Summer Camp Gymnastics Programs

The beginnings of gymnastics can be traced back to ancient Greece where soldiers used it to train for the battlefield. Over the years, new exercises and equipment were added until it became the Olympic sport that everyone knows today. At summer camp, kids are given an opportunity to progress through the different levels of gymnastics as they gain strength, flexibility and stamina. Whether your child is interested in gymnastics for fun or for competition, here is what you should know about gymnastics programs offered at summer camp.

Skills Taught in Gymnastics

At first glance, gymnastics appears to teach primarily physical skills such as balance and strength training. Yet, kids in gymnastics learn other skills such as poise when they must perform a routine in front of an audience. As they work toward more complicated moves such as flips, they also gain confidence through taking safe risks. Spatial awareness, perseverance and rhythm are a few more skills that kids learn in gymnastics. Perhaps one of the most important things learned in summer camp programs is how to go from an “I can’t” attitude to a “Look what I can do!” thought process. Learning to trust their abilities is an essential trait that will help kids succeed in many areas of their lives.

Health and Safety Precautions

As a parent, it can be a little unnerving to watch your kids fly through the air for the first time, but you can rest assured that summer camps take every precaution possible to keep them safe. For example, only state-of-the-art equipment is used and it is inspected regularly to make sure it is in top condition. Instructors also undergo a rigorous selection process to ensure that they are properly certified and they are often avid gymnasts themselves. Once hired, instructors and their assistants continue receiving training throughout the year to keep them up-to-date on the best techniques for teaching gymnastics as well as first aid. When gymnasts enter the program, they are assessed to make sure they never try complicated techniques before they are ready. Spotters, mats, foam pits and other safety equipment are also used during training to reduce the possibility of injuries.

Benefits Beyond the Gym

Kids who participate in gymnastics enjoy benefits that extend into the classroom as well as their social lives. Mastering a gymnastic technique, such as a perfect vault, often requires repetition along with the ability to overcome temporary setbacks. This helps them develop the patience to work on complicated math problems in academic tutoring that may require multiple attempts before getting it right. Gymnastics is also unique among many sports since it allows kids to compete individually and as a part of a team. This develops a personal sense of responsibility along with leadership skills that have a lasting impact academically and socially.

Learning to tumble, flip and leap are all fun activities for kids that can give them a break from their normal daily routine. Yet, as each skill is mastered, it provides additional benefits that extend well into every area of their life. Whether your child prefers to take a class for an hour after school or they want to dedicate entire summer days to honing their skills, lessons at summer camp will give them what they need to successfully master the sport.

Let your kids experience the gymnastics program at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://maplewoodyearround.com/summer-camp/programs-for-all-ages/  to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

Strategies To Improve Your Kid's Reading Fluency

Every parent want their child to read better. Since, reading is an important skill children should learn, parents should offer reading opportunities to children to get him to the right direction. Since each kid's reading pace is different, here are few pointers on how to encourage them to enjoy reading and be better at it. 

Should You Sign Up Your Child For An After School Program?

Parents often struggle with time - between the time their kids get to school and going home. Although trusting kids with homework is a good way to practice their responsibility, staying safe after school is one issues parents are worried the most. This is where after school programs come into the scenario. These programs are designed to help out worried parents. Here’s an enumeration of after school program benefits:

Best Ways to Improve Your Child's Reading Fluency

Like most parents, you’re probably want to make sure your child becomes a fluent reader, as this vital skill is the building block for so much of his education. By surrounding your child with reading opportunities of all sorts as well as letting him see you enjoy spending time reading, you can certainly set him off in the right direction. However, not all kids learn at the same pace, and some have specific problems that can be addressed with the right help and encouragement. Here are some pointers on how to encourage a love of reading and how to address any potential stumbling blocks.

Let’s Go to the Library

Public libraries are an amazing resource for parents who want to instill a love of literature in their children. The more kids read, the better their skills, and libraries offer loads of book-based programs for children from babies to teens. Sign your preschooler up for a fun-filled story hour combining reading and crafts, be sure your school-age child keeps up skills by participating in a summer reading program, and get your teen involved in special library activities for older kids. Of course, the library is always a great place to find the best books!

Books of Their Own

Kids’ reading scores have been found to be higher among youngsters who are growing up in a home surrounded by reading material. Make sure there are plenty of books and magazines at your child’s level around the house from cool bug books to fantastical novels and colorful kids’ magazines. Every room in the house can be a place to dive into a book. Youngsters can relax on the couch with a favorite mystery, read recipes while helping with dinner in the kitchen or snuggle up in bed at the end of the day with a beloved novel.

Reading, Reading Everywhere

Children can practice reading anywhere, anytime, not just when they’re engrossed in a novel. Find fun ways to help your child improve skills. Let him read roadside signs, weather reports, game directions, food labels, billboards and restaurant menus. Good old-fashioned board games are a super and fun way to boost reading skills and have quality time with family. Reading is so much a part of everyday life that you don’t have to wait until your child is sitting down with a book to help her with reading skills.

