Category: Academics

Academic camps and classes allow your child to explore subject matters they enjoy inside of the classroom on a more in-depth level outside of the classroom.

Categories
Featured Posts Mindfulness Parenting Resources Yoga

5 Simple New Year’s Resolutions for Kids

The new normal adjustments continue with ongoing schedule disruptions and social isolation quarantines. Let’s look ahead to the new year for new ways your kids can prioritize their health, education and mindfulness.

Because managing physical and mental are more important than ever, these super simple new year’s resolutions for kids will surely inspire a year full of growth and joy.

1) Get Physical

Exercising every day can help kids manage their sleep schedule, improve their mood, and decrease stress. This can be a healthy habit for the whole family – hiking, biking, going for walks, or other recreational activities are all great ideas to enjoy together. 

Kids Yoga Classes

Other exercise and fitness classes for your kids include:

Dance: Kids of any age can participate in a dance class or have a dance party in a fun, safe environment. Many classes are for beginners and explore many different styles of dance, like hip hop, ballet, and jazz.

Martial Arts: Martial arts classes help build confidence, leadership skills, and resilience while providing a fun space to stay active.

Yoga: Online yoga and exercise classes are a relaxing activity for all ages. In yoga classes for kids as young as 4, students learn basic yoga movements and body awareness.

See All Fitness Classes on ActivityHero>>

2) Support Nutrition

Healthy eating is important for all ages and typically on the short list of new year’s resolutions for adults, too. Establishing a good relationship with food is knowledge that kids can use for their whole life.

The introduction of cooking at a young age is a great way for kids to start learning about nutrition. Being in the kitchen can also help with independence, help picky eaters, and spark creativity.

Cooking Classes: Instructional classes with expert teachers bring kids through recipes while teaching kitchen safety, cleanliness, and art.

DIY Recipes: Have fun with recipes on your own time, with video tutorials to help you out!

3) Schedule Relaxing Activities

Along with exercise and nutrition, making time for enjoyable and relaxing hobbies has many benefits as well. A new year is the perfect time to explore something new, whether it be art, music, writing, or gaming.

Art classes for kids

Art Classes for Kids: Art can be a constructive outlet for children of all abilities to express emotions and relieve anxiety. Drawing, painting, clay modeling, and crafts are all great activities.

Music Classes for Kids: Music is a great activity that anyone can pick up for fun, whether it’s learning an instrument, singing, or dancing.

In addition, any relaxing hobby your child enjoys can help them socialize and unwind. Cooking, theatre & drama, music, LEGO or even making slime could be good options!

See All Online Classes on ActivityHero>>

4) Find Mindfulness and Meditation

Look forward to a year of emotional health and reduced stress. Yoga, exercises to reduce stress, and meditation are great because they help to prepare for the ups and downs of life. Even five minutes of breathing or mindful exercises a day can help to develop healthy emotions and resilience.

Kids Mindfulness Classes

See Mindfulness on ActivityHero>>

5) Stay Connected

Many kids had to learn to navigate technology this year to attend school and socialize with friends. Live online classes or calls are a great time for kids to safely interact with each other and work together on fun activities. It is important to make time to keep connections.

See Social Skills and Social Media on ActivityHero>>

Along with encouraging kids to reach out to others, be aware of the risks of the online world. Teach your kids about cyberbullying so they can be more informed and browse the internet safely.

Now that you’ve established some new year’s resolutions for kids, explore 5 Ways to Manage Stress and Anxiety in Kids for even more ways to support your kids during this unprecedented time.

Categories
Academics Camps Creative Arts Holiday Break Camps Music On-Demand Performing Arts Play/Outdoor School Breaks Science/Technology Seasonal Activities Sports

5 Reasons You & Your Kids Need Winter Camp

Here are a few great ways to validate the importance of camp during winter break. Make your dreams of attending a meeting or cooking dinner without interruptions come true too!

As a parent of two active boys, ages 6 and 8, I frequently consider adding “Rambunctious” and “ER” to their middle names. Needless to say, most school breaks create a sense of panic on how to keep them engaged and our home, now workspace zen.

With winter break around the corner, my survival mom goal is to end the year without any trips to the emergency room while my more thoughtful mom instincts urge me to make use of the time for learning experiences that the boys don’t get in the classroom.

Winter camp is amazing for five reasons.

 1. Get Progress Report Help

In pre-pandemic times, learning loss was mainly associated with the summer slide. Since the 2020 lockdown, helping kids catch up from the extended school closures has been both challenging and real for many families.

