If you haven’t signed up your kid for a summer camp yet–it’s not too late! You might have missed the early bird discounts, but quite a few camps are still accepting applications for at least July, and August (ask them about June!)

SBJ Summer Camps, June 13-Aug 5 Ages 5-15. Sports Beijing will be hosting its weekly sports camps at at ISB’s air-conditioned Fusion Dome.  The choices are basketball, gymnastics, and soccer in the mornings; multi-sports (flag football, dodge ball, ultimate frisbee, etc.) in the afternoon. Tennis is now also offered in cooperation with Fusion Tennis Center. Water activities, such as water fights and pool time, can be expected, as well as fun games such as capture the flag and obstacle courses. The Aqua Warriors swim camp is for competitive swimmers, and the HS Youth Performance Camp will be held at Duck and Goose Ranch in Huairou.

• RMB 2,700 (ISB dome), RMB 1,600 (swim camp), RMB 5,200 (HS performance camp). Price includes lunch, camp t-shirts, and transportation. (contact info@sportsbj.com)

HoK Around the World, Jul 4-15
Ages 3-6. Children joining the camp will first get to make their own passport as they’re going on a trip around the word!  What should they pack in their suitcase? Where are they going? They explore maps and world objects, then off they go around the world. At each destination they will explore the culture, songs, language and food in a fun and captivating way using games, music, art, geography and science. There will be a whole host of activities to keep the children’s minds and bodies active this summer.

• RMB 2,200/week (full day). RMB 1,350/week without lunch (half day). RMB 1,720/week with lunch (half day). School bus transportation for an additional RMB 200/week. (contact admissions@hokschool.com, 400 650 7747).

Ivy Camps, Jul 4-Aug 12

Ages 2.6-8. Ivy Academy offers eleven camps at five different campuses. The overall camp selections are: Creative Expressions; Artistic Appreciation; Journey of Art Discovery; Science Shenanigans; Get Active; Sports and Food; Approaching China; Wet and Wild; Traditional Chinese Culture; OE Bilingual Camp; and Game Designer.

• RMB 2,850-7,200/session/2 weeks.  (contact: camp@ivyschools.com)

ClubFootball, Jul 5-Aug 24

Ages 4.5-16. China Club Football has been around since 2001, hosting football classes and camps that promote coordination and teamwork. This summer, their coaches will have week long summer classes for players of all skill levels, or minimal three-day intensive workshops, depending on your child’s schedule.

• RMB 800-1,500/week. Camps will be held in Chaoyang Park, Olympic Forest Park, Zhongguancun, Wangjing, Lido and Shunyi (contact coaching@wanguoqunxing.com, 5130 6893)

Atelier Artistic Summer Camps, Jun 27-Jul 26
Ages 5-12. Atelier Art School will be running funny, creative, and inspiring artistic summer camps for one thematic week.  The themes include a Cubism Workshop; Hokusai and Japan; Egyptian Civilization; Africa; The Little Prince; Around the World in Eighty Days.

• RMB 1,500/week, session. Morning session for 5-8 year olds. Afternoon session for 9-12 year olds. Note that the Sanlitun campus sessions begin on Jun 27 and end on Aug 26, while the Shunyi campus begins on Jun 13 and ends on Jul 22. See their website for a detailed schedule of when each theme is taught. (contact@atelier.cn.com, 132 4018 490, 6416 1614).

Chinese Cultural Summer Camps,  Jul 18-22, Aug 8-12, Aug 15-19

Ages 6-14, China Culture Center hosts a five day bilingual summer camp with both indoor hands-on activities and outdoor tours exploring the city’s authentic Chinese culture and structures.

• RMB 3,200 per child for 5 days. China Culture Center (info@chinaculturecenter.org, 6432 9341)

The Children’s House Summer Camp, Jul 11-Aug 18

Ages 1.5-6.  The Children’s House Summer Camp will be hosted at the Kempinski and China World campuses. Daily programs include nature arts and crafts, music, story tales and lots more.

•  RMB 1,500 (half-day), RMB 2,000 (half-day + lunch), RMB 3,000 (full day) for a session (one week). 10% discount if you sign up for all five weeks. (contact: info@montessoribeijing.com, 6505 3869 or 6465 1305)

Flips & Kicks Plus Summer Camp, Jun 27-Jul 1, Jul 4-Jul 8 Ages 4-12. Flips & Kicks Plus offers a multi-sports Summer Camp where children can try fun sports, such as: Gymnastics, Martial Arts, Track & Field, Football, Ping Pong, Basketball etc.