Make Family Reading Time a Tradition

Once kids are older and can read on their own schedule family reading time into the evening’s activities. Just 15 to 30 minutes of everyone in the family reading silently lets kids see you enjoy reading and also gets them in the habit of finding some time each day to escape into a book.

Keep Up to Date

Be pro-active in tracking your youngster’s reading progress. Find out from the school what the expectations are for each grade level, and then track your child’s basic reading skills on report cards and standardized test results. Due to the size of today’s classes and the increased demands on instructors, your child’s teacher may not notice a problem until it’s become serious, so sit with your child and make sure she can sound out words, has good comprehension, knows sight words and can use the context of a sentence to figure out the meaning of unknown words.

Hire a Tutor

For kids who are really struggling, the best option may be hiring a tutor, and the sooner your child gets the help she needs, the more likely she’ll be to develop into a good and confident reader. Teachers don’t always have the time to give kids necessary individualized help, while a tutor can work one-on-one with your child or a small group of kids. Many schools or after-school programs have certified teachers and reading specialists available to help your young reader improve reading skills and comprehension, gaining confidence and hopefully becoming an enthusiastic reader.

Boost up your kid’s reading fluency by signing them up at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

Why Preschool is No Longer Optional

Schools Will Not Admit Students who are Not Prepared

In today’s modern world, a child must attend preschool in order to prepare for kindergarten at either a public or private school. The administrators of schools require that students pass an admission test before they can enroll in kindergarten. Failure to pass this test leads to a student attending a remedial program before progressing to a kindergarten curriculum. Most parents do not have the materials to teach their child all of the information and skills required to pass a kindergarten admission test. Teachers also want their students to have certain social skills in order to fit into a classroom environment.

Preschoolers Learn to Cope with a Structured Environment Similar to Kindergarten

Preschool age children typically do not have a structured environment at home with a daily schedule of learning. In a preschool, the teachers create a schedule of activities to help students develop a variety of skills. Instead of getting to do whatever they want at any time of the day, a preschooler must adjust to following a teacher’s guidelines. In most cases, the lessons taught in a preschool last for a maximum of 20 minutes because the students have short attention spans. However, the lessons are designed cohesively to permit children to learn about different subjects.

Children Learn the Alphabet and Basic Numbers

In Sharon preschool, the students begin to learn about the letters of the alphabet in simple ways such as coloring a picture of an animal that begins with the letter. A preschooler has an opportunity to touch shapes of letters in order to learn the alphabet with a different part of the brain. Instead of only learning numbers by recognizing the figure on paper, preschoolers use manipulatives such as sticks to visualize a particular number. A teacher gives each preschooler an opportunity to learn with kinesthetic, auditory and visual methods.

Preschool Helps with a Child’s Cognitive Development

Cognitive development begins at birth and increases rapidly as a child grows. In a preschool environment, a child is exposed to an assortment of learning materials that are not available in most homes. The lesson plans created by teachers in preschools are designed to address a variety of skills that increase a child’s cognition to prepare them for more intense training in an elementary school setting. Not only do preschoolers learn from their teachers, but they also learn from the other students in a social environment of teamwork and free play.

Children in Preschools Develop their Fine and Large Motor Skills

Preschool is an excellent place for children to develop their large and fine motor skills. Fine motor skills involve tasks such as cutting on the lines of a paper or printing letters in a first name. Large motor skills are also important, and preschool students get an opportunity to learn these skills as they engage in playground activities such as jumping rope or throwing balls into hoops. It isn’t necessary for a child to spend an entire day in a preschool to reap wonderful benefits. Most preschools offer programs that are three days a week instead of five, or students can attend half-day sessions.

Let your kids enjoy the rock climbing experience at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

How Afterschool Programs Develop Your Child’s Skills

A good afterschool program offers a host of benefits to children of all ages. Safe, structured activities give kids a chance to hone academic skills, try out new hobbies, play games and hang out with friends. 

In an age when many kids go home and just tune in to the TV and surf around online, often waiting for parents to get home from work, after school programs offer exercise, time for home work and a chance to play outdoors in a supervised environment. It’s been shown that the peak hour for juvenile crime is between 3 pm and 4 pm, and after school programs keep kids off the street and happily entertained.

Academic Boost

Kids pretty much always benefit from scheduled time for homework, and afterschool programs include a block of time just for class assignments, with the added benefit of staff on hand, often teachers or tutors, to help with that tough math problem or complex essay. Because the programs are less formal than the regular classroom, kids tend to feel more comfortable asking for assistance. More confidence in academic ability not only leads to improved grades, but diminishes the chance that kids will skip school, drop out or exhibit other behavioral problems.