“We now share assessment data from this fall, which show that students, on average, started school about three months behind where we would expect them to be in mathematics. The picture for reading is more positive, with students starting school just a month and a half behind historical averages.”

McKinsey & Company’s “COVID-19 and Learning Loss”

You’ve seen your kids progress reports at this point, and hopefully they are doing ok. Winter is the second longest break after summer so it’s a good time to start closing any gaps with activities. Now’s the time to start supporting ongoing academic learning and social emotional development.

Learning doesn’t always require a textbook and worksheets. Exploring new experiences generally facilitates brain building, whether it’s concentrated in academics or enrichment.

2. Bring Home Thoughtful Holiday Gifts Created at Camp

Multi-task. Sign your kids up for Art, S.T.E.M. or Cooking classes that produce holiday gifts for loved ones. Playing is learning! Your kids get to experience a fun activity while acquiring new skills, you have one less person to shop for and you get a few hours of time to yourself. That’s a triple win.

Personally, this is one of my favorite options for winter camp. In past years, my older son enjoyed a jewelry making camp that produced necklaces with real clasps that were gifted to his two grandmas. My younger son did an art camp that generated many rolls of “abstract” paintings, perfect for gift wrap. 

3. Convert High Energy Kids to Tired Kids

The benefit of living in California during winter is that our version of cold (50°-60°F) is the rest of the country’s idea of perfect weather. Explore a new sport or revisit an old favorite to keep your house from looking like an indoor tornado recently visited. 

Invite your kid’s besties, so it becomes a play date and you can just drop them off. Your kids will have the opportunity to make new friends, too.

This upcoming winter break, we searched for camps that could help the kids stay active and outside. Their current interests are soccer and basketball, so finding a place that returns them to us tired was the only other prerequisite.

4. Find COVID Conservative Support

For families who remain at home, creating your own personalized camp has never been easier! Attend live Online and On-Demand activities from anywhere. There are academic classes to help with tutoring support. There’s also really fun opportunities to just attend a virtual dance party, music or Minecraft classes. Mix and match the options to your kid’s interests.

This is also a great way for COVID Conservative friends to stay connected with friends both near and far that they haven’t been able to see in person.

5. Give Yourself a Break

At the height of the pandemic, I was on a video call for work while my kids were quietly playing amongst themselves. It all seemed so normal, until the staircase in my background was suddenly filled with a river of stuffed animals rolling downward. A “rain” of Nerf ammo followed for the dramatic conclusion. Every parent at home working remotely with kids during this time has a version of this story. While it is hilarious now, it’s also not something we want to relive.

Parent’s getting time for themselves is a good thing. Sign your kids up for camp. Keep calm and carry on.

Scholarships are also available for families in need.

Make Planning Easy

Do you need to coordinate camps and carpools with friends? Juggling a camp schedule with multiple children is like playing a real life game of Tetris. Save time and plan the ultimate camp experience on ActivityHero with your child’s classmates, teammates, and neighbors with the ‘Invite Friends” feature! 

Discover more kid-approved camp options now enrolling for winter camps and classes at ActivityHero, a marketplace of offerings near you in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Orange County. Plus, earn bonus reward points when you download ActivityHero’s iOS app for faster and easier searching!

DNA designed with candy from Su Yun’s Chinese Learning Center.

Written by Tabetha Chau, a mom of two boisterous kiddos in Oakland. She helps out on the ActivityHero marketing team. In her spare time, she also catches Pokémon and tries to learn Mandarin with her family.

Categories
Academic Writing Academics Crafts Creative Arts Creative Writing Music On-Demand Parenting Resources School Breaks Vacations

5 On-Demand Holiday Activities for Kids

holiday activities
From Christmas Bingo by Tutoring Support Services 

Find boredom busters your kids can do at their own pace. Anytime, anywhere.

These winter-themed activities are all accompanied by videos for kids to independently learn on their own using ActivityHero On-Demand. From 10 minute projects to longer 160 minute adventures, take your pick.

1. Discover Christmas S.T.E.M.

Where S.T.E.M. (or Science. Technology. Engineering. Mathematics.) and Christmas join forces. Kids will continue learning while they are doing fun Christmas activities to get into the spirit of the holidays.

Ages 4 – 8 (160 minutes)

>Explore more On-Demand STEM inspired activities

2. Paint a Christmas Hedgehog

Watch the step-by-step process of creating a scenery from a blank piece of paper. Students will learn how to sketch, color and shade to really enhance their drawing techniques, and design a beautiful background and foreground in the process.