• RMB 1,980 (half day-1 block). RMB 3,080 (full day-1 block). Price includes water and a fruit snack. Please bring your own water bottle. Lunch can be provided for an additional fee. (info@flipsandkicksplus.com, 13718462044)

That’s Mandarin! Chinese Summer Camp, Jun 27-Jul 10, Jul 11-24, Jul 25-Aug 7, Aug 8-21

Ages 5-17. That’s Mandarin offers several different camp options to suit any family!  There are morning camps, day camps, and full day camps.  For older children, there are also homestay camps, and if you’d like in on the fun—family camps! Camps can be two week long or four week long. The full-length program includes intensive Chinese classes with cartoon class, reading and writing, and topic based oral lessons.  Each week has three days of cultural activities, including traditional Chinese calligraphy, opera mask painting, cooking classes, Chinese knot making, and mahjong. Field trips and excursions are also available for Beijing, such as the Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Confucius Temple, and Beihai Park.

• For Beijing camps, contact: info@thatsmandarin.com (5218 6432). For the Shanghai camps, contact: info.shanghai@thatsmandarin.com (6452 0017).

BSC Sailing Camps, Jun 12-Aug 26
Ages 8-16. Beijing Sailing Center will be hosting single and double week sailing classes.  The program provides an adventurous, intellectual and educational experience, while honing your child’s leadership and communication skills.  Last summer they hosted over 500 children and their parents coming. The center is both convenient to Beijing (a 2 hour train ride trip) and all the accommodation, transportation, a meal, activities, chaperones, and entertainments are covered.

• RMB 13,400 (2 weeks), RMB 6,700 (1 week). Contact: sailing@beijingsailing.com (400 180 0107).

Hyde Education Summer Enrichment Program, Jul 11-Aug 12
Grades 1-9. Hyde Academy has scheduled a series of fun, hands-on, academic summer enrichment programs in math, science, language arts, and humanities for students in grades 1- 9. Take a tour of the universe from the inside out with our exciting introductory physics course.  Use math to explore the world around us through a variety of inquiry-based problems and projects. Fancy yourself as the next Sherlock Holmes? Sign up for our Crime Scene Investigation program.  Other course titles include: Public Speaking, Archaeology, Geography: Mapping our World, and Vocabulary and the Art of Writing.

• RMB 2,250 (half day), RMB 4,275 (full day) per week. Contact registration@hyde-education.com (8046-3886).

O’le Climbing Summer Camp, Jun 20-24, Jul 4-8, Aug 1-5, 8-12, 15-18
Ages 15-19. O’le Climbing will be offering indoor and outdoor adventure summer camps for students during the summer holiday. Various activities are ready for this summer from indoor rock climbing to outdoor camping trip, all activities lead by professional and qualified instructors.

• RMB 4,500 (includes equipment and admission, transportation, food for two camp days). (oleclimbing@gmail.com, 150 0137 1016).

TSL Beijing Academic Summer, Jun 27-Aug 18

TSL will be running a range of of academic summer courses in their Shunyi learning centres including one-to-one classes, “Get Ahead” program for international school students, group classes (on topics ranging from English literature to journalism) and Project-Based Learning (science, design, writing or service-based).

• RMB 300-800/hr (2-week commitment). Space still available in the 2-week UK summer course in St. Albans and Cambridge University. (contact: zhubei@tslbritain.com).

Imagine Summer Camps, Jun 13-Aug 19

Ages 7-14. Imagine is hosting three summer camps this summer: Knight School, Survival, and Watersports camps!

• RMB 3,500/week (survival). RMB 4000/week (knight/watersports). RMB 800 deposit required upon registration. Campers do not stay overnight. Price includes transportation, equipment, and supplies. Requires own lunch. (info@imagine-china.com, 5739 4933).

Please let us know if more summer camps are still open!

Photo: Flickr, courtesy of each organization

Summer camps are said to play an important part in a child’s growth, altering their behavior for the next six months. Even if children engage in enrichment courses, they are outside their usual classroom setting and shed their fear of failure when they realize they’re not being graded for their performance, yet have a variety of opportunities to excel.

An overseas camp will result in a completely different summer experience for your child as they travel to a foreign country, live with a multitude of children, both local and international, and learn to cross international boundaries via the common English language.  Children will return from their foreign excursions with renewed confidence, rich tales to share, and new friends across borders.  An overseas summer camp is a safe way to let children step into the world.

Switzerland

Champittet Summer Leadership Course, Jun 27-Jul 10
A brand new, two week leadership camp for 12-17 year olds organized in partnership with Swiss Leadership Academy. Students will develop leadership skills via challenges and outdoor activities.  They will have the opportunity to develop communication skills, goal setting, time and stress management techniques. Students will also learn about “savoir vivre” and have the opportunity to participate in first aid workshops while learning effectively in teams.

CHF 4,000 including boarding, or CHF 2,000 for day camp. For more information, email challengecamp@champittet.ch

BSB/Juilliard’s Summer Performing Arts, July 9-22
British Schools of Beijing cooperates with Juilliard to present a two-week intensive arts programme in Geneva, Switzerland. Students will explore the world of music, drama, and dance.
Day and boarding programs available for students aged 10-18. Discounts for BSB students. Fee includes accommodation, lessons, three meals a day, transportation and admission fees, health insurance. For more information, contact summerarts@cdl.ch.

