Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion What to do over summer break

That is a great list and one I have looked at before. DD16 has applied for a selective program on the list - and the best part is the program is free. Don't know how many apply and won't find out until end of May of she was accepted.

Most programs on the list are for older kids, at least very advanced MS, more likely HS.

My kids prefer not to do much school over the summer, though DD16 took Chemistry at a local private school last summer to fit in other courses during the school year. They have done short programs - a week or two long - but mainly stick to sports over the summer.

When we do homeschool for fun (not through our charter homeschool days) we tend to use themes. One summer we did a world tour, "visiting" a bunch of countries/continents. Last year we did Shakespeare. This year we're thinking of a time travel tour. That way we can pull in whatever topics we really like but it's part of a fun experience that lights a fire and gives us some structure. DD has always liked themes like this, and it also motivates me to do the fun ideas TODAY instead of relaxing to the point of getting all blah as we say. I don't like sitting around. But my kids are still young enough to need me around all day.

We're also starting a drama club with friends. And we might do a class with a great drama teacher, too.

We're going to take a break from dance to try gymnastics.

My rising 6th grader will take classes again (5 weeks) at our local community college. They have accelerated classes for gifted children. Swim team every day, viola lessons once a week. Staying home a few weeks, and boy scout camp! I'm going on that too.
My rising 4th grader will do STEM camps at our local university, swim team, some tennis lessons, hang out. Picking are slimmer for him but I'm hoping next summer he can get into the community college program. Summer always just flies by for us!

Agreed! My kids will usually tell me what they want to do in the summer, then we look for camps/courses in these areas. DD9 so far has signed up for a math camp, a science camp, a theatre camp, a music camp, and a couple of leisure/sports camps, and she will keep dancing in the summer as well. DS13 signed up a music camp, and most likely will do an online AP course in economics, and then he will sign up to do some local volunteering work.

I think what parents really need to pay attention to is whether the *level* of the camp will fit with the kids. I call the camps before we sign up and let them know what we are looking for and ask how they accommodate students who are way above their age peers' levels. Some people will be quite happy to let me know that they look forward to having such kids and they have ways to challenge them. Others will give you standard answers such as "we encourage team work and social interactions so all kids will do age appropriate activities" etc. Then you know which camp not to sign up for!

DS6 is only getting a week off from school. He'll spend that week with his grandparents.

Then school starts again and he'll be in a new 1st-6th grade mixed classroom. The summer session is more relaxed with less emphasis on written work and a lot of field trips. I would feel bad he attends all year but today he was whining that he didn't get to go to school. At least right now, he really likes it.

For four weeks he'll attend school in the AM and Lindamood Bell in the afternoon.

Then he has some post Lindamood Bell testing with the Eides.

We'll probably try to get all the accommodations, etc. ironed out for the fall but I don't see that being a big deal. I would like to my son involved in this more than we have allowed him to be in the past.

There will probably be a few camping trips and we'll spend our weekends at the beach.

DS15 has typically had a balance of camps, free time and family vacation.

This year the only thing we know for sure is sleepaway wilderness/backpacking camp for 2 weeks in the beginning of August. He comes home from this camp so happy, it's two week of no electronics and I think it's extremely good for him. Then two weeks of marching band camp when he gets back.

His break is short this year so we only have another month to fill. He will probably take a 3 week writing course that I talked with this week, it's only a 2 1/2 hours a day with no homework so it leaves lots of goof off time. During that that he will probably take online drivers-ed, and a weekend behind the wheel training so that he can get his drivers permit at the end of August.

And then we will probably fit in a week of visiting with family.

The problem I found was my son grew bored of camps designed for 6-12 year olds at much younger than 12. Science camps sounded fun on paper, but in reality they tended to do the same science "kit" experiments over and over. It can help to look for camps designed for gifted kids if you have any in your area or ones that are also have programs for older kids.

Our area doesn' have camps for GT kids at this age. I know what you mean about the science camps, I think that that will be what we get. But these are short camps so at least there will be some sort of novelty effect for a few days. :-)

Fully entire vacation can not be lazy. Need to be repeated periodically passed in school lessons. As a result, the brain is not degraded.

You might consider some math that she won't encounter elsewhere. We're doing some Beast Academy-- or do some fun math apps (they have seriously enhanced my son's math calculation skills).
Agree about staying away from mainstream education in the summer.
I think if your daughter is happy with her summer, you may not want to rock the boat too much-- as I said, math as game online is a stealth way to improve skills with it seeming like school.
My son swims and I'm also thinking of photography for him next summer. Swimming and especially a swim team is an amazing sport- my DS has learned a lot about tenacity on swim team. He also liked chess camp- and nothing with enhance self control like chess. A lot of life skills learned across a chess board.