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Why Summer Activities Are Crucial for Children’s Development

Summer is often seen as a time for relaxation and fun, but it’s also a critical period for children’s development. While the school year is packed with structured learning, summer activities offer a unique opportunity for kids to explore, grow, and develop in ways that are equally important. Here’s why engaging your child in summer activities is crucial for their overall development.

1. Continued Learning and Skill Development

During the summer, children can experience a significant loss of knowledge and skills gained during the school year, a phenomenon known as the “summer slide.” Engaging in structured summer activities, such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) camps, can help maintain and even advance their learning. These programs often provide hands-on learning experiences that keep kids’ minds sharp and ready for the next school year.

2. Enhanced Social Skills

Summer camps and activities provide an excellent environment for children to develop their social skills. They learn to interact with peers in a new setting, make new friends, and work as part of a team. These social interactions are vital for developing communication skills, empathy, and the ability to collaborate with others, which are essential skills for their future success.

3. Physical Health and Well-Being

Many summer activities include physical exercise, which is crucial for children’s health. Outdoor games, sports, and adventure activities help kids stay active, improve their physical fitness, and develop motor skills. Additionally, spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being.

4. Creativity and Imagination

Summer programs often focus on creative activities that might not fit into the regular school curriculum. From art and music to coding and robotics, these activities encourage children to think outside the box and use their imagination. Creativity is a vital skill that fosters innovation and problem-solving abilities, which are essential in our rapidly changing world.

5. Confidence and Independence

Trying new activities and overcoming challenges during the summer can significantly boost a child’s confidence. Whether it’s learning to swim, building a robot, or performing in a play, each accomplishment helps build their self-esteem and independence. These experiences teach children that they can achieve their goals through hard work and perseverance.

6. Balanced Development

While academic learning is important, a balanced development approach includes physical, emotional, social, and creative growth. Summer activities provide a well-rounded experience that addresses all these aspects. They help children discover their interests and passions, which can guide their future educational and career choices.

Conclusion on Why Summer Activities Are Crucial for Children’s Development

Incorporating summer activities into your child’s schedule is not just about keeping them busy; it’s about fostering their development in a holistic way. At CodeREV Kids, our STEAM summer camps are designed to provide a comprehensive learning experience that combines fun with education. We offer a variety of programs that cater to different interests and age groups, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive.

Don’t let the summer slide affect your child’s progress. Enroll them in our summer camp today and watch them develop skills that will benefit them for a lifetime. Register Now

Education, Parenting

Parent’s Guide: Nurturing Your Child’s Curiosity in STEM

As a parent, you hold the key to unlocking a world of curiosity and exploration in STEM for your child. When it comes to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), your support can make all the difference in igniting a lifelong passion for these subjects. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can play an active role in nurturing your child’s interest in STEM and empowering them to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Nurture Your Child's Curiosity in STEM
Nurture Your Child’s Curiosity in STEM

1. Embrace Curiosity in STEM Together:

Encourage your child’s natural curiosity in STEM by engaging in their questions. When they ask about how things work or why the sky is blue, take the time to explore the answers together. Curiosity is the foundation of STEM learning and by showing your own enthusiasm for discovery, obviously, you create a positive environment that encourages them to ask more questions.

2. Foster Hands-On Exploration:

Additionally , you can provide your child with opportunities for hands-on exploration. Simple science experiments at home, building projects with everyday materials, and even cooking together can spark their interest in STEM concepts. These activities allow them to see science and math in action, making the subjects more relatable and engaging.

3. Encourage Critical Thinking:

Challenge your child’s problem-solving skills through puzzles, games, and brain teasers. Critical thinking is at the core of STEM subjects. Consequently, by regularly engaging in activities that require logical reasoning and analysis, you’re preparing them for the challenges they’ll encounter in STEM learning.

4. Expose Them to STEM in Everyday Life:

Point out STEM elements in everyday situations. From the technology in the games they play to the design of buildings, show them how STEM is all around us. This helps them understand that STEM is not limited to a classroom—it’s a part of their world.

5. Celebrate Mistakes and Learning:

Create an environment where making mistakes is part of the learning process. When something doesn’t go as planned, help your child understand that failure is an opportunity to learn and improve. This growth mindset is crucial in STEM, where experimentation and iteration are key components.

6. Explore STEM Resources Together:

Utilize books, documentaries, online resources, video games like Minecraft and even visits to science centers or museums. These experiences can introduce your child to new STEM topics and expand their horizons.

7. Support Their Passions:

Pay attention to what specifically sparks your child’s interest within STEM. Whether it’s robotics, space exploration, coding, or something else, support their passions by providing related resources, kits, or classes. (Check our robotics, game design and engineering classes here)

Conclusion:

In conclusion, as a parent, you’re a guiding force in shaping your child’s outlook on learning. By fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a positive attitude toward challenges, you’re setting the stage for a lifelong love of STEM. Remember, you don’t need to be an expert; your enthusiasm and involvement are what truly matter. We’ll walk with you and your child the journey of STEM discovery together, and watch your child’s skills flourish. 

Coding Education

No Surprises: Early Access to STEM Classes Has Significant Impact

At CodeREV we’re big supporters of kids having access to hands-on STEM experiences as early as possible. A recent article is showing that when this happens in undergraduate courses, it has a rather expected effect on graduation rates. The article titled Hands-On Science in the Classroom Boosts STEM Retention Almost 25 Percent in Photonics Media lays it all out.

The author writes, “A recent study found that a student’s chances of completing a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degree significantly increases when he or she participates in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), which engage students in hands-on research at a large scale. Researchers from the Texas Institute for Discovery Education in Science analyzed data from more than 4,000 students who participated in the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) at the University of Texas. Using propensity score-matching to control for student-level differences, the researchers tested the effect of participating in FRI on students’ probability of graduating with a STEM degree and their probability of completing a degree in six years. In students who completed all three semesters of FRI, likelihood of graduating increased from 66 to 83 percent, and likelihood of graduating with a STEM degree increased from 71 to 94 percent.

The results, which were similar across all demographic groups, indicate that potentially for every ten students who participate in FRI, two will graduate who would have otherwise dropped out or taken longer than six years to get an undergraduate degree; and almost three more students will earn a STEM degree because they participated in the program.

FRI puts first- and second-year undergraduates in faculty-led labs where they perform discovery-based research on questions and problems of interest to the scientific community. Students choose projects from more than 25 different areas in the life sciences, physical sciences and computer science. They have the opportunity to make discoveries that are relevant to stakeholders outside the classroom and engage in troubleshooting, problem solving, and building off one another’s progress in ways that resemble the practice of STEM.”

These are some pretty impressive statistics but it stands to reason that if you get kids involved at an even younger age, the results could be even more impressive. And that’s why CodeREV has made it our mission to do just that. Check out our summer camps for more information.