When Science Becomes Fun

Science is a subject that requires an understanding of facts, equations with a dash of creativity. This is not for everyone as each child has different interests and abilities. Science does not have to be a boring subject, this can be a fun and exciting learning experience for kids.

Why Enjoyment Matters

Studies have shown that kids learn and recall much better when they are having fun. This adage is the same for science-related subjects; it does not have to bore your kid’s mind to be enriching.

Children who have fun in what they are doing associate these positive emotions with the activities they participate in. This association of these happy thoughts will encourage them to keep coming back and will do their best to perform well.

Kids that have fun are more eager to participate and contribute to the activities. Engaged children will learn more about science compared to kids who are not having as much fun.

Fun and exciting activities stir the creativity and imagination of participants. Children will find it easier to solve problems and look for creative solutions when they join an activity at science camp. It also enables kids to grasp theoretical concepts better if they have fun or if they were presented creatively.

Summer day camps provide unique programs and activities for kids who want to see and experience a different kind of science.

Making Science Fun

Some summer day camps offer a unique twist to an otherwise boring subject that uses facts, equations and concepts. The counsellors and instructors create a conducive learning environment that enables each child to participate and contribute.

Several activities stir the creativity and imagination of your child, but still provide them with an enriching experience that discusses science concepts and facts. Some programs cater to younger kids while others are ideal for pre-teens or teens.

A fun time at science camp will keep kids coming back for more and retain the lessons they learned even when school starts. The activities that helped them retain information will make learning new science concepts as they move up in school easier.

Why Science Camp

Science camp is an enriching experience for all participants, they not only discover new things about science, they also get to meet and make new friends.

Science is a fun subject when shared with others while participating in exciting activities. The counsellors also prepared creative presentations to make the subject fun and imagination stirring.

For great summer day camp programs, check out Zodiac Camp. They have great science-related specialty programs such as Science & Rocketry, Science & Magic and Robotics.

Strengthen Your Child’s Motor Skills at Zodiac Day Camp

Basic skills such as moving hands for writing or picking things up, or walking and running are often taken for granted. These are vital motor skills that people use daily; developing these will enable your kids to participate in sports if they want to.

Day camps provide an excellent opportunity for children to improve their motor skills and find a hobby as well.

What are gross motor skills?

Gross motor skills use whole body movements and large, stabilizing muscles. This skill enables you to perform daily activities like running, sitting upright, walking and standing. You also use your gross motor skills in eye-hand coordination like ball skills where you catch, kick or throw.

The essential building blocks to improve gross motor skills are:

1. Muscular endurance and strength
2. Motor planning and learning
3. Balance
4. Coordination
5. Body awareness
6. Muscle tone

What are fine motor skills?

Fine motor skills require the use of smaller muscles in the hands and other parts of the body. You use this skill when you do up buttons, open boxes or write. The development of fine motor skills affects the efficiency, quality and speed of a task. A high level of fine motor skill proficiency requires several independent skills to work in unison properly to perform a task appropriately.

Skills where a person uses fine motor skills include:

1. Using a pencil for coloring, writing, drawing or other similar skills
2. Using scissors
3. Self-care

Why are fine and gross motor skills important?

Fine and gross motor skills are important to the development of your child because a lack of any of these may lead to bigger problems such as mental or physical disorders. Both are vital to performing simple, daily tasks that they will need in school and in life.

Gross motor skills enable your child to walk, run, skip or play with other kids in the playground or at school. It also allows them to balance on one leg when they put clothes one. Gross motor abilities also affect some fine motor skills; maintaining proper posture influences a child’s ability to draw, write or use the pencil on a table. It also influences the body’s ability to endure a full day at school such as carrying a bag, moving from classroom to classroom or sitting upright.

Zodiac Day Camp offers a variety of activities that develop both your child’s gross and fine motor skills to help them grow into a holistic person.

Day Camps as Perfect Venues for Leisure and Learning

Are you looking for a fun activity for your child during weekends or summers? Day camps provide the right balance of leisure and learning for kids and parents looking for an enriching experience.

Fun and Enriching

It is difficult to find a place where your child can have both a fun time and learning experiences. Zodiac Day Camp Toronto provides your child with a variety of exciting activities where they learn life lessons. Zodiac offers different programs depending on the interest of your child.

