A Summer of Exploration with Galileo

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Galileo Camps.

Summer Break has come to an end for another year and that means it's time to...

...start planning ahead for next Summer Break! 

What? Already? Yes!

This Summer Break was pretty hectic for us but we made sure to squeeze in a couple of weeks of Summer camp among all of the moving madness and our trip back to Australia. Despite how busy we were, it was important to me that the kids have a little normalcy and something special just for them during all the change. Plus, it got them out of the apartment while I was busy packing. Ha! Everybody wins!

Anyway, one of our very favorite Summer camps is Galileo. Ava has been going for the past three years and has always had a fabulous time. This year Lola joined her big sister for her first ever Summer camp experience. They both had a blast and learned new skills at the same time. 

Galileo camps are structured in a way that maximizes both the fun and the learning opportunities for kids of all ages, from incoming kindergarteners through to eighth grade. The younger kids (Pre-K to 5th grade) take part in Camp Galileo, a traditional Summer camp with science, art and outdoor activities focused on a fun weekly theme. The older kids (5th to 8th grade) take part in Galileo Summer Quest, a specialized camp focusing on a single major based on varying interests including drones, YouTube production, robotics and, Ava's choice this year, cooking. Both camps foster creativity and team work while teaching the kids important skills and boosting their confidence. The camps look so fun I wish I could sign up for myself! Summer camp for adults... wouldn't that be great?

Let's take a look at Ava's week at camp first...

This year, Ava's major for Galileo Summer Quest was Chefology: Decadent Desserts. As you can imagine, she spent her week learning how to make deliciously sweet treats. Seriously, this was the best camp ever as she brought something home to share pretty much every day! She learned how to make sugar cookies with royal icing, sweet crepes, ice cream sundaes (made with home made ice cream and sauces) and delicious fruit pies. She also learned important skills such as how to read and write recipes, how to accurately measure ingredients and how to use various pieces of kitchen equipment. It did wonders for building her confidence in the kitchen. The kids worked in teams as well as on their own throughout the week and came together on the last day to make a delicious presentation for family members. We were treated to sugar cookies, crepes and pies, and I've got to say, they all tasted delicious.   

Lola's week at camp was based on the theme Expedition Everest. This theme was carried across all parts of her day at camp including her art and science classes. In art class Lola worked on creating a Nepalese style puppet from paper mache, fabric and various craft materials. She kept her puppet's identity a secret all week, so it was a nice surprise to meet "Mr Whiskers" her purple cat puppet on the last day of camp. Mr Whisker's arms move about and Lola was pretty excited to show me that he can even dab! A very important skill for any puppet! Along with her creative work during art class, Lola put her imagination to work in science class creating a mountain rescue robot prototype. With popsicle sticks, foam, plastic tubing, lots of hot glue and a syringe she created a walking rescue robot designed to scale the heights of Mount Everest to rescue trapped hikers.

Along with their set curriculum, both Ava and Lola took part in plenty of fun outdoor activities including fun games and plenty of free play time. There were daily spirit days (dress in your team color, Galileo spirit day etc) with the highlight being Water Day in which the kids took part in all sorts of fun activities that left them dripping from head to toe!

As I've already mentioned, the girls had a fantastic time at Galileo again this Summer. Ava's confidence in her cooking skills grew immensely and Lola became much more independent after her first week of Summer camp. Lola had been a little nervous about not knowing anyone in her group at first, but even after the first day I could see that her independence and confidence had grown, which is just what she needed with the move to a new school coming up.

At the end of their week at camp the girls both received certificates from their team leaders and a pin to attach to their name tag lanyard. Lola was pretty excited to come home with the Galileo rubber chicken pin (for first year campers) and Ava added another badge to her collection.

Galileo camps really are a special place for kids. The curriculum is fantastic, from both the parents' and kids' perspective, and the staff really are the best. The staff work hard to make all the kids feel welcome and to create a fun atmosphere while keeping everyone safe at the same time. They do such a great job, and I was happy to recognize plenty of faces among the camp leaders from previous years.