US

BCA International Summer Camp, Jul 2-19

Beijing Collegiate Academy takes Beijing families to Camp Speers-Eljabar has been running YMCA camps in the Philadelphia Freedom Valley since 1948.  Children can join a day camp (ages 4-8) while their parents have their own program (including broad exposures to the camp and nearby area). The sleep away camp (ages 7-15, parents don’t need to accompany) participants can select up to six activities.

Registration deadline May 15. Contact for more information: cherry.cai@bj.ccaschools.cn (6681 2563).

Longacre Summer Camps, Jun 26-Jul 16
Offering two programs, a leadership camp for ambitious teens (age 12-18) and a mini camp for younger children (age 8-12), Longacre has been running summer camps for 42 years.  The camps are all hosted on a 200-acre farm in the rolling hills of central Pennsylvania, USA (four hours from NYC). Onsite activities are divided into play, work, build, explore, create, care and rest. Visit their website for more information (longacre.com/inquire).

UK

TSL Young Learners, Jul 24-Aug 7 Students aged 8-13 will mix with young people from all around the world on the beautiful school campus in St. Albans in the UK. The purpose of the course is to improve their English skills and encourage the ability to free talk. For more information, email info@tslbritain.com.(UK)  TSL Cambridge University Summer Course, Jul 31-Aug 14Students aged 14-18, accompanied by a group of eight Cambridge students, will complete a series of workshops related to university, careers, and successful living at Cambridge University (UK).  Students will also make trips to Oxford University, London School of Economics, and University College London. For more information, email info@tslbritain.com.

Photo: Pixabay, Courtesy of Champittet Pully, TSL, College du Leman
, Longacre

For our new column, Ask an Educator, we turn to educators, whether teachers, tutors, or principals, to answer frequently asked questions from parents.  To send in your question, email jessicasuotmaa@beijing-kids.com.

This week, our question is:
“What is project-based learning, and why does everyone want it?”

Answering for us is Julian Fisher, co-founder of TSL, and previous Head of Art at Harrow International School Beijing.

Project Based Learning (PBL), is a widely used term that is often applied incorrectly when perhaps “group work” or “project” would be more accurate. True PBL revolves around a key question or problem, usually chosen by the students that is applicable to their lives or interests, which must be answered through research, innovation, feedback, and the creation of a “public product”. Whether making a documentary or publishing a book, each student in the project has a different role (assigned democratically within the student group), allowing learners from varying ages and abilities to have different responsibilities while benefiting equally from the experience.

What may appear simple–giving students a question, telling them to run off and do some research and then come back with something they can share publicly–actually requires a huge amount of behind-the-scenes planning and preparation. Best with more than one teacher in the classroom, teachers implementing PBL have to ensure that they are inputting useful background information, nudging students towards key areas of research, while verifying that what is produced is the result of hard work, ingenuity, and effective collaboration–not simply a step-by-step journey fed by teachers, or a hastily composed, sloppy product produced by just a few of the students from the group.

As to why everyone wants it, I think that when PBL is done well, it is one of the most powerful learning tools on the planet! Students nowadays grow up in a very strange time: the answer to everything is easily accessible on their smart phones and yet education systems around the world seem increasingly fixated on testing the memorization of this information to gauge success. PBL is important because it does things which not only benefit true learning, but also provides lifelong skills. This means:

• Students research information more deeply because its accuracy is vital to the success of their projects. PBL is also a really great way to introduce ideas about the reliability of different sources. Students examine received knowledge or assumptions, rather than just accepting them as the truth. I spent yesterday with five students testing six different ways of making fire and discovered that what was perceived as the best way, rubbing sticks together, was actually extremely difficult and dependent upon so many more variables than the movies would have you believe!
• Effective collaboration requires effective communication. Much of the teachers’ involvement revolves around getting more talkative students to become better listeners/motivators (one of my most confident students must say “what do you think?” and ask a follow-up question at least four times within the group in each class), while finding strategies for quieter or less confident students to contribute meaningfully.
• In a more traditional school project (think, making a model volcano), the strongest students will do well and the less competent or less hard-working students will do worse. I’m not sure if this is a particularly valuable lesson for life! In PBL, students fail, reflect as a group upon failure, then improve together.
• The “Public Product” is something that is the result of a student group working for a long time. Everything these days is so fast paced that it is easy to fixate on reaching the destination as quickly as possible rather than the journey. When students produce something meaningful that they know was the result of considerable effort, they take more pride in it than when they spent an hour doing something for homework. They also retain far more of what they learned. Thinking long term, universities will always look more favorably upon a student who can say “I wrote a play” or “I co-founded a charity.”

This summer, TSL will be running a range of different Project-Based Learning activities from their Shunyi centre. If your child is interested in attending, please contact julian@tslbritain.com for more information.