Summer camp just got cooler

Kids have all the fun nowadays with workshops and camps galore to choose from. From fun and creative camps, workshops where they are ‘edu-tained' to adventure camps; there is something for every child. Child psychologist and arts-based therapist Neha Patel says, "It helps them use their time productively instead of playing video games and watching television. It's also easier for working parents as they can get some time for themselves. But it's important that they be non-competitive, as children face a lot of pressure at school," she states.

Patel was so convinced with the idea that she has herself started her own series of workshops, titled The Little Buddha programme (Call: 26240392 / 9821308300). She comments, "Children usually go for dance, drawing classes, etc, through the year. So, instead, my two-hour classes are held in the morning and target the child's emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being through art and dance. The idea is to get them to express and be emotionally fit," she states.

Organisers of such workshops also admit that parents look for out-of-the-box options. Says Dishita Vora, director of KidzArt-India, which organises art-related events, says, "Parents want their child to get exposed to diverse things. While in art, they would want them to get a proper platform to get exposed to different types of mediums, techniques, concepts and fundamentals of arts and learn more than what is done at school." Smita Kharbanda, founder of Eco Kids, which conducts workshops centred on nature, seconds this: "We have been organising holistic workshops since 1990. Parents appreciate it as their kids are calmer and develop sensitivity, which helps them later on in life. In a fun way, they learn good values. Nature is the best teacher."

Here are a few more workshops >>

Trails & treasure hunts
Bring mum along too!
Jungle Lore will conduct wildlife workshops including trips to Ranthambhore National Park (May 5 to 9) for 8 to 15-year-olds. A Me and Mom Camp (May 15-19) for 5 to 15-year-olds and their mothers will help kids bond with their mums. Sessions on how to become naturalists, decipher pugmarks, understand animal behaviour and tiger conservation, are also part of these workshops.
Call: 24306658 Log on to www.junglelore.net

Get into sherlock modeu00a0
KidzArt, a North American art academy, will have a Secret Agent camp where the mission is to train as a secret agent with friends. At the spy camp, there are creative projects, drawings and paintings to solve. The Mixed Media 3D Camp will acquaint kids to 2D and 3D where they will learn to create patterns, work with fabric, paint and make art from clay.
Call: 9821784999

Calling young Naturalistsu00a0
BNHS CEC is organising a Young Naturalists Course, which allows 10 to 14-years-olds, to work on projects, attend nature trails and chat sessions to learn about the importance of biodiversity and its threats, develop a nature diary and visit Mumbai's varied ecosystems .
From: April 20 to June 9 Fee: Rs 6,000
Call: 9594929107
Email: cecbnhs@ gmail.com
Log on to: www.bnhs.org

Skills & thrills
How to build a robot
The Children's Technology Workshop (CTW) runs workshops and camps throughout the year for kids aged six to 16 in Robotics using Lego MindStorms, Astronomy using mobile planetariums and NASA's After School Universe programme and Mathematics from Math Olympiad problems. There are six age-appropriate levels in the Robotics programme, each of 24 hours, or a two-week camp. The fees range from R3,500 to R7,500 with summer discounts. This time, there are two special programmes - Speed Cubing Workshop (May 1) and the Art and Science of Calligraphy session (May 11).
Call: 26205918
Log on to: www.ctworkshop.in.

Learn a foreign tongueu00a0
Dadar-based Devesh Tendulkar conducts summer special language classes for 5 to 18-year-olds. Vernacular and English medium students can hone their skills with the English Development course for young learners (Rs 5,000). There are tailor-made French/German beginner's level classes (Rs8,800). Batches begin from April first week and the 30-day course is an hour-long daily session.
Call: 9833202817
Email: deveshtendulkar@gmail.com
Log on to: www.tendulkars languages.com

Test your skill set
Nrityanjali will organise a Personality Development course, Junior (6 to 10 years) at Holiday Cottage, Nashik. It will include sessions on concentration, physical fitness, art of reading, voice culture, communication skills and public speaking. There will also be a senior session (11 to 16 years) to teach leadership, debating and interview skills and feature a mock Parliament. The Global Village sessions will introduce kids to India's states and nations of the world through food, art and craft activities, games and costumes. Parents can witness their kids' presentations on the Camp Fire day.
Call: 25967388
Email: girish@nrityanjali.org.in
Log on to: www. nrityanjali.in

Fun & frolic
Back to your roots
Western Routes is organising a kids summer festival at Devrukh, a small town in Ratnagiri. The theme is to ‘get your kids to retrace their roots.' All activities will have a traditional touch, and will include Shlok and Yoga sessions, river fishing, modak making sessions and games like Lagori and Vitti-Dandoo. Local art forms from the Konkan will be introduced. Every night, cultural acts from the region like Jakdi, Naman, Avtya-Bhovtya and Lathi-Kathi-Banati will be performed. Bird-watching and nature trails are also on the itinerary.
Call: 25380018 Email: info@thewesternroutes.com
Log on to: www.facebook.com/ thewesternroutes

It's a creative world
Ileap's summer programme targets 2.5 to 14-year-olds. Their camps are based on book series to inculcate a healthy reading habit. This summer, workshops based on books like Dr Seuss and Harry Potter will be included. There will be sessions on puppetry, creative writing, science projects, sculpture, Salsa and theatre.
Call: 26185533
Email: ileap@ileap.in Log on to: www.ileap.in

Healthy is the way
Eco Kids has organised two special workshops (Rs 2,500 each). Their Gardening and Environment workshop (May 6 to 10), will teach kids the importance of plants and how to grow herbs. Post session, they would have made a landscape garden with a vegetable patch and a water body. Kooking with Kids, will share organic eating options, a salad-making competition and a solar energy cooking session.
Call: 9821127658
Log on to: www.ecokids.inu00a0