Working Parents: Sample Camps to Sort Your Summer at Jingkids Summer Fling!

Cindy Marie Jenkins — Fri, 21 May 2021 03:00:41 +0000

What is currently the biggest question on every working parent’s mind?

Summer camps!

I love being a reliable source of information for parents. It’s half of why I love my job here at Jingkids. So every time a parent asks me where their kid should go to summer camp, I know I can send them this list. But the truth is, there are so many more camps available than we were able to profile, and many will be at the Jingkids Summer Fling next Saturday (May 29), just for you!

Since most families can’t travel outside of China, and working parents need to know how summer camp will affect their schedule and budget, we’re hosting over 20 camps in one place, so you and your kids can test them out right there! I need to stress this part. At the Jingkids Summer Fling your kids can get a taste of what these summer camps are all about through actual activities and not just reading about it on a pamphlet.

Your work schedule doesn’t care that it’s summer, though, so remember to ask these key questions when you talk to the camp representatives on Saturday. Some of these may be questions or ideas camp staff haven’t considered yet, and being there in person to ask is a lot more persuasive than simply asking over WeChat.

What time does camp start? Are there any early start or flexible drop-off times available?
What time is pick up? What happens if a parent or guardian is running late for pick up?
What is the process for allowing people other than parents or guardians to pick up children?
For overnight camps, how are campers supervised?
What is the experience level of camp counselors?
If lunch is provided, what are the choices?
If lunch isn’t provided, is there refrigeration available on-site?
What is the camper to counselor ratio?
Is there a nurse on-site, or someone certified to administer first aid?
Is there a discount rate for siblings? For referrals? For groups?
For younger campers, how is security at the site? Is the location well secured?

Every family has its own needs, but this is a good starter checklist to remind you of important questions to ask while your child is dazzled by their newfound football ability or wowed by one of the many fun activities our camps will offer families on Saturday!

When: Sat, May 29, from 10am-6pm (Rain Date: Sun, May 30, from 10am-6pm)

Please note this is a date change from the original announcement of May 22.

Where: Dongfeng International Sports Park (just west of Chaoyang Park)

Tickets: RMB 100 for a family of three (+RMB 50 for each additional person). Includes a free picnic blanket. If you have a total of ten (or more) friends coming, tickets are RMB 25 each.

Note: Small tents and picnic blankets welcome! Open flame cooking is not permitted.

KEEP READING: Got Questions About Summer Fling? Here Are the FAQs

Images: Pexels

Summer Camp Previews: Survival Camp and UK University Prep

Cindy Marie Jenkins — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 03:00:12 +0000

It isn’t quite summertime, but we’re all looking forward to a little rest after the tumultuous year and a half that’s past. Some families treat summer like a lazy time, others as the fourth semester of school, but we all know that come July, some kind of break from the norm is in order. That’s where here we at Jingkids come in, ready to rock your scheduling world with these summer camp highlights. Each week we’ll go behind the scenes of a camp so you can make the right choice for your family.

Pingo Space Survival Camp

You might hear survival camp and think you’ll get put through endurance tests before being voted off the island or win a large cash prize. But Jennifer Holstein, Human Resources Manager and Event Planner of Pingo Camp, assures us that it’s really just a chance to connect kids in Beijing to the nature they don’t get every day from living in the city, “This camp is so valuable because kids will be able to get down and dirty and learn real-life skills that can help them in any outdoor situation and last for a lifetime… Some campers have never seen half the things they get to see at camp. Kids will learn how to build fires, build shelter, filter water, build rafts, and more!”

Some of the benefits of this camp are its authenticity; for instance, campers will get to sleep at the camp and will learn how to “survive’ (in teams and with help) in the wilderness. Don’t worry if they’ve never slept away before, because Holstein says that “Most campers cry when they go because they don’t want to leave their parents, and cry when [their parents]come back because they don’t want to go home.”

You still get the “Survivor” or Lost Boys experience after your training, though. Holstein says that “On the last day of camp, campers get to go to a nearby survival island with lots of awesome games and activities.”

Summer Camp Facts

Who: Pingo Space 平行国
What: 5 fun-filled days of outdoor survival camp where campers learn skills to survive in the wilderness
Where: Huairou, Beijing campsite, at night campers bunk with one other person in an air-conditioned room with a private bathroom
When: Jul 19-23, Jul 25-30, Aug 1-6, Aug 8-13, Aug 15-20, Aug 22-27
How: WeChatID: jcourt
Ages: 7-14 years old
Teacher to Child Ratio: 1 Lead instructor, 2 assistant instructors, 12 campers
Prices: RMB 7580-8980
Curriculum: Fire building, water filtration, building rafts, building shelter.
Conclusion: Survival camp completion certificate|
About: Highly experienced outdoor guides with wilderness first aid certifications. This is the third year Pingo Space has been running this camp. All staff and instructors are highly experienced.

Your UK Summer in China at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo

Summertime is usually a time when expat families return to their home country and refresh a bit in more familiar surroundings. With travel restrictions still in place, however, the University of Nottingham Ningbo China stepped up to “offer an authentic British-style university experience from the safety of China. This program is also highly practical, with every element designed to help students who wish to apply to overseas universities in the future,” said Julian Fisher of the Venture Education.

“UNNC is welcoming two cohorts of bright young minds to our British-style campus this summer, David Foster, the Director of Business Development Office, University of Nottingham Ningbo China told jingkids. “The courses are selective and students must pass an interview to attend, but there truly is no better way to prepare for overseas study in the future than working alongside top academics surrounded by cutting-edge research in STEM, Business and Social Sciences.”

With “taster sessions” in the STEM or Business and Social Sciences subjects, 40 hours of academic English classes, and activities like sports, games, a Masterclass Series with UK university admissions experts, workshops, this camp aims to show students what kind of experience they would have at an overseas university.

All students will also sit the Morrisby assessment, a psychometric test common in the UK, which is used to highlight a student’s strengths. These are then compiled with their most suitable choices for degrees and careers in a bespoke 20-page report for each student.

Summer Camp Facts
Who: University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo
What: An international, English-language university experience in China this summer.
Where: University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo
When: Jul 19 – Aug 6
How: Visit the website: www.nottingham.edu.cn/en/business-development/summer-school.aspx
Ages: 14-17
Teacher to Child Ratio: 1:30 (various expert teachers for the different workshops and classes)
Prices: RMB 32,000
Curriculum: Two courses:
A: STEM
B: Business and Social Sciences
Students choose one of these two options when they apply. They will undertake projects which will serve as taster sessions to various subjects within these areas.

Projects include (subject to change):
STEM – Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, Electronic Circuits and Drones
Business and Social Sciences – Language and Linguistics, Marketing, Economics
Each course will also feature 40 hours of academic English classes and 3 bonus IELTS classes run by former IELTS examiners.
Conclusion: All students will receive a certificate for completing the course. There will also be awards available for the best performers according to certain criteria which will be laid out in the student handbook given to students before the course. Tied to these awards will be personalized letters of recommendation from professors, which students can use to support their applications to overseas universities.|
About: With a beautiful campus designed in the image of the University of Nottingham UK, British-style teaching, and a multicultural environment with 284 foreign academics and students from all across the world, UNNC Summer School is a truly authentic representation of a British-style university.

KEEP READING: Summer Camps Preview: A Royal Summer Camp and Inclusive Cycling

Images: Canva, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo

summertime – Beijing Kids

Working Parents: Sample Camps to Sort Your Summer at Jingkids Summer Fling!

Summer Camp Previews: Survival Camp and UK University Prep

Summer Camp Facts