As a child, summer vacation is one of the most wonderful and exciting times of the year. With school out, every day entails the possibility of adventure.

Summer vacation is the perfect opportunity for children to get out of the house, spend time with friends and be active. However, in this increasingly digital world, more and more children are spending all day in their rooms playing games and browsing the Internet. Sitting at home all day can lead to negative social and physical outcomes for children. Because of this, it is a good idea to encourage children to get involved in summer activities and camps.

When I was young I loved playing games just as much as the next person. In fact, I could have easily spent all of my time in front of the TV staring mindlessly at the screen. However, my parents encouraged me to be active and to get involved in things during the summer months. During the summer, I spent time outdoors, went to jump rope camps and competitions, performed in plays, worked part-time jobs and went on trips with my youth group. I was always out and about learning and spending time with friends. 

Next week the Pearl River County robotics team, Team Chaos, will host a summer camp for students who have completed the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. During the camp, members of Team Chaos will be using Newton’s Laws of Motion to teach students about rocket propulsion. Team mentor, Karen Balch, said she hopes the camp will influence a group of future scientists and problem-solvers.

If I had known about this camp when I was a child, I would have jumped at the opportunity to participate.

As the summer break begins, encourage children to be active and continue learning outside of the classroom. If they do, those experiences will stick with them for years to come.