This summer parents and kids have a great time learning skills at camps

It’s summer and parents are all out, sending their children to a variety of courses – from sports to arts and craft to dance to robotics. There’s a lot of research, planning and enthusiasm that goes into sending your little ones to the right camps. The enthusiasm among parents is also a reason for the growing number of summer camps that take place. We talk to parents and organisers to find out more.



Learning new skills
Tallulah D’Silva has a DIY woodworking workshop and gets a lot of young children enrolling for it. “We use different equipment like saws and hammers, and these are not the electric ones. The kids are of course supervised and we train them to have a skill which will help them in the future. We have also trained some children to make electrical circuits. Some of them have made lamps which they use at home,” says Tallulah.



Vajra Aigal and Shweta Shleke have been conducting summer classes at a home for the underprivileged. “We conduct hula hoop classes for underprivileged kids in Assagao. We want them to learn a skill and this will help them in learning flow arts. It also helps in building their concentration.”



Many classes were started as an attempt to create nurturing and safe spaces for young children to learn, create, make noise and fully embrace the beauty of childhood. “It has now grown into a wonderful community of curious young minds who come together every other week and young parents who have found a space where they can share concerns, advice and laughs” says Haima Simoes, who with and Gaurav Bhardwaj runs art, craft and storytelling classes in Benaulim.

Parents are also enthusiastic about the classes
Parents too need some ‘me time’ and with both parents working, summer camps are a blessing. There is clearly an increase in enthusiasm among parents to get their kids for summer camps. “After parents drop off their children they have some time for themselves to do what they like while the kids are engaged and gain some knowledge” says Haima.

Keeping kids away from TV and other activities

Mukul Dua, an income tax officer in Panaji, says, “My sons go to two camps, six days a week; one focuses on their mental development like music and art and craft, and the other is more about physical activity like football. They get exhausted by the end of the day, but they also have fun.”



Parents are often concerned about the screen time their children indulge in and to combat this, they enrol their young minds into various classes. “I enrolled my son for classes which focus on several mixed activities throughout the day. My son tends to get bored fast and I wonder what to do for the 60 days of vacation. Through the summer camps he can build his capabilities, meet other people, and learn new skills, which is better than just sitting at home and watching TV,” Valerie Rodrigues, a geologist from Panaji.