CAMPS & CLASSES
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FINDING INSPIRATION THROUGH HOBBIES AND EDUCATION
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By Sarah Pratt One of the greenhouse workshops was about air plants, and we created this Star Wars landscape. Photo: Sarah Pratt
s we welcome spring, with its long days and warm sun, we shake off the dust of winter and eagerly anticipate our warm-weather hobbies. It is a time to look at the camps and classes available for all ages, and especially for youth as summer holidays approach. How do you know where to put your child? Start with their interests. My son loves plants, insects, birds and nature in general, really. Our long winters mean we have a lot of time to read, plan and talk about seasonal happenings in our yard. When spring arrives, we take our love of nature outdoors and start planning and planting. My first step this past year was to join Nature Alberta’s Young Naturalists Club, a group for youth and. Nature Alberta’s events calendar alerted us to
guest speakers, and we started with a talk about hummingbirds. We learned about making a hummingbird bed and tips about attracting them to our yard. Our next step was pretty clear: a trip to the public library. My son browsed the shelves, choosing a stack of books. We also visited the Canadian Wildlife Fund’s website to learn more about hummingbird beds. We then took a fieldtrip to some local greenhouses and found workshops and a lot of ideas amidst the fragrant, moist air of the plants. Our first choice? A seedling workshop where we could start growing flowers that will attract hummingbirds. A large tray and many seed packs later, we brought our seedlings home and found what was hopefully the perfect spot for them. Next we sat down with blank paper and coloured pens and did some landscape architecture. We drew out a rough sketch and put together a folder of plans, ideas and tips.
We were now ready for a trip to a wild bird store, where we found a selection of books, feeders, seeds and so much more. Gardening is, of course, one of many classes you will find in and around Edmonton. I am always thinking about ideas for engaging my son and encouraging his hobbies, especially ones that are educational. Camps and classes are a beautiful way to explore interests and really the world in general. You never know where that first dance class will lead, or if your child will discover a lifelong love of soccer or gymnastics. Art classes teach personal expression, colour, perspective and fine motor skills, while martial arts teach discipline and self-confidence. Think of all there is to learn in the world, and how each of us evolves from our experiences. Camps and classes are wonderful way to engage mind and body, and have a lot of fun.
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The reality of summer camp for kids with special needs K
ids with special needs can be just as excited about summer camp as any other child. Parents certainly have a lot of questions and concerns, such as how can you be sure your child will get the attention he or she needs? Will your child be able to participate fully? Will your child make friends? Will they understand your child’s special needs? There are camp choices for kids with special needs, but you need to do research and find the right camp for your child. Some camps do just what their name implies include kids with special needs in their groups of children with regular needs, while some camps are designed just for kids with special needs, including kids who have learning or behavioral problems, those with specific chronic illnesses, and kids with mental or physical impairments. Many accept kids with a variety of needs, but some only accept kids with specific problems (such as camps for kids with diabetes, cancer, speech or hearing impairment, etc.). You also have to consider the length of stay, the camp’s philosophy, location and transportation, and the cost. There are nonprofit and for-profit camps, religious camps, camps run by national organizations, private camps, day camps, camps that run weekend sessions, and more.
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The benefits of camp for kids with special needs are often the same as for any child: • increased confidence and independence • activity and exercise • the opportunity to interact with other kids, develop friendships, and build relationships • positive role modeling by adults • a chance for parents to have a much-needed break Consider which type of camp might best suit your child: • inclusionary (or mainstream) • camps for kids with a specific special need or camps for kids with many different kinds of special needs Involving kids in the camp search will help to ensure that they get the most out of the camp selected. So, ask your child: • What do you want to get out of summer camp? • Do you want to go to a coed camp, or just be around kids of the same gender? • Would you be more comfortable going to a camp with kids who do or don’t have special needs? • Are you comfortable being away
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from home? If so, for how long? • Do you have classmates or friends who have gone to a summer camp? If so, which ones? And did they like it? If it turns out that the idea of camp is a bit overwhelming for both you and your child, you might want to try starting small, like weekend sessions at a special-needs camp.
• If physical accessibility is an issue, what’s the layout of the camp? What provisions has the camp made (or can it make) for wheelchairs or crutches? • If your child needs a special diet, can the camp provide appropriate meals? If not, can you provide food for your child? • Do staff members have a background working with kids Some basic and special-needs with special needs? specific questions you’ll need to • If your child has behavior have answered include: problems, are camp staffers • How long are the sessions? trained to handle such problems? • What’s the cost? • Do the counselors have first-aid • Are scholarships available? training? • Is it coed, girls-only, or boys-only? • What kind of medical and nursing • What’s the age range of campers? staff is available in the infirmary • Where is it located? How far away and during what hours? Can the from your home is it? staff administer any medications your child needs? • What’s the staff-to-camper ratio? • What’s the procedure if your child • How old are most of the develops a complication related counselors?What type of to his or her medical problems? certification do they have? How far is the nearest hospital? • What’s the camp’s philosophy? Does it fit with your goals for your If your child needs specialized treatment, is it available at that child? hospital? • What’s the camp’s transportation - with information courtesy kidshealth.org system like?