Ages 6 – 17 (61 minutes)

3. Take a Jingle Bells Piano Lesson

Ms. Emily from KidzKeyz will teach your kids (the colorful way) how to play Jingle Bells on the piano, just in time for the holidays!

This simple, quick lesson gives students in K through 3rd Grade an opportunity to explore and express their own creativity. Your child will love KidzKeyz fun and encouraging teaching style.

Ages 4 – 9 (10 minutes)

4. Make a Winter Holiday Card

Learn the basics of vector based illustrations with Inkscape (a free software) while creating your very own winter theme card.  Kids will draw a basic winter scene, that includes making some basic evergreen trees, snow flakes, and even form a snow man! You can print and use the card you create as a holiday card, or a card to bring in some winter time cheer.

Ages 9 – 18 (48 minutes)

5. Join Storytime + Mud-Play

Teacher Shelly will read to you from this amazing book all about mud! Do you like to play in the mud? Or would you rather keep your hands clean? Have you ever thought about painting with mud?

This video might just inspire you to create your own mud masterpiece! Campers are invited to dig into our mud-play activities after watching the read-aloud video. The video is 5 minutes long if you prefer to simply listen to the story and skip the messy play.

Ages 2 – 12 (20 minutes)

Discover more on-demand DIY holiday inspired, self-led learning opportunities for your kids at ActivityHero.

Categories
Academics After-School Activities Camps Featured Posts Online Learning Parenting Resources

School Holiday Camp Guide: Bay Area

The Bay Area Winter Break Camp Guide

The best Bay Area camps & activities for kids during school holidays - including Winter Break!

The School Holiday Activity Guide features our most popular and trending camps on ActivityHero in the San Francisco Bay Area – including academic support & tutoring, music, coding, art, LEGO®, and more! Learn more about updated programs to fill gaps during school holidays – including curriculum, group sizes, and available schedules.

KidzToPros

KidzToPros On-Campus Winter Break Camps keep kids engaged, happy, and safe while schools are on break. Our popular camps provide kids a chance to exercise their mind and body, and ignite their creativity through our most in-demand STEM, Arts and Sports activities.

TechKnowHow

Join TechKnowHow for engaging and educational in-person Winter Break programs, including Minecraft & LEGO Creators Camp and LEGO Adventure Builders Winter Break Camp! Camp locations include Cupertino, Palo Alto, and San Francisco.

Ingenium Enrichment

School out for Winter Break? Join Ingenium Kids ages 5-12 for highly flexible full and half-day enrichment camp focused on whole child activities including cooking, music, reasoning, movement, theatre, art, science and mindfulness.

Super Soccer Stars

Set in a fun, non-competitive environment, Super Soccer Stars, offers the nation’s most popular children’s soccer program for kids ages 1-18. Super Soccer Stars offers a unique, age-specific curriculum that is crafted to improve soccer skills, build self-confidence, and develop socialization skills. Check out one of our in-person classes, camps, or soccer pods this fall.

Best in Class Education - Palo Alto

We help students develop the skills and knowledge they need for a bright future. Best in Class students benefit from individual attention, active instruction in small groups, and engaging course material aligned with common standards.

Located in Palo Alto, our School Break Math & Writing Camps move students of all abilities towards the top of their class, but our mission doesn’t end there.

Code With Us

Code With Us offers on-campus programs for Winter Break – teaching students a variety of skills through coding education that include popular programming languages like Scratch, Python, JavaScript, Minecraft Modding and much more. They maintain 5-to-1 student to teacher ratio so teachers can provide utmost attention to students to create and design their coding projects.

Unified Studios

Unified Studios offers dance classes starts at age 2. In our Toddler Turn Up (adult participation) and Preschool Dance classes we will focus on rhythm, coordination, musicality, and textures of movement. In our Rhythm & Vibes (Hip Hop) classes we will focus on foundations of hip hop, choreography, rhythm, coordination, musicality, and textures of movement.

CD's Art Studio

CD’s Art Studio offers in-person art camps for kids in San Jose and online camps for students worldwide – including camps for school holidays such as Winter Break, and more. From beginning to advanced camps, explore mediums such as drawing, painting, mixed media, fused glass mosaics, and more at an award-winning program!

Maker Studio Kids

Join Maker Studio Kids Holiday Break Camp! This is a fun hands-on camp letting kids explore and learn about fun topics through the process of making.