To learn more about Galileo camps and to find a camp near you head on over to https://galileo-camps.com/

Summer Camp Fun with Galileo

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Galileo Camps but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It may be a grey and rainy day here in the Bay Area, but Summer is just around the corner.

And Summer means Summer camp!

For the past few years Ava has been attending Galileo Camps here in Berkeley and she has always had a blast. This year is no different and she can't wait.

This week the kids are on Spring Break and rather than travelling like we usually do we're staying home and having "Camp Mum". A week of hands-on craft and STEAM activities inspired by Galileo as well as a little exploring out and about. I'm keeping the kids' minds active and learning while we have fun together.

Today we took a fun activity from the Zoom, Fly, Bolt, Blast Steam Handbook from Galileo and made grabbers with simple materials. They were easy enough for the kids to make on their own and provided a ton of fun when done. 

Ready for Summer with Galileo Camps

Summer may seem pretty far away right now, especially for those of you in the colder parts of the country, but it's sneaking up on us and will be here before we know it. And that means the end of the school year and the start of long Summer break will be here before we know it. Time to start making plans for the Summer!

Growing up in Australia, Summer camp was only something I knew about from American movies and TV shows. I had no experience with it myself, but I always thought it looked absolutely magical!

Now that we're living in America, I love that my kids get to take part in things that I only ever saw on TV at their age. Trick or treating at Halloween, playing in the snow over Christmas, handing out Valentines to their classmates, and yes, Summer camp!

Last year Ava attended Camp Galileo for the first time and she had an absolute blast. At pick up on that very first day she was asking me to sign her up again for this year. Now that's a sure sign of a great camp!

Galileo offer a range of innovative camps for children from pre-K through to 8th grade. Their STEM focused camps teach kids to explore, create and make mistakes without fear, and I can tell you that Ava had so much fun with all of these aspects last year. She loved the medieval inspired projects that she worked on during her week at camp, and was so proud of the working catapult that she designed and made on her own, as well as her stain glass griffon (that still hangs in our living room window today). She brought home the skills she learned in making these projects and set about teaching both Lola and Mathilde - and even produced a stain glass DIY video to share on YouTube!

Ava not only learned new skills from her week at Camp Galileo, but also gained confidence. Confidence in herself and her own abilities. Confidence to try new ideas even if they might fail. Confidence to make new friends. That confidence that she came home with was so inspiring and I can't wait for it grow again this Summer.

That's the thing about Galileo. The camp curriculum sparks kids' imaginations and gets them excited to learn in creative ways. They focus on team work and build a camaraderie among the campers and staff through fun games, outdoor activities and spirit days. The staff are carefully selected and they're all great with kids, making the camp experience as fun as it should be.

Galileo offer two camp options for children of different ages. For kids Pre-K through 5th grade there's Camp Galileo, which Ava took part in last year. Kids work on art and science projects as well as outdoor activities. Through teamwork they create works of art such as spinning solar system mobiles and glowing neon signs, as well as engineering inventions like slingshot cars and rideable scooters. This year's camp will be organized around the following exciting themes:

• The Incredible Human Body – The Art and Science of Being Human
• Space Explorers – Cosmic Art and Astronaut Science
• Road Trip Adventure – Art and Engineering on Route 66
• Galileo Makers: Materials Challenge – Extraordinary Art and Inventions with Ordinary Supplies

For older kids, entering 5th grade through 8th grade, there's Galileo Summer Quest. Each week kids choose from 11 immersive majors for which they are mentored by expert instructors with professional tools and materials. Campers can produce YouTube videos, engineer robotic pets, create delicious confections and so much more. This year's Galileo Summer Quest majors include:

• 3-D Modeling & Printing
• Catapult Builders
• Chefology: Breakfast Club
• Chefology: Supreme Sweets
• Go-Kart Builders
• Mobile Game Design 
• Mod Design with Minecraft
• Mystery Room: The Great Escape
• Robot Pet
• Virtual Reality 
• YouTube Producers 

Ava is super excited to take part in, well... pretty much all of these! The Minecraft and Escape Room camps are definitely at the top of her list.

Now is the time to sign your kids up for Summer camp with Galileo! 