Safe and Sound

After school programs give kids a safe place to be during the dangerous afterschool hours when parents tend to be still at work and free time can lead to mischief or worse. Being in a supervised program lessens the likelihood that your child will either commit or be the victim of adolescent crime as they reach middle school. Attendees in this type of program are significantly less likely to engage in risky behaviors like smoking, drug use, gang activity, theft and vandalism.

Cool New Hobbies

Many after school programs include instruction in a wide arrange of outside pursuits from chess and woodworking to basketball and theater. Kids can sign up to take part in various electives, and your youngster just may find he can quickly give you a run for your money in a chess match or discovers an exciting new passion for art or tennis. In a relaxed atmosphere surrounded by a variety of other youngsters, it’s easy to get excited and try something new.

On the Move

Kids stay active at after-school programs, burning up extra energy on the playground or sports court. Some programs even provide instruction in everything from swimming to soccer, all of which have the super benefit of helping kids get into great healthy living habits. It’s not surprising that kids who attend after-school programs have been found to have a significantly lower rate of obesity.

Social Savvy

It’s not just academic skills that get a super lift from after school programs. Kids who attend have been found to have less behavioral problems, more self-confidence and better conflict-resolution skills. With adults around to help them deal better with peer issues, kids get some handy guidance in strategies for coping with day-to-day problems as well as lessons on respect for others and open-mindedness. Supervised activities and down time lets kids have fun with friends after school instead than lounging around on the couch waiting for mom or dad to get home, and it’s also a great way to meet new people and make new friends in a nurturing environment.

Let your kids enjoy the afterschool program experience at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

Top Five Reasons Why Family Fun Time is Important

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In today’s fast-paced world, where both parents often work and after-school hours are packed with sports, music lessons and other extra-curricular activities, it’s easy to let family fun time fall by the wayside in favor of frenetic schedules. 

However, family activities and traditions are perhaps more important now than ever. 

Don’t let this vital – and fun – part of your family life slip away; make a point of scheduling time together into yours and your kids’ jam-packed schedules. Here are five of the many reasons why.

Family Bonds

Time spent together just having fun is associated with kids and parents forming stronger emotional bonds, and it doesn’t have to be a major trip or expensive outing. 

Just a simple picnic at the park, a trip to watch the stars at a local observatory or a family bike ride around the neighborhood can be just as beneficial (if not as thrilling!) as a trip to Disney World. 

When you take time out of your hectic schedule to relax, hang out and laugh with your kids, it shows them that they’re important to you and you enjoy being with them. Kids who spend leisure hours with their parents are more likely to turn to them for advice or seek them out when they’re having problems.

From Better Manners to Better Grades

Youngsters who spend quality hours as a family have been found to perform better academically, be more compassionate and even learn better manners. 

Whether you’re taking the kids out for an ice cream cone, going on a family sledding expedition or just watching a movie, there are so many chances to teach manners, talk about values and even to show by example how to deal with things when they don’t go as planned. 

After all, as one mom put it, “I tell my kids that the bumps in the road aren’t bumps, they are the road.” Kids can learn to navigate them with kindness and humor.

Better Communication with Mom and Dad

When youngsters engage in fun activities with their family, more open communication tends to develop, and when kids feel free to talk more openly with their parents, they tend to get in less trouble. 

Something as simple as playing a friendly game of catch or splashing around in the pool can lay the groundwork for a more connected relationship between you and your kids. 

In a time when people of all ages tend to become a bit isolated by more technological modes of communicating like the Internet and texting, just getting out and playing as a family can set the ground for super inter-family communication.

Enhanced Self-Esteem

Whether it’s a family tradition of driving around to “ooh and ah” over Christmas lights, an annual shell collecting expedition to the beach or a Jack-o-Lantern carving ritual, times spend having fun as a family hone a child’s all-important sense of belonging, of being loved. 

When parents like hanging out with them, kids get the notion that they’re people of value, that their talents, personalities and opinions are important. Youngsters who grow up feeling secure of their place in the world gain a strong foundation of confidence and self-esteem that will serve them well on the sometimes rocky road to growing up.

Better Times in the Terrible Teens

Teens who have grown up spending active family time with parents often have fewer behavioral problems in these tough years. 

In spite of the fact that they may act like they don’t care about hanging out with you and may pass up family time for a get-together with friends, parents should keep scheduling special time and not take it too much to heart if it doesn’t always work out. 

After all, kids often need their parents the most just when they’re acting like they couldn’t care less.

Lastly...

Last but not least, family fun time is just plain fun, for you and your kids. There's not a lot more heart warming than hearing your child say "remember how we always....?"

You're a parent who makes their children a priority - keep up the good work by providing the best after-school care possible. Maplewood Country Day Camp in Easton MA is the perfect fun and safe place for your kids after school. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.