Kids are introduced to the sewing machine, 3D printers and other themes during the day. It’s student lead and split into two learning tracks for kids to cycle through each activities. During Studio time kids will have the freedom to create their own projects or follow instructed projects.

Moving Arts Academy of Dance

Drop your kids off for a full day of dance and fun at Moving Arts Academy of Dance while you get your holiday errands done in peace! December 20 – December 23, 9:00am-3:00pm. This is a fun dance camp for all levels! The camp will include a daily dance class, choreography exploration, dance games, arts and crafts, and a daily visit to nearby Balboa Park for lunch and fee time. Kids love our camps!

City Beach of Fremont Volleyball Camp

City Beach of Fremont is the Bay Area’s One-of-a-Kind Family Recreation, Sports and Events Center! We offer Summer Camps, School Break Volleyball Camps and Volleyball Clinics for a variety of age groups. Our coaches have plenty of experience working with players of different skill levels and ages, so you can rest assured you’re in good hands. 

Kidizens LEGO® Camps

At Kidizens School Holiday camps and workshops, kids are age-appropriately partnered to build their dream LEGO cities and solve civic/economic problems in order to form a well-functioning society. The 3- and 4-day workshops enable kids to immerse deeper into their responsibilities and solve various problems for their cities while facing challenges and crises along the way. They end the workshop evaluating city economy and overall citizen happiness, in addition to putting infrastructure, laws, and services in place — and of course, having lots of fun while doing so!

Golden Gate Skateboarding

Join us for Golden Gate Skateboarding Camp at Waller Street Skatepark in San Francisco, CA. Each day we will start camp with an introduction to skateboarding specific stretching/yoga routines that improve performance and reduce injury probabilities. Next, we will be covering more beginner level skills like pushing the board properly, turning, drop-ins, and kick-turns, all the way up to more advanced skills like Ollies, kickflips, 50-50 grinds, frontside 180’s and many more tricks. All skill levels are welcome!

Always Learning and Growing

Always Learning and Growing provides outdoor holiday break camps for children in Berkeley, El Cerrito, and San Francisco with the goal of giving children the developmental benefits of a significant nature experience.

Children hike, learn about nature and science, and learn new physical and social skills. Small group sizes and highly trained teachers. Classes for ages 18 months to 6 years and camps for ages 3-8 years.

Young Builders Palo Alto

Learn basic woodworking and model building combining basic work with metals at the Young Builders School Holiday Building Camp in Palo Alto. The knowledge kids get from building these models will help with math, geometry through the need for measurements and an introduction to engineering while having fun. A memory that will last a life time and a pride of saying “I made that.”

GrowFit

GrowFit Camp provides a safe place for children to learn and play during school holidays in Redwood City, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek. Campers discover new passions, engage in a variety of sports and group games and learn the value of teamwork and sportsmanship. Our unique, age-appropriate games and challenges help children build self-confidence, develop relationships and have lots of fun! 

Rockband Land

Rock Band Land is a unique creative arts program based in San Francisco that focuses on artistic collaboration through rock music, storytelling, visual arts, video production, and comedy.  The program is wildly creative and wonderfully crazy. No prior experience necessary. 

BrainVyne

Enroll your LEGO® enthusiast in a Spring Break Camp at BrainVyne in Palo Alto. The camp includes exciting activities involving LEGO® gears, axles, battery packs and LEGO®robotics. Children are grouped by age and will learn the fundamentals of simple machines through play. Under the supervision of experienced and caring BrainVyne teachers, your kids will have an enriching and fun-filled day.

See All Winter Break Camps & Classes
Categories
Academics After-School Activities Camps Featured Posts Online Learning Parenting Resources

School Holiday Camp Guide: Los Angeles & Orange County

Winter Break Camp Guide:
LA & Orange County

The best classes, camps & activities for kids during Winter Break.

The Official School Holiday Activity Guide features our most popular and trending classes on ActivityHero in Los Angeles and Orange County – including academic support & tutoring, music, coding, art, sports, and more! Learn more about updated programs for upcoming school holidays – including curriculum, group sizes, and available schedules.

KidzToPros

KidzToPros On-Campus Winter Break Camps keep kids engaged, happy, and safe while schools are on break. Our popular camps provide kids a chance to exercise their mind and body, and ignite their creativity through our most in-demand STEM, Arts and Sports activities.

