With summer upon us, parents are challenged with keeping their kids entertained, without letting their brains turn to mush during the school break. To address this concern and make the most of the summer holiday, more travel entities are launching educational entertainment (“edutainment”) offerings for families on the road.
Here are just a few examples of edutainment experiences from Cape Cod to the Bahamas to Italy:
Marine life lessons at Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club (Cape Cod)
At Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club, families learn about Cape Cod’s unique shores. The resort is located on a private beach, nicknamed the “Brewster Flats,” with an active tidal community that kids can learn all about at the nearby Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. The museum’s exhibits focus on the Cape’s flora and fauna, whales, indigenous birds, and coastal change. Families can take guided nature walks led by a naturalist, and kids can participate in special camp programs and a mudflat marine life tour right from Ocean Edge’s beach. After the tour, adventurers can set out on their own to enjoy hunting for hermit crabs, minnows, and oyster farms. At low tide, families can walk almost a mile out into the bay.
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club offers a premier luxury experience with 90 newly renovated rooms in the Mansion Guest Wings and the completely remodeled Presidential Bay Collection homes. Rates start at $225 per night. Or guests can save at The Villages side, with spacious 1-2 and 3-bedroom Villas, and rates starting at $129 per night. www.oceanedge.com
Summer camp instruction at Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas
This family-vacation mecca is home to highly acclaimed kids and teen clubs, varied accommodations, thrilling water park, and the largest marine habitat in the world. But what really sets Atlantis apart is the resort’s edutainment offerings – particularly strong with this season’s summer camp line up:
- Junior SCUBA Explorers Earn PADI Open Water SCUBA Certification from certified instructors at Atlantis. Join marine experts, explore the themed exhibit lagoons and embark on underwater excursions to nearby coral reefs. 6 day/5 night camp for ages 10 to 15 for $695/per camper (not inclusive of room cost). July 1 – 5, 2013 / July 15 – 19, 2013
- Junior Golf Camp – Learn the fundamentals of golf, starting with grip, posture and alignment, as well as the basics on how to putt, chip, pitch and full swing. 7 day/6 night for ages 6 to 14 for $495/per person (not inclusive of room cost). July 29 – August 2, 2013
- Marine Adventure Camp – Become an Atlantis Jr. Aquarist, and spend 3 days working with marine life. Food prepping to feeding the animals to snorkeling and learning about coral reefs. 5 days/4 nights for ages 10 to 14 for $595 (not inclusive of room cost). June 24 – 28, 2013 / July 8 – 12, 2013 / July 29 – August 2, 2013 / August 12 – 16, 2013
http://www.atlantis.com/camps/camps2013.aspx
Summer (School) Vacation The World’s a Classroom with Abercrombie & Kent:
It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” For parents and educators this quote begs the question: is it better to read about the ancient Egyptians in a text book or see the sun rise behind the Great Pyramid, touch the 2,000-year-old stones of the Temple of the Kings and hear stories of the young king Tutankhamen while standing in the crypt where his sarcophagus was unearthed? Where better to learn about nature than on an African safari, the Romans on a tour of Italy or Darwin’s theory of evolution than in the Galapagos Islands? For parents who see travel as an education, Abercrombie & Kent has 11 family travel itineraries guaranteed to feed the curiosity of any young mind.
An example:
School Subject Inspiration: Art History
Summer Vacation Recommendation: A&K Family Italy: Emperors & Artists
“Teacher’s Notes” from A&K guide Michael Digby: The most unique parts of this Family Journey are the interactive activities. Play the role of a Roman soldier at a gladiator school. Learn how to toss pizza and make gelato together as a family. One highlight for families is the drive to Bologna, where guests learn the secret of making tortellini. Of course, the “Eternal City” of Rome is a must, where families can witness over 2,000 years of history at every turn. Families visit the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel where your young budding artists will gaze up at the frescoed ceiling and learn how it took Michelangelo four years to paint – one of the most renowned artworks of the Renaissance.
Departure Dates / Prices: July 8, July 22 (from: $6,895/adult; $4,695/child)
For information on Abercrombie & Kent’s Family Holidays, call 800 554 7094 or visit www.abercrombiekent.com