Vacations are here again. Children stooping over books, day and night was a common sight in the last few months. However the exam season has come to an end kick starting vacations. Nevertheless, it is worry-time for working parents, as the options to occupy their children during these two months are quite limited. Baby sitters, never available; cartoon network a big headache; children home-alone, implausible, hence to make these days productive with vocations, the best option is vacation classes. Cities like Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram has many such options that donate fun and knowledge in same doses.
Kochi, a city abuzz with novelties, has myriad options designed for the panick-ridden parents.
‘Yoga’ an age-old Indian physical and spiritual exercise is there for children aged 4-14 to experience in many summer classes around the city.
“In order to develop a mental and physical strength in children it is always good to make them practice Yoga. I am conducting a 10-day Yoga class as part of one of the summer camps,” says Balakrishnan Kidavu, a Yoga instructor.
Creative talents are enhanced in classes such as Craft making, cooking classes, pottery, painting and many others.
“My children are studying in Rajagiri School and the school conducts summer classes. I find TV, a curse, as it is bad for health as well as mind. My children enjoy the various activities like swimming and games, the camp offer,” says Mathew Paul, a bank employee.
The camps are trying their best to come up with new and original ideas to lure their customers.
Dance, which meant Bharathanatyam or Mohiniyattam in Kerala a few years back, has become synonymous to many adapted styles such as Jazz, belly dance, Tap Tango and even Zumba.
Reena Lalan, an organiser of many such vacation camps has a variety of classes for children in Kochi. “I am conducting three camps in the city . The classes include many new activities. 'Fun-with-science' and cartoon film with paper, which are informative as well as fun. Clay jewellery making, which we offer is not common in summer classes,” she says.
Creative activities such as pencil art, clay jewellery making, multi-stenciling on fabric games, origami, cooking and even table etiquettes are there on offer.
A workshop called Inspira to be conducted in Thiruvanathapuram says their main objective of the training workshop is to ignite a fire in the minds of students to help them excel in whatever they do and to impart self confidence needed to make career choices of their own and to rediscover themselves as responsible individuals in the society with a strong sense of duty and commitment.
There are courses which believes in “learning by doing” philosophy which make children to work their puzzles out while learning. Computer programming, personality development, adventure Sports, film and video workshop and many others are there for the children to choose from.
“I love my summer camps as it has so many options. As I have been going to the same summer class for the past 2 years I have made many friends there,” says 10-year-old Arjun Nair.