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Summer sizzlers
R. KRISHNAMOORTHY
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CAMPS Keep them busy, writes
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Photo: R.M. Rajarathinam
Summer camps Useful option to keep children occupied both mentally and physically
THE CONCEPT of summer vacation has undergone a silent but radical change over the years.
If students are elated with the thought that they can bid goodbye to books, their joy is short-lived. Visits to ancestral grandparent's house or going out on a holiday with parents and relatives, simply relaxing and idling or fine-tuning some skills are fast becoming a thing of the past.
What with summer camps stepping in with their grand schedules and parents simply lapping it up as they cant cope with the child's boredom at home. Nor do they have the time or money for any other fruitful alternative.
So students seek and perhaps get a break from their academic monotony but their schedule appears to get even busier during the months of April and May than the rest of the year.
Coaching camps are patronized so overwhelmingly that organizers feel students are perfectly in tune with the idea of continuing their academic pursuits even during vacation time. Some feel, it broadens the sphere of thinking too.
The vital difference, however, is that students have the luxury of making a choice from a wide range of options in accordance with their aptitude.
A plethora of programmes is being offered in the city that are specially designed to specific requirements of the students.
To name a few, there is a 10-day crash programme in yoga, modern computer technology and memory techniques offered by the Jessie Matriculation Higher Secondary School.
Dubbed as a foundation for brain development, the Abacus Education Fast Track course is underway at the St. Joseph College Higher Secondary School.
The Sri Sivananda Balalaya calls its vacation activities between April 7 and April 12, a 'non-routine programme for excellence'. During this period, students will enjoy quizzing, interact with psychologists, sportspersons, musicians and journalists. There will be sessions on drawing, slokas recitation and yoga besides a visit to an Ayurveda factory.
The Zenith Educational Trust too focuses on a range of programmes for kids. Mothers accompany their toddlers who are engaged in games. For children between three and five years, it has an English Vocabulary Building Exercise conducted by the Student' English Readers' Club. For 45 days, the children are also exposed to general knowledge. A spoken English programme is available for children from eight to 14 years besides a month-long pre-school teacher training programme with an Indianised combination of American Montessori and Kinder Garden.
The Alpha Matriculation Higher Secondary School has sought to make the next academic year smooth for Plus one students by offering a foundation programme. The students will be exposed to the new syllabi and the ways of acclimatising themselves to higher levels of comprehension.
For those inclined towards sports, the coaching camps organised by the Tiruchi District Hockey Association and the Tiruchi District Badminton Association become the natural destination.
Beginners learn the nuances of these games after the preparatory schedules of floor exercise, warming up exercises, and free hand exercise. Students with prior exposure are provided with ample opportunities to sharpen their skills. In fact, quite a few city schools have put their playground to optimum use during the vacation by roping in sportspersons of acclaim to equip students in volleyball, cricket and football.The best part of all these summer training programmes is the flexibility in timing and all stakeholders involved seem to be welcoming the concept with open arms.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Pondicherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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