Beach Cities Volleyball

Beach Cities Volleyball Club (BCVC) is a non-profit youth sports organization. The Club’s priorities are to teach volleyball skills, character development and to have fun. BCVC works very hard to create an atmosphere where players at all skill levels can become “the best that they can be” and have a positive experience. BCVC has Holiday & New Year Camps in Torrance, CA.

EDS MY CLASSROOM

Join EDS My Classroom’s academic & creative Spanish program and develop your children’s proficiency in the language. Groups are kept small so kids can participate in hands-on craft and games to make learning fun! School break Spanish Camps are located in Marina Del Ray, Ca.

Kids on Stage

Spend your Holiday Breaks with Kids On Stage! Campers enjoy theater games, songs, choreography, and arts & crafts. Each camp day ends with an improvised, collaborative Play-of-the-Day where campers have a chance to play characters and scenes inspired by the week’s theme, or create their own. Campers are encouraged to share ideas and shine in a non-competitive, inclusive environment that develops self-expression, confidence, and joy! 

Lil' Chef School

Here at Lil’ Chef School, we teach kids to cook through classes, workshops, Summer Camps and day camps and mini camps during school holidays. Our classes and camps allow children to be creative and explore the Culinary Arts experience. It also encourages them to try new foods. We specialize in kitchen safety, and teach children how to cook by introducing various age-appropriate cooking techniques.

Design Hive

Join Design Hive for an in-person school holiday day camp focused on the creative exploration of all things STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics)! ⁣⁣Design Hive offers a combination of in-depth project work and one-off exploratory activities to engage kids in activities such as kinetic art, circuitry, game design, movement, architecture, engineering and more!⁣  ⁣ ⁣

Super Soccer Stars

Set in a fun, non-competitive environment, Super Soccer Stars, offers the nation’s most popular children’s soccer program for kids ages 1-18. Super Soccer Stars offers a unique, age-specific curriculum that is crafted to improve soccer skills, build self-confidence, and develop socialization skills. Check out one of our in-person classes, camps, or soccer pods during upcoming school breaks.

Tiny Tees

Tiny Tees Golf is a program designed specifically for 3-7 years old and 8-13 years old. The goal at Tiny Tees is to introduce children to the game of golf while having fun. Children will work on individual golf skills: full swing, putting, pitching, chipping, bunker play, golf course etiquette, and course play. School break camps are being held in South Pasadena and Newport Beach, CA.

TEACH Communication

Teach Communication through Science (TCTS) was established in 2018 as a private STEM educational company with the mission of inspiring and nurturing kid’s innate curiosity by giving personalized care to its students age 4 to 14. TCTS offers in-person programs like Winter Break Tinker Club and hands-on STEM classes in Glendale, CA.

Upstander Kids Anti-Bullying Camp

The Upstanders Evolution Anti-Bullying Camp teaches kids to be their own superheroes! It is an immersive socially aware empowerment program that boosts kids’ self esteem by helping them to discover their inner strengths through a wide variety of different activities. Programs include school holiday camps – including Winter Break.

Pamper & Play

Our philosophy at Pamper & Play is simple: parents need help and kids need entertainment and FUN on their days off during the school year! We know that parents want fun, enriching and most of all FLEXIBLE activities for their little ones while they are on break. That’s why we have jam-packed the school break camp with fun arts, crafts, games, music, dance, messy science and more.

Shanelle Gray Studios

At Gray Studios Make-A-Movie Winter Break Camp in Los Angeles, kids will be crafting a short film from concept to final cut in 5 days, involving the students every step of the way. They will get the chance to help craft and create their own characters once a storyline has been written with THEM in mind. Upon completion of the camp, each student will be provided with a copy of the film for their own personal use and receive IMDB credit!

Jeanette Airen Performing Arts

Jeanette Airen Performing Arts Studio is an award-winning music and drama studio that offers in-person and online classes including singing, acting and dancing. This session we will travel back in time to the 80’s for our production of Fame Jr.! Our small class sizes make it possible for more one-on-one attention and solo opportunities! Learn from professional performers in an encouraging and safe space while building self-esteem, teamwork skills, and most importantly, having fun!

LA School of Music

The Los Angeles School of Music offers fun and engaging music lessons and classes on piano, voice, guitar, and more! Our online classes are always live and interactive.

Our music teachers are professionals with at least a Bachelor of Music, and most have a Master of Music degree, from schools such as CalArts, UCLA, and USC. All instructors have years of teaching and performance experience.