Performing arts camp is for kids who want to explore acting and singing. The program helps boost the confidence of children through various activities. The instructors teach participants acting techniques, voice projection and other skills for the stage. It teaches your child to communicate with others, stir imagination and develop inter and intrapersonal skills.

Swim school is a fun and exciting program for kids who want to learn a new sport and get some exercise. Swimming is a challenging sport that pushes the limits of your child, but there are activities for young kids as well. Toddlers can learn how to stay comfortable in the water and enjoy swimming with their caregivers.

This sport teaches your child discipline, as he or she has to master different strokes and go through the rigours of training. They also get to make new friends who share the same interests. Swimming also teaches teamwork as each child helps and pushes each other as they move up a level.

For kids who want to learn first aid, day camp is also one of the best places to do so. Learn the basics and how to respond to an emergency, which may save the life of a person. Instructors Will guide kids through the process and teach them how to use their first aid kits properly when the need arises.

The Right Camp for Your Child

With the many options for day camp in Toronto, you and your child will have to choose which one is best. Consider the interests of your child when you look for a program. Is he or she interested in swimming or other sports? Or are they an arts person?

The involvement of your child in the process piques their interest and makes them excited about participating. Go on personal visits with your kid to each camp on your shortlist. This makes them feel less anxious on the actual start of camp since they have seen the counsellors and facilities.

Day camps are an enriching experience for kids; find one for your loved one to have meaningful weeks and summers.

Music as Your Child’s Expression

Music has been a medium of expression for as long as it existed. Music was made to express gratitude to the gods, to express sadness in mournful passings of ancestors and loved ones, to celebrate a union of individuals, and to simply appreciate the beauty of nature. Music has existed for so long that humans recognize it as a language and not even a child is exempt from this. Young as they are, children can comprehend the beautiful pattern of sounds as a language.

At an early age, even infants respond to music by bouncing and moving their hands and feet. They unconsciously sway to the melodious sound. This response is proof of how music affects the child's body and mind.

Toddlers like music too, and they learn melodies first before words. Music is used to help them memorize and remember things, which means it is advised for learning at the same time, for relaxation and fun.

It is noticeable how children come to like songs that reflect what they feel. A sad child is more likely to listen to sad songs, while a happy child may go around singing and dancing to her favorite perky tune. Parents can constantly check how their children may be feeling just by listening to the songs their children find appealing.

Music also influences moods. Giving your child a chance to learn to play an instrument or simply develop his/her vocal talents would give him/her a hobby to consider as an outlet for emotional expression. 

Having an outlet for your children would mean better handling of stress and can also provide some comfort from time to time. Music is one gift every parent should give to their children. Aside from music being a medium of expression, music also aids learning and memory building, as well as many other aspects of child growth like intellectual, social, emotional, motor, language and literacy.

There are many ways to help your child appreciate music and develop their skills and talents. One way is to enrol them in kids’ summer camp classes that offer lessons and activities to help children discover themselves. Zodiac kids summer camp offers fun and reliable programmes for children to hone their skills and at the same time meet with their fellow campers. The Kid Vantage and Specialty Program they offer are great opportunities for your child to learn and grow in many aspects. Call Zodiac today!

How Dance Classes Improve Your Child’s Individual and Social Skills

In today’s generation, most children have become very dependent in technology and have strayed away from a healthy lifestyle. As a parent, it may be very alarming to you that many children are prone to obesity these days because of easy access to everything. It is important in a child’s growth and development to run outdoors and play with their friends, breathe in fresh air and let the sunlight give them healthy vitamins. It is also as important to introduce them to a sport or activity where they can exercise and become healthier.

There are many physical activities to choose from, dance classes are popular among children of different ages. Dancing develops a child’s flexibility, balance and discipline—all of which are good elements towards self-development. Dance classes also develop a child’s cognitive and social skills, as well as boost their confidence.

Enrolling in a dance class will open opportunities for children to make new friends. Some dance class activities do encourage teamwork and partner activities. While your child is exposed to an environment of different individuals from various walks of life, they learn better understanding of how relationships work and become better with handling or interacting with people.

Confidence is also built up in dance class. The activities help children know what they can do, and how well they are at it. While they are in the process of interacting with friends and receiving support from the people around them, they gain self-esteem. Compliments and constructive feedback will push them to do better and therefore, challenge themselves to progress.

