Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Summer Programs

I was just curious about what types of summer activities some of you had planned. Do you schedule a lot of things or give your kids long periods of free time? Do you battle with technology (my kids seem to get hooked on the computer if I don't engage them). It's a lot of coordination to plan for 4 kids doing different things.

I do all of the above. Some free time, some scheduled stuff like swimming lessons, and also a limit on computer time. I only have 2, but they would spend hours (DS7 especially, but DD5 can hold her own) hooked to the computer if I didn't set limits. I find that having some projects around helps with the computer addiction whining.

This summer I am taking a 3 or 4 week driving vacation that includes Yellowstone and a bunch of other western areas such as Mesa Verde. I plan to encourage journaling each day and will bring lots of books on area history, geysers and anything else I can think of. DD5 has recently decided that she wants to be a Mythbuster (in particular Kari) when she grows up, so life has become one big science experiment. I'm currently trying to come up with some science stuff to do on the road with us, like identifying rocks at each camp site.

When they have free time, I find myself planning or finding supplies for lots self planned of activites for them. Recently they have made rock candy, exploded diet coke with mentos, made paper prisms, tried to determine if an equal volume of boiling water weighs less than that volume of cold water, built ramps to see if a toy car could jump over a bowl of water into the sink...

It just gets busier in the summer. I think the vacation will be a break for me because it will keep them so busy.

Jill

My son is 4 so this will be the first summer of "programs". William and Mary runs programs that we will join. I am going to try to unschool as much as possible. He leads me.

I want to come to your house Jill!! I love science and I'm a geologist/gemmologist by trade. Can I come over and play? We have some beans growing on the windowsill and he wants to understand how the toilet works and where it goes. I'm trying to see if we can go on a field trip to a treatment plant... and so it begins! LOL

My daughter (2nd grade) did a project on water treatmeant this semester. I took her and her project group (3 other children) on a field trip to the waste water treatment plant. They really enjoyed the experience, especially seeing the "bugs" in the microscope. They also had fun doing some sedimentation experiments. There is some great information and experiments on the epa website (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/wsb/).

Does anyone have feedback on the following camps:

USA Chess

id Tech Camp

My kids expressed interest in the chess camp and I'm trying to decide because it's expensive (for 4). One son is interested in id Tech--there are several programs to choose from.

Our summer will start with a grand tour of east coast. In 10 days, we plan to hit 7 universities in DC area, Philadelphia, New York/New jersey, new heaven and Boston area. I have not done detailed planning yet, but it looks like pretty tiring. Hopefully we still have some time left for sight-seeing.

After that, my older daughter will stay in east coast for 4 weeks summer program in either Yale or MIT, the other will go back to California and have 4 weeks in UC Santa Cruz.

DS10 will attend CHESS in Iowa this summer and our 12yo daughter has submitted an application for a challenging four week local math and science program.

Whitewater rafting and the beach also.


I'd also love feedback regarding CHESS, although we've already paid.

I thought you meant a different Chess camp. I looked up yours and see that my son would love it too. I�ll keep it in mind for next year.

Another one my son will probably attend this summer is Aviation Challenge in Alabama (fighter pilot track at Space Camp). My daughter went a few summer�s ago and won the coveted �Right Stuff� award for the Mach I group. It is a well managed and fun camp!