See All Winter Break Camps & Classes
Categories
Academics After-School Activities Camps Featured Posts Online Learning Parenting Resources

School Holiday Activity Guide: Online Classes

Winter Break Activity Guide:
Online Classes Edition

The best online classes & activities for kids to fill gaps during Winter Break & more.

The Official School Holiday Activity Guide features our most popular and trending classes on ActivityHero that can be attended from home – including academic support & tutoring, music, coding, art, LEGO®, and more! Learn more about updated programs for upcoming school holidays – including curriculum, group sizes, and flexible schedules.

Create & Learn

Founded by former Google Product Director and Stanford graduates, Create & Learn is an award winning online computer science education program for grades K-12. We offer 25+ fun topics including Scratch coding, Minecraft coding, Python, Robotics, AI, Arduino, Cloud Computing and many more.

Gaming Together

Spend school break as an adventuring hero with Gaming Together, working with friends to complete quests and save the world! Made popular for a new generation by the TV show Stranger Things, Dungeons & Dragons gives your child opportunities to try out new identities and cultivate their improvisation and role-playing skills. This is a screen-free activity your child will beg to do.

EDMO

At EDMO®, science and songs go together. Art compliments design. Coding builds friendships. Getting messy and making mistakes are celebrated. That’s why our programs, whether in-person or online, are hands-on, interactive and fun. Join EDMO for online school holiday sessions in art, science, Minecraft and more during Winter Break.

TechKnowHow

Join TechKnowHow for engaging and educational in-person Winter Break programs, including Minecraft & LEGO Creators Camp and LEGO Adventure Builders Winter Break Camp! Camp locations include Cupertino, Palo Alto, and San Francisco.

Computer Kids Club

Computer Kids Club offers special school holiday online camps for Winter Break, and more! Their S.T.E.A.M. camps are designed to give your child an overall computer science education along with enjoying a FUN, theme based program.

For our Christmas & New Year’s camp, students will learn a Math activity with Christmas lights, decorate ornaments and Christmas trees and design a festive holiday project while learning graphic design tools in Google Slides! 

Natl CSI

If you love CSI and forensics, this online STEM camp with Natl CSI is for you! Taught by current and former detectives (how cool is that!), this one week Winter Break Camp is packed with hands-on activities to learn what it takes to become a crime scene investigator, taking about 90 minutes per day.   Each student gets their own CSI Lab Kit shipped to them before the virtual class.

Sony Robotics & Coding Camps

Sony KOOV is the all-in-one coding, robotics and design kit that combines digital coding with physical building to teach the next generation of innovators. Programs are available for Thanksgiving and Winter Break! Your child will learn how to use KOOV in this online robotics and coding camp focused on block programming, computer logic and problem solving. Each day will include one hour of live instruction. 

Happy Cloud, LLC

Why do the lights turn on when I flip a switch? What makes the wheels spin on a car? How does my night light turn on automatically when I turn off the lights? And where does all that energy come from?

Happy Clouds classes explore and find answers to all these questions and more in a world where technology plays a role in every part of our lives using Snap Circuits.

Pixical Piano, Guitar & Art Learning

Pixical Piano, Guitar & Art Learning strive to remove barriers of distance, time & boredom to help children enjoy the process or learning piano. We do this by delivering a masterclass experience through our empathetic & inspiring teachers, modern pedagogy, handcrafted product experience combined with loads of fun. The Pixical Curio online program offers 1:1 instruction, studio performance class each week, exclusive access to a community to discuss all things piano, and much more! Free trial classes available.

Pixemy

Pixemy offers kids a variety of online classes to explore, ranging from Visual and Digital art, Music, Dance, Theatre, Coding & Game Design, Chess, Cooking, Filmmaking, Financial literacy and more. Free trial classes available.

Look Up to the Stars

Join forces with international award-winning astronomer and consultant to NASA, Kevin Manning, a man on no ordinary mission. Kevin founded Look Up to the Stars with a mission to generate interest and foster scientific literacy in students nationwide through the delivery of awe-inspiring, educational and entertaining astronomy programs.

New York Society of Play

New York Society of Play

The New York Society of Play provides online game workshops over zoom, focusing on social and emotional development for kids ages 6-13. Come play Dungeons and Dragons, Minecraft, Pokemon Battles, and more! Our childcare specialists are experts at fostering growth through cooperative gameplay.

Code Wiz Reading

Code Wiz offers a wide range of individualized STEM programs for kids aged 7-17, each tailored to the students’ skill level. Watch your kids expand their creativity through computer science! Our approach is student-driven, project-based learning. We offer classes for Robotics, Minecraft modding, Roblox, Game design, Animations, Digital Art, Mobile app development, Java, Python, and more.