Dance class can also help you, parents, to encourage your child to a healthy lifestyle and stay away from vices like drugs and alcohol. Enrolling them gives the bigger possibility of spending their time in worthwhile activities rather than resorting to poor habits.

Your child is led to a journey full of opportunities in a dance class. Let your child be a part of this learning experience and help him/her become a better version of himself/herself: confident, responsible, respectful, disciplined and healthy. There are day camps like Zodiac that offer programs to help your child learn new skills, hone his talents, and meet other people through different summer camp programs and activities.

Zodiac Day Camp offers many summer camp programs and lessons which your child can enrol in: they have the Kid Vantage Program and the Specialty Program, as well as Aquatic Leadership camps. Open your doors to these wonderful opportunities and let Zodiac’s summer day camp programs help you lead your child to the path of success.

Finding Individuality Through Performing Arts

Performing arts develops many aspects in a child. It helps children find their many talents and develop habits and traits that would greatly affect their future.

Singing, dancing, acting in theater or musical plays are some activities performing arts has to offer. Because it has a broader scope, the range of skills and space for development in every child is vast. Children open the doors to their better and more experienced selves as they evolve in performing arts since it plays an important role in cognitive, social, motor, emotional and language development.

In every performance, a child is given the chance to express him/herself while delivering something-- whether it be a song, a line or a dance. Children get to show what they are capable of and unconsciously develop self-esteem and confidence. With this, they are able to bring ideas to life while also connecting with their innate feelings and instincts.

With better self-esteem and confidence, kids perform with heart and passion that gives them the chance to stand out and identify themselves in a crowd. Because they gain better understanding of themselves as they participate in different activities, they develop a sense of individuality while being able to support their co-performers.

Activities in performing arts also test a child's individuality through improvisation. There are many opportunities for each child to show their unique approach to prospective circumstances or situations in life. Letting the kids experiment on this promotes their individuality and lets them celebrate human diversity with just the right amount of free play.

By allowing your children new experiences it helps them to prepare for the real world as they grow up. Performing arts involvement is just one of the many ways to assist your child's development and growth.

Enroll your child in a day camp which offers this opportunity, like Zodiac's Summer Day camps that offer Specialty Programs that focus on a child's area of specialization-- one of which is Performing Arts.

Zodiac's Specialty Program for campers 5.5 to 12.5 years is aimed for helping children find the art they are most comfortable with, and use their talents for their own benefit when they grow. Zodiac's Specialty Program will help your child hone his/her skills and find great people at the same time. Make the obvious choice, and choose the camp that is reputed for its good service and guidance. Choose Zodiac!

Different Kinds of Performing Arts Discipline

Performing arts is comprised of different fields that have the common factor and as the name suggests, it is all about performance or performing. All arts under this category produce something that cannot be touched, but can be seen and heard. Some of these arts are dance, music, opera, theater, mime or puppetry. Any kind of art that makes a performance its final product falls under Performing Arts.

Music is the art that involves production of tunes and songs. This form of art also falls under performing arts, since the artists perform their music to the audience. There are even musical plays that incorporate music and acting into one.

Dance is the art of graceful movements. Dance is used to express different emotions and represent different meanings and events. It has been associated with many social and cultural symbolism, and makes use of movement and choreography to deliver messages to the audience.

Theater, on the other hand, is a mixture of both disciplines, and many others. Theater involves music, dance or acting and drama to present an event or a story to the audience. Theater also involves stagecraft wherein performers do stage design. There are different types of theater: drama, musical theater, comedy, tragedy and improvisation. Performers portray scenes from known previous events in human history or present an enactment of situations written in books and famous stories.

Operas are always live performances in an opera house, and the story is sung throughout the performance by highly trained and expert classical singers and actors.

The scope of Performing Arts is still debatable especially in the modern times, since there are many performances rendered by different artists all over the world. Opening your child to the wonders of Performing Arts will show them different kinds of performances, as well as engaging them to learn and appreciate the kind of art presented by the actors, singers, dancers as performers. They may even aspire to be one, and who knows, maybe your child has the talent and skills that are yet to be nurtured for this field.

Zodiac Day Camp offers a specialty program for kids, which comprises of many specialization areas including Performing Arts. As a parent, we always want the best for our children, and we aim to support their growth and interests especially when they contribute to their well-being. Register your child with Zodiac and you can be rest assured that your child will have fun and learn a lot about the wondrous field of performing arts!