SUMMER CAMPS
Choosing summer childcare By Andrew Campbell
The long summer holiday break is a great opportunity for children to take part in organised activities, play schemes, workshops or day camps either within their local area on a daily or weekly basis or, increasingly, attend an American-style residential summer camp. Here’s our guide to some of the options available. Don’t miss our July/August issue for our special summer holiday camps and activities directory to help you plan your childcare before the kids finish school.
Residential Camps These are independent holidays for unaccompanied children aged from 7 years and above. Children are supervised round the clock in a secure residential environment such as a boarding school. Group leaders usually take care of children’s pastoral and welfare needs whilst Instructors provide a programme of activities. Camps can offer specialist courses or a multi-activity programme. Sports/Activity Courses or Workshops Specialising in a specific sport or activity such as performing arts or art and craft, these courses are usually for children of 7 years and above. They generally operate for 2 to 3 hours per day, running for just one day or as a progressive course over 4 to 5 days. Sports courses are often led by qualified instructors/coaches or by local authority sports/leisure centres. Performing arts workshops tend to be run by performing arts schools who also offer term time classes for children.
Multi-Activity Day Camps These are non-residential full-day camps running in your local area. They are for unaccompanied children from 3 years and above which usually run from Monday to Friday, offering a varied programme of sports or creative activities throughout the day. Generally, children can attend for as many days as they wish, with a price discount for a full week’s attendance.
Holiday Play Schemes These offer non-residential full or part-day supervised childcare for unaccompanied children from age 3 and above but are usually run by voluntary organisations or local authorities. Activities at play schemes may involve sports, crafts, and possibly trips out to attractions. In the main, they are provided for children living in the catchment area of the venue.
✸
To advertise in the special summer activities for kids feature in our July/August issue, contact editor@familieswestkent.co.uk or call 07980118626. Booking deadline is June 1.
BO
TE ’S OR E
80+
ACalways! & oice a ch
Why I love teaching Perform holiday courses
SOL IOD ! FU R
WA st th 22nd July - 30 Augu
TO 29 July - 23 August MA th
rd
rd 22nd July - 23 August
EX
AC WE DU T HO
FU ½-14 4 AG E Y
V
o r is r l 01480ad.o.k 4 6 75 6 7
Q
Giving every child such an
AM EX
10 Families West Kent May/June 2019
Rated 5 Stars - Jan 2019
they can’t wait to come back!
Perform Producer, Gemma Payne, tells Families why she loves running Perform’s drama, dance and singing holiday courses. Holidays should be fun and my job is to take the children on a magical adventure they will remember. Together, we work on songs, dances and character and it’s a joy to see the quieter ones come out of their shell and the bubbly ones become focused on learning song lyrics and lines. On the last day, there’s a show
for friends and family and the parents are so surprised and proud when they see what their child has achieved. The children’s faces light up when they hear the applause and they know they’ve done a good job as they run to their families for a cuddle. It’s a busy week but the feeling when you’ve put together something memorable and entertaining for the parents is just magical. And I suspect most of the children won’t ever forget it either!
Perform Wizard of Oz holiday courses run across July and August in Sevenoaks. Visit www.perform.org.uk/holidays for full details. www.familiesonline.co.uk
