| By :
Mark Etinger
Even over summer vacation, many students (and their parents) are reluctant to take a vacation from schoolwork. Of course, that doesn't mean that camp has to feel like school. For many children, camp provides a refreshing alternate learning experience, featuring a low-pressure environment, increased student-to-teacher ratio, and — best of all — no homework! Let's take a look at some of the hottest educational camp supplies on the market: 1. Craft Kits It's very important to nourish creativity during childhood, and arts and crafts camp supplies are a great way to get those creative juices flowing. Plus, it's easy to transform any craft project into an educational activity. Help your campers beef up on world history with dioramas of important events, or explore other cultures by creating Asian- and African-style masks. Create a simple (and temporary) mural out of sidewalk chalk, or have fun getting messy with tempera paint, feathers, and glitter. Still looking for ideas? You can create a fun activity and increase the safety of your camp by enlisting your campers to create educational posters. This allows children to be creative while reinforcing important concepts like maintaining good hygiene, recycling waste, and respecting others. 2. Educational CDs Music is a great way to get kids excited about a lesson or concept. Whether you're looking to teach a foreign language or simply help your campers memorize the 50 states, musical educational school supplies can help. Additionally, many counselors and instructors use CDs to help teach kids about fitness and get them on track for a healthy lifestyle. Children are much more willing to do jumping jacks, situps, and other simple activities with a fun beat going in the background. For an even simpler time, invest in a children's CD specifically designed for fitness — it will have the activities and instructions built right in! 3. Books If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Children have been learning from books for years, and that's not going to change anytime soon. Of course, workbooks are a great way to test kids on basic skills like math and grammar, but for a more relaxed method of teaching, many camp counselors prefer storybooks. For young children, reading a picture book aloud is a great way to educate children about sharing, persevering, and a variety of other topics, as well as more concrete concepts like the names of animals. Older children are able to read independently, but they can still benefit from group discussions of the material. For example, middle school students love The Giver by Lois Lowry, a Newbery Medal winner that uses its compelling plot to illustrate the importance of memory and choice. No matter what age campers you're dealing with, reading as a group will help your kids realize that reading can be just as fun as going online or playing computer games. The school year might be ending, but for camp counselors and instructors, the learning has just begun. For you, camp supplies are more like back to school supplies — helpful tools and materials that will keep your kids learning the whole summer long!
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