Click here to learn more, find a camp near you and sign up. Little Hiccups readers can save $30 on one week of Camp Galileo or Galileo Summer Quest with the code INNOVATE18. Simply enter the code at the checkout. Discount is redeemable for one week of Camp Galileo or Galileo Summer Quest per family only. One-time use. Combinable with our Refer-a-Friend and Multi-Session discounts. Not combinable with any other marketing discounts.

Are you ready for Summer? It will be here before we know it!

Ready for Summer with Galileo Camps

Summer is almost here! Can you believe it? Ava and Lola have just five weeks of school left before the Summer break and they couldn't be more excited. We have some pretty fun plans lined up for this Summer. We have friends and family from Australia coming to visit, a little bit of travel, and, the most exciting thing for the girls, Summer camp! 

Summer camp is still a relatively new thing to this Australian expat. To me, sending the kids off to Summer camp feels like we're taking part in an American institution; another thing, like Halloween and handing out Valentines at school, that growing up I only experienced through American television shows. Another box to check off in our list of embracing American culture.

Avid4 Adventure Summer Camps

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Avid4 Adventure Summer Camps

It may not feel like it in much of the country right now, but Summer is right around the corner. That means it's time to get booking those Summer camps for the kids.

Last year Ava took part in a Summer camp for the first time. She loved it and is keen to try out more this year, as is Lola. They both love being outside, so this year I'm looking into adventure camps. We always spend a lot of time outside exploring over the Summer, but with a toddler in tow we're a little limited as to how adventurous we can get. For example, Ava and Lola would love to go kayaking or maybe even rock climbing, and as much as Mathilde would love to join in with these activities, it's just really not possible right now. This is where an outdoorsy Summer camp comes in handy. My big kids can do all the adventurous activities they've been longing to do without a toddler trying to join in!

One camp that I'm super excited about is Avid4 Adventure camps. With a focus on outdoor activities, and a camp right here in Oakland, it looks perfect for my girls.

Avid4 Adventure camps teach pre-K - 7th graders of all levels to climb, paddle, bike, hike and thrive in the outdoors. With help from a time-tested curriculum and insanely experienced instructors, Avid4 Adventure camps give campers solid skills and character-shaping confidence, launching them into a lifetime of empowering adventure. Doesn't that sound like a fun camp?

Avid4 Adventure day camp locations in California include Mill Valley, Palo Alto, Saratoga, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Campbell, Moraga and Walnut Creek.

Day camps will also be held in Colorado in Boulder, Golden, Highlands Ranch, Denver, Lafayette, Castle Rock and Colorado Springs (NEW in 2017!). Overnight camps in Bailey and Evergreen, Colorado.

To learn more and sign up visit www.avid4.com or call 800-977-9873

Ready for Summer Exploring

     

On Friday I was reading the girls' weekly school newsletter and right there in the first paragraph was a sentence that really jumped out and caught my attention: "There are only six weeks of the school year left". Six weeks! Eek! I can't believe that the long Summer vacation is almost upon us again.

With the realization that Summer is almost here I really got thinking about our plans for the break. Ava will be attending a Summer camp for two weeks for the first time ever (I'm just as excited about it as she is!) but apart from that we have absolutely no plans. The thought of all three kids home, all Summer with no plans kind of freaked me out a little, so I started thinking about activities that we can do to keep ourselves busy. We're sure to be doing lots of crafting at home, but with limited space in our apartment, and the lovely Summer weather, I like to take the girls out as much as possible over Summer.

We're really lucky here in the Bay Area that we have access to both stunning urban and natural environments. We'll most likely spend plenty of time hanging out in San Francisco visiting museums, galleries, cafes, playgrounds and amazing outdoor spaces along the waterfront. But you can guarantee that most of our time will be spent getting in touch with nature here in the East Bay where we have a wealth of parks filled with all sorts of natural wonders to explore. We sure do love to explore!

Rubber Band Helicopters

Summer vacation is fast approaching. There are only seven weeks of school left, and you can bet that my kids are already counting down! With such a long break over Summer I'm always on the look out for activities to keep the kids busy. We're lucky to live in an area with so many fun places to take the kids, but as much fun as it is to be out and about all the time, it's just not all that practical. I need days at home getting work done and on those days it doesn't take long before the kids start with the dreaded "I'm bored". It's like the at-home version of "Are we there yet?". For those days, I like to have an arsenal of fun and relatively easy activities ready for the kids. Activities that they can work on on their own - or with minimal help from me.

