Many parents of school-age children have found themselves looking at the academic calendar and panicking. The number of days off school can be daunting for a variety of reasons, ranging from child care conflicts to concerns of boredom, and more.
At Kidspirit, our programs provide enrichment activities when school is not in session. We offer single-day camps when our local school districts are closed, and on early release Fridays, we have half-day camps called Activities Create Excitement on Non School Days, or ACES for short. We also offer popular day camps all summer long, as well as year-round classes in gymnastics, cooking and other topics.
Many children simply want to be in the company of other kids. Others want to be physically active, or they want to learn new skills. Our staff leads a wide range of activities in science, athletics and more. Plus, they make it fun!
And bonus for kids and parents alike: Research shows that after-school programs aimed at enhancing social and emotional skills have positive outcomes in behavior, self-perception and academic achievement, along with reduced problem behaviors. The activities we offer when schools are out are more than a time when someone else is watching your children; they are an opportunity for them to learn to thrive.
Brought to you by:
Karen Swanger is the Director of OSU KidSpirit Oregon 4-H Youth Programs kidspirit.oregonstate.edu