Choreography by Rae

Choreography by Rae is a performing arts & creative arts educational center that has provided self-confidence boosting programming since 2015. Founded by Rae Wilson (aka Ms. Rae) in New York City, as a way to help people of all ages amplify their voice through movement. Our motto is anyone can dance, even if you have 2 left feet. This 100% female-owned, black-owned business is proud to now offer more than dance – including chess, coding, drawing, drama and more .

The Art in Science

The Art in Science was developed by a scientist and an artist to Instill a love of science in young kids (ages 4-12) via an innovative curriculum.  In this unique program, the kids learn various science topics (Astronomy, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Engineering, and more) with hands-on activities that turn into interesting artworks pleasing to the eye and intriguing to the mind.

Luck of Legends, NOT Dungeons & Dragons: Learning to Write Through RPGs!

Role-playing is a fully immersive creative blend of game, improv, and writing. It’s not just fun – Luck of Legends games are Common Core aligned and designed to teach, emphasizing non-violent problem-solving, teaching kids to out-talk, out-think, or out-maneuver challenges as heroes on a fantastic adventure. The format lets kids experience powerful and dramatic moments together, which can do something that’s usually impossible online: allow for genuine relationships to grow. 

Ivy Camps

Beyond the diverse set of online programs we have to offer, what is special about Ivy Camps USA Online is that we take an interdisciplinary approach to remote instruction whereby we foster growth, encourage exploration, and sustain motivation through play and thought-provoking games. Classes include a wide range of topics, including: outer space, public speaking, backyard biology, acting, and more.

Coderise

Founded in 2012, Coderise focuses on Software development training. It is our mission to teach kids age 8-12 the digital skills they require in today’s digitized world. They learn basic programming skills by creating websites and online games – including Minecraft, Roblox, and web development.

LA School of Music

The Los Angeles School of Music offers fun and engaging music lessons and classes on piano, voice, guitar, and more! Our online classes are always live and interactive.

Our music teachers are professionals with at least a Bachelor of Music, and most have a Master of Music degree, from schools such as CalArts, UCLA, and USC. All instructors have years of teaching and performance experience.

See All Winter Break Camps & Classes
Categories
After-School Activities Camps Creative Arts On-Demand Online Learning

Parent Power: Importance of Art Education for Kids






featuring Young Art

Many schools are shifting to emphasize the core subjects like reading and math. Because of this, enrichment programs (i.e. art) are getting left behind. And while some believe art education amounts to just basic finger painting or coloring books, shifting this mindset for future generations is key.

Join us for a brief but informative chat with Ginhee Rancourt, CEO and Founder of Young Art. 

In this podcast, the importance of art for kids is discussed. How does art spark innovative problem solving? What does the future of design thinking behold? Answers to these questions (and more) are also covered.

Simple activities that support creativity and teach an appreciation of art contribute to your kid’s development right now with many added future benefits.

Did you know? Kids involved in art are:

4x more likely to be recognized for their academic achievement

4x more likely to participate in a math and science fair

3x more likely to win an award for school attendance

Americans for the Arts and Vans Custom Culture

Our Podcast Guest

Ginhee Rancourt founded Young Art and over the past seven years has worked to provide communities with a vibrant outlet for creativity as a children’s drop off art studio, activating experiential spaces in shopping centers and online. Making art enrichment and education accessible to kids is at the core of their values.

Discover more art classes, camps, and activities for your child at ActivityHero.com

Categories
Crafts Creative Arts Featured Posts Online Learning Seasonal Activities

Best Kids Halloween Activities this Year

Whether or not you are going trick or treating this year, there are a ton of spooktacular Halloween activities that can be done in-person at holiday themed camps or at home to get in the haunting spirit.

Carve out some fun this October to bake creepy cupcakes, paint spooky creatures, learn candy science, and more! Here’s a round up of the best kid-approved classes, crafts and on-demand activities for Halloween.

Pumpkins, skeletons, vampires, oh my!

Choose from a variety of Halloween-themed drawing and painting classes by Young Art. Choose from single day sessions or a series of spooky lessons.

Halloween Arts & Crafts

Let your imagination run wild as you are guided through some awesome Halloween themed arts & crafts.

Learn How to Draw Halloween Characters

With a small 4:1 student/teacher ratio, Cindy Art Studio provides personalized instruction on fun cartoon drawings of Wolfman, Bride of Frankenstein, Witch, and Dracula!