Ava has been taking part in an after-school engineering club recently and is really into tinkering at the moment. She jumps at the chance to get creative with popsicle sticks and rubber bands so this rubber band helicopter project inspired by Camp Galileo science curriculum was right up her alley. Lola is always keen to copy her big sister so she was just as excited as Ava.

The girls had a lot of fun making and flying (or attempting to fly!) their helicopters. It's a relatively easy project and Ava was able to do most of it on her own. I like that this project melds creativity and science together. The girls were intrigued by how the helicopters work and were keen to try out a few different techniques to see what would happen.

Here's a look at how to make rubber band helicopters...

What you'll need (for each helicopter):
1 x popsicle stick
1 x 6" hook nose propeller (available here)
1 x large paper clip
1 x rubber band
Card stock
Tape
Scissors
Pencils, markers, crayons or whatever you'd like to decorate your helicopter with

First up you'll need to draw the body of your helicopter on the card stock. A size of 1.5" by 7" is recommended. Ava decided to copy the shape of the helicopter in the instructions from Galileo. She then colored it and added details including a window and doors. Lola decided she wanted to make a butterfly rather than a helicopter. I drew and cut out a butterfly shape for Lola and she added bright colored spots.

Once Ava's helicopter was colored she carefully cut it out.

We then moved on to the propeller. To start with you'll need to insert the popsicle stick into the end of the propeller. Easy!

Take the paper clip and pull the inside loop out so that the paperclip almost forms a right angle. Place the end of the popsicle stick against the outer loop of the paper clip and wrap a piece of tape around to hold it in place. The popsicle stick should be sitting between the two parts of the paper clip.

To attach the propeller to the helicopter (or butterfly) lay your cut out shape face down and securely tape the popsicle stick down. Make sure that it is positioned with enough clearance so that the propeller blade will not hit the card as it spins.

Take the rubber band and hook it through the loop on the propeller. Stretch the rubber band and loop the other end through the free end of the paper clip. You may need to adjust the paper clip by bending it further out to ensure that the rubber band is held a little taut. If there's too much slack in the rubber band the helicopter will most likely not fly.

Now your helicopter is ready to prepare for its first flight.. 

Holding the popsicle stick in one hand, use the other to spin the propeller in a clockwise fashion. This will twist the rubber band. You'll need to make sure that the rubber band is very twisted before it will be able to fly. The rubber band will look like it is double knotted the whole way down. 

Time to launch your helicopter!

This part takes a little practice. Hold the popsicle stick in one hand and the propeller in the other. When you're ready to launch, let go of the propeller which will start to spin. Wait a few seconds and then let go of the popsicle stick. It took Ava and Lola a few goes to work this out. Ava kept throwing her helicopter down to begin with and Lola kept waiting too long to let go of the bottom. They finally got there though and their helicopter and butterfly flew - even if it was only for the briefest time!

It was pretty windy when the girls took their helicopter and butterfly for a test fly so they found themselves ducking for cover quite a few times. Sometimes they didn't duck in time - like in the picture below!

This is such a fun activity and there are so many possibilities for modifications. Ava is intrigued to find out how a helicopter with two propellers would fly. Would it fly twice as high? Maybe it would crash twice as fast. And what about other shapes? The girls are keen to make bird shaped and people shaped helicopters. Would these shapes work? Well, there's only one way to find out! I love that this simple project has left the girls thinking about other possibilities and using their imaginations to explore how things work. 

You can find downloadable instructions for rubber band helicopters plus other fun projects including spoon catapults and illuminated cards on the Galileo webpage.

Little Hiccups readers can save $30 when you sign up for Camp Galileo, Galileo Summer Quest or Summer Camps @ The Tech. Simply enter the promotional code 2015GALILEOCAMPSF. Limited to one use per family. Not valid in combination with additional offers or for previous purchases. Offer valid through 5/31.