Kick Summer Boredom

Get Kids Involved in STEM Summer Camps

Article written by Maryssa Paulsen of Green Bay Botanical Garden

With summer almost halfway done (can you believe it!?), you may have noticed your child’s pent-up energy. A break from school is much needed, but boredom tends to creep into younger minds faster than we would like. Thankfully, there are great recreational opportunities during the summer that will engage and educate your child. Has summer camp crossed your mind?

American Camp Association, a nonprofit organization comprised of camp professionals, believes that summer camp provides a “non-threatening environment for America's youth to be active, to develop competence in life skills, to learn about and enhance their own abilities and to benefit from meaningful participation in a community designed just for them.”

Many members of the Greater Green Bay STEM Network offer summer camps and drop-in summer programs. From exploring bugs, to making food, to building robots – our members have a full array of activities to keep your kids engaged.

Recently, Green Bay Botanical Garden’s hosted two 1-day camps: Critter Safari and Garden Passport. Over the course of the day we watched campers become bolder, braver, and more open-minded to towards things they might not normally see or try.  This is the power these types of summer camps hold. Not only are they a way to get kids out of the house, but they support children in developing new skills and gaining knowledge that helps them to grow.

It’s not too late to sign-up! Check out the Greater Green Bay STEM Network’s website for a calendar of all camps and activities taking place this summer and throughout the year. If you want to sign-up for Green Bay Botanical Garden classes, like those mentioned above, please visit gbbg.org/campgbbg to register your child or grandchild. We’d love to see you at the Garden!