Singing, Dancing & Games for Halloween

Join Jeanette Airen Performing Arts Studio for a super fun Halloween Dance Party class. Wear your Halloween costume and learn a short Halloween dance combo. Or, sign up for singing and theatre games!

Halloween Science Workshops

Sneak learning into hands-on spooky STEM experiments. Make pumpkins puke with Discover Science Center or learn about candy science with Kidscapades, become a Mad Scientist with Young Art, and more!

Creepy Crawly Culinary Classes

No tricks, just treats! Make Halloween cupcakes, no-bake desserts, dip chocolate apples, churros and more. Let’s have some fun!

On-Demand Halloween Crafts and Activities

Get ready for a haunting night with classes on-demand any time to fit your schedule! Mix up glow-in-the-dark slime and make Halloween crafts – scarecrows, pumpkins, bats, and more!

Find more Halloween fun on ActivityHero >>

Categories
After-School Activities On-Demand Online Learning School Breaks

5 Fun Alternatives to Family Movie Night

Have you watched every family-friendly movie on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus? Memorized every scene of Trolls World Tour? Eaten your body weight in popcorn? No judgement here – it’s been a long year! 

Here are five alternatives to Family Movie Night at home that are just as fun!

Take an Art Class together:

There is something therapeutic about drawing or painting after a long week of work or school, even if you aren’t really an artist! On-demand art classes fit into your schedule and are fun for the whole family.

See All On-Demand Art Classes >>

Bake up a sweet treat

What’s better than a weekend night decorating cookies or cupcakes? Not only is it super fun, but you get a tasty reward at the end. Make it even more entertaining by creating a theme or game to your decorating – whether it’s Disney characters or seasonal holiday themes. On-demand cooking or baking classes are a good way to learn new skills together in the kitchen, too.

See All On-Demand Cooking & Baking Classes >>

Experiment with Science

Learn weather science with Engineering for Kids of Kern

Change the perspective that science is all academic and boring. Getting hands-on with STEM projects at home with your kids can be fun for all ages. Instead of learning about weather science in a book, create clouds in a jar and queue the “wow, that’s so cool”. On-demand STEM activities are available for most ages and can be enjoyed as a family.

See All On-Demand STEM Activities >>

Build something together

Roll up your sleeves and spend some quality time building something together. Working on a project as a family is a great way to connect and have conversations with your kids in a low-pressure environment. The best part is you will have a tangible item to remind you of the time you spent together. 

Get Crafty

On-Demand Girl Scouts Workshop: Pumpkin Crafts with Discover Science Center

If you have movie fatigue, break out the craft supplies. Instead of watching your kids favorite characters sing on-screen for the 2,536th time this year, create puppet versions of Poppy and Branch and have your kids put on a show! Or, use the time together to decorate for any seasonal holiday or make special gifts for family.

See All On-Demand Craft Activities >>

Categories
After-School Activities Creative Arts Mindfulness

5 Fun Facts About Coloring

National Coloring Day is September 14th. Set aside time to relax and color together! Coloring is a fun activity for kids to pass time while also being a great stress reducer and artistic outlet.

Did you know?

  1. Coloring lowers stress and anxiety. 

Researchers and art therapists agree that coloring in coloring books has many therapeutic benefits.

“A 2005 study (and a 2012 replication study) concluded that people who colored in mandalas—complex geometric figures frequently seen in Hinduism and Buddhism—experienced lower levels of anxiety than people who simply colored on a blank piece of paper. The study concluded that like meditation, the act of coloring patterns can let the brain rest, decrease anxiety, and encourage mindfulness.” 1

Mental Floss
Poly Olbion by Michael Drayton
  1. Coloring books were originally created for adults. 

The earliest variation of coloring books is from as early as 1612. A long poem, Poly-Olbion by Michael Drayton, featured illustrations of maps and fun creatures. It became popular for readers to color the illustrations themselves. However, coloring books became popular soon after mostly as a way to practice art skills like watercolor.2

  1. The average child wears down 720 crayons by their tenth birthday. 

The biggest crayon is called Big Blue, and it is 1,500 pounds and 15 feet long.3 How long would it take you to use all of Big Blue? 

  1. Colored pencils can last your whole life. 

If you use colored pencils often, you may find yourself restocking them often. However, there have been colored pencils discovered that were over 100 years old and they could still be used perfectly!4 If you’re looking for long-term pencils, invest in high quality ