ISLAMABAD-A new lot of children and teens are turning up to summer camps to engage themselves in healthier activities during their summer vacations.
Summer camps from different organisations such as Lok Virsa and PNCA have caught attention of parents from twin cities who are taking keen interest to get their kids registered in these camps instead of spending leisure time at home.
An official from PNCA said that almost 50 students from various educational institutions of twin cities were participating in the classes to get trained in different fields of visual and performing arts during 7 weeks of Summer Art Workshop. He said that these camps were getting momentum as students were more inclined towards music classes, art and craft and practical work under master trainer/artisan. He said that lessons about history of relevant craft, practical work under master trainer/artisan, storytelling, folk music, folk games and drawings were being taught during the camp classes.
“I opted for summer camps for my 6-year-old kid instead of making him stay at home during vacations because these camps are providing learning environment for kids with fun activities”, said a working parent, Naheed.
Another parent of a 4-year-old kid said that these camps aimed to provide basic orientation to children about traditional skills in an entertaining and interactive manner under supervision of master artisans which was stratifying as parent knowing your kid was learning something.
Pakistan National Council of the Arts arranged the classes including courses of drawing painting, sculpture, calligraphy and other disciplines while National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) also arranged a course to create awareness among children about the indigenous craft heritage of Pakistan.
During the course children will also be taken to visit three National Museums including Pakistan National Museum of Ethnology (Heritage Museum), Pakistan Monument Museum and Pakistan Museum of Natural History to expose them towards the cultural and historical heritage of the country.
Parents expressed contentment about the performance and quality skilled education that was being provided and encouraged others to send their kids to these camps.