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magine spending two weeks at a summer camp, gaining skills in a variety of outdoor pursuit activities and achieving up to 11 Alberta High School credits, all while earning certifications toward careers in camp leadership and guiding. HeLa Ventures and Progressive Academy’s Mountain Adventure School provides exactly this opportunity to students. Professional teachers and guides facilitate this hands-on learning experience in a setting that is positive, supportive and fun. The three-year professional development program at MAS provides students with vital, realworld certifications in Standard First Aid, Alberta Waterfront Instructor Certification and Canadian Moving Water Skills Tandem. Just minutes outside of Rocky Mountain House, all meals and accommodations are included in the fees, and transportation to and from the camp by bus from Edmonton is provided free of charge. Students outside the Edmonton area can be dropped off and picked up at the camp. EDGE is a sponsor content publication developed by the Edmonton Journal’s advertising department in collaboration with clients for commercial purposes.
Editor: Sarah Pratt sarahpratt@edmontonjournal.com • 780.429.5554 Designer: Kelle Cloutier, CGD
The next EDGE publication is May 2, 2014
EDUCATION WEEK
Contact Arlene Lauer-Krueger to advertise alauerkrueger@edmontonjournal.com 780.429.5105
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EDGE — CAMPS & CLASSES
Are your kids looking for something to do this summer?
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Teaching kids fun, fair play and sports skills S
teven J. Gould founded Sports For Kids in September of 1990. During that time Steven was an entrepreneur who owned and operated Ace Tennis Academy. At Sports For Kids your child will learn the skills necessary to improve and advance in various sports and recreation activities as well as in life. A myriad of sport and recreation programs and tennis programs in conjunction with Ace Tennis Academy are provided at various times for children three to 16 years old. We are a licensed, out-of-school care for children in kindergarten to Grade 6. Respect, sportsmanship, fair play, and use of good manners is taught and encouraged at all times. Sports For Kids will continue to set the highest standards, and provide quality instruction in all the programs offered.
een Time of Edmonton offers a broad range of different Christian camps for ages seven to 17. Activities offered include swimming, canoeing, arts and crafts, archery, horseback riding and paintball. Campers will also take part in other activities such as fun, dress-
up meals, skit nights, games and a banquet at the end. Campfires are held each night where campers will get the chance to sing some songs around a fire and hear from a spiritual director. Campers will not go hungry during the week, with three delicious meals each day, as
Kids learn soccer and more at Royal City
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oyal City soccer camp is so much more than exercise. Boys and girls will learn life skills at soccer camp which extend far beyond the one or two weeks of their camp session. Kids will learn leadership and team skills while gaining selfconfidence. Our camp program is
uniquely designed to offer a soccer focus in the morning and a leisure swim with other camp activities in the afternoons. We encourage all boys and girls between the ages of five and 13 to register for full-day, morning and afternoon sessions. We also offer early drop-off and late pickup times, fully supervised, at no extra charge. The camps operate during the months of July and August. Check out www.royalsoccer.com for more information or call 1-800-427-0536.
Choose your weapon and try the unique sport of fencing
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encing is a fast-paced and challenging sport open to men and women of all ages. This summer try one of the Edmonton Fencing Club’s summer camps or evening classes to see what fencing is all about. Our goal is to make the sport of fencing accessible to everyone in Edmonton. Classes provide the opportunity for children and adults to fence for recreation, competition or high performance. The Edmonton Fencing Club is home to Head Coach Jujie Luan, Olympic gold medallist and four-time Olympian. We are also proud to have Zac Morris as assistant coach specializing in sabre. The Edmonton Fencing Club is located at 9937 60 Ave. For more information please call 780-434-3000 or visit the Edmonton Fencing Club website www.edmontonfencing.com.
Summer camps 2014
Get your
GAME ON! Register online starting February 12, 2014 www.activityreg.ualberta.ca lb 780-492-2231
FACULTY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION
well as two snack periods. Bus rides are offered to and from the camp with pickup and drop-off areas in Edmonton, St. Albert and Westlock. For more information call the office at 780-4668530 or visit us online at www.teentime.ab.ca.
Artist-in-residence program will inspire Edmonton youth this summer
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ince Cecchetti Dance Theatre Guild (CDT) opened its doors over a decade ago, this vibrant school specializing in ballet training has become one of Edmonton’s leading training facilities. CDT offers a summer intensive Artist-inResidence program. Dancers aged seven and up enrol in a two-week study working with artists in a professional theatre setting. Stagecraft 2014 is set for July 14-25. Joining Stagecraft this year is Aram Manukyan of The School of Alberta Ballet. Margaret Dalwood, Artistic Director of Cecchetti Dance Theatre, is understandably thrilled to have Mr. Manukyan in the program this summer. Those who wish to register for Stagecraft with Cecchetti Dance Theatre should contact the studio at 780-233-2232 or visit cecchettidance.com.
EDMONTON
Community Summer Programs • Registered Day Camps for children ages 3 – 12 • Green Shack Playground Program for children ages 6 – 12 • Drop-in sites for youth aged 13 – 17 Call 311 or visit n.ca/ edmonto s daycamp for more on. informati
Daycamp registration starts on April 29th
Check out our Drop in Programs at edmonton.ca/ playgrounds Programs begin on July 2nd.