer camps — Kalari, organic farming being a few. "When we come across inspired practitioners who are willing to work with kids, we integrate them into our summer camps," says Nayantara Nand Kumar, Founder of this space.
But what really caught our attention about the camp, which begins on May 1, was the Indian sign language workshop. "Kids don't really relate to people who can't listen and talk, so, in this workshop, a deaf and mute teacher will teach them the language of signs," says Nayantara and adds that it warms her heart to see the kids and trainers engage with each other completely. "Kids have enough exposure to technology; they need to connect with each other now," she concludes.
Reach Out:facebook.com/OurSacredSpac
ODISHA
Enjoy a good dose of nature and cardio. Know where are the outdoor summer camps in Odisha
Desia
Reconnect with nature by opting for Desia's summer camp, which enables one to explore the beauty of the Koraput Valley. Started by none other than Yugabrata Kar, the man who is known to have made the valley a hotspot for ecotourism, this particular camp called Koraput Junior Ranger includes trekking to nearby villages, interacting with tribals and even shaking a leg with them to the beat of their music! "Koraput Valley is an interesting and perfect place for this kind of activity," says the 49-year-old, who has been in the industry for 20 years now. The intention of the camp is to expose children to the beauty of their surroundings. Conducted in May and June, the Koraput Junior Ranger is usually for children aged between 13 and 17, while the Chilika Lake Camp, another ecological camp, is for high school children. "It's all about taking education beyond the classrooms," concludes Kar.
Reach Out: desiakoraput.com/
Basketball Summer Coaching Camp
In a nation that is crazy about cricket, this basketball camp in Bhubaneswar has been running successfully for 18 years. The camp, conducted from May 1 to 31, 2018, encourages underprivileged children to take up this sport and is free of cost. "Come summer and parents wonder how to keep their children engaged and what better form of engagement than playing a sport," exclaims the senior coach, Rajendra Prasad Pani. And though he admits that initially, the draw of the public to a basketball match was low, now, it's getting better. "Started in 2000, all we wanted to do is motivate children to take up sports to build their sportsmanship," says Coach Pani. The morning session of this camp will be held at the Kalinga Stadium, while the evening session will be held at the Government Indoor Hall, Unit I. Boys and girls aged between 8 and 16 can sign up for the camp, registration forms for which are available at the stadium.
Hello Kids
Mandakini Mohanty has been conducting summer camps at Hello Kids, Cuttack, for five years now and yet, every time she conducts the camps, "the children bring out the child in me," says the 40-year-old and laughs. Arts and crafts, recycling crafts and fireless cooking — all of which Mohanty will provide the materials for — will be conducted from May 5 to 15, 2018. A trip to Ocean World Water Park also awaits the kids, along with a special card-making session for Mother's Day on May 13. She will also direct a drama on causes like child labour and present it along with the kids in a nearby village. Phew, that's a packed schedule! And unlike those who like to conduct summer camps in small batches, she teaches 30 kids at once! "The kind of knowledge-sharing and fun that a large group of children can have while learning together is unparalleled," she explains.
Table Tennis Coaching Camp
Rabindra Kumar Parida, the Secretary of Odisha State Table Tennis Association (OSTTA), is all geared up for their annual summer camp, which begins on April 28 at the Sachin Tendulkar Indoor Hall at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. Invitations to all schools in and around Cuttack have been sent out. There are two timings which one can opt for — either 6 am to 9 am or 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm — and the 56-year-old is pumped as he is expecting a very good response. "We are even arranging for accommodation for some of the participants coming from nearby areas," says Parida. Though districts like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have indoor stadiums and conduct summer camps (which OSTTA coaches help conduct sometimes), there are a few districts which need to be developed. "This summer camp is our attempt to spread awareness among more districts," says Cuttack-based Parida.
Reach Out: facebook.com/odishatabletennis
