SUMMER CAMPS & KIDS

Home Is Where the Dojo Is… Karate has long been credited for helping youngsters develop their minds and bodies as well as cultivating in students a sense of discipline, confidence, respect for others and more. With the COVID-19 pandemic making in-person karate classes too risky or even unavailable, taking classes via Zoom is a viable alternative for your children. But before your children begin taking karate classes at home, you will need to prepare the learning space and create your “home dojo”. We asked Tim Fitzgerald, vice president of Performing Arts Workshops, and karate teacher for some recommendations. “You don’t need a lot of space or any specialized equipment – Bruce Lee used to teach students out his garage. Clear the space of furniture any other obstructions. An area of about six feet of unobstructed space around all sides of your child will be ample space to practice. Another consideration is flooring. If you have carpeting, great. If not, consider buying a puzzle m...

By Signing Up As An Official Learning Pod, You Can Receive  Significant Discounts on Online After School Arts and Academic Workshops Back to School season is upon us once again, but with a whole new meaning this year. Kids across the country who are typically experiencing first day of school jitters and excitement at about this time, are graciously accepting their new normal of distance learning and social distancing. Instead of designing their pencil boxes and decorating their book covers, they are prepping their virtual Zoom backgrounds and comparing their school schedules with their friends via email.  As we have all adjusted to the realities of distance learning and/or homeschooling over the last few months, Learning Pods & Micro-Schools have gained popularity as a fantastic alternative for parents choosing to team up with one another to provide their children with safe ways to participate in their online classes and activities together, with a small, closely monit...

PAW Steps Up to Help Parents in the Time of COVID-19 Summer is rapidly drawing to a close and the kids are going back to school, either online  or in person. While it is a new world, if the last several months have taught us anything, it is that kids don’t stop being kids just because of the pandemic. While the  world is getting used to the new normal, parents are faced with the added challenge of providing for their children the structure, socialization, and safety during after school hours so necessary to their well-being. Of course, the challenge is further compounded by the fact that the pandemic has had a devastating effect on the economy and family finances.  Fortunately, many after school program providers are active members of the community and are sensitive to the needs of the families they serve and are stepping up to help. For parents looking to enroll children in after school programming, but are prevented by financial hardship, relief is at hand. Performing...

Hi PAW Moms, Dads & Campers Too,   We are excited to announce the final Camp Story Contest for Summer of 2020… By taking a moment to write or talk about your favorite memories from PAW’s Online Camp, you will be entered in a drawing to  WIN an eight week session of PAW’s After School Program on ZOOM .  We are also happily accepting video recordings featuring your child or even you & your child together talking about their special moments or memories.   PRIZES: Three randomly selected participants will each WIN one FREE eight week After School Workshop of their choice, which meet once per week. As a special thank you for entering, all other Camp Story participants will each WIN the Red Ribbon Award of Half Off Tuition for the After School Workshop of their choice. We will be hosting workshops in Acting, Dance, Singing, Karate, Debate, Mommy & Me classes and more! Online campers, parents, grandparents, and babysitters are all eligible to submit an Online Ca...

Keeping Kids Mentally & Emotionally Healthy During A Pandemic With the Coronavirus Pandemic shutting down schools early this year, children throughout the world have been home from school, away from their friends, and without the social activities that keep them happy and mentally healthy for months. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), over 90% of children enrolled in school have been affected by school closures worldwide. That is approximately 1.5 billion students without a school to go to. As we live through these unprecedented times, this worldwide event has brought on new stressors and fear that children were not prepared to cope with. With no in-person access to their friends, teachers, and loved ones, it is more important now than ever before to keep our children’s mental health and emotional well-being at the front of our minds.   Children are being overwhelmed with stressors that most children are not acc...

Online Camps Provide Long Distance Pals With Time Together! This summer is the perfect opportunity to try something new to bring your children with long distance friends and relatives closer together! While in person social interaction will not be an option for Summer 2020, and many people will choose to avoid family vacations, connecting via Zoom is a safe and effective alternative. Summer camps everywhere are adapting to the new standards of social distancing and virtual experiences by creating online classes, workshops, and programs for children to participate in. With these changes in format, come whole new possibilities for summer fun! Does your child have a best friend that lives on the East Coast? What about a cousin that lives in Northern California and is close in age with your child? This summer, kids have the unique opportunity to be reunited by attending online summer camp from home, together. While they may be hundreds and hundreds of miles apart, they can st...

Children and COVID-19 ~ Summer from the safety of home In healthcare, misinformation can be as deadly as the most serious disease – and spread just as quickly. On May 8th Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York reported that the original perception that COVID-19 did NOT affect children was incorrect . There is now evidence that it has caused severe illness in children with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock-like syndromes, with recent deaths reported and others being investigated. This has been corroborated by Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Robert Redfield of the United States Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the heads of other reporting agencies. Talk to your child’s doctor to get the facts about COVID-19. Safer At Home remains the official guidance for your children’s welfare. Although this is not the summer to socialize face to face, it is more important than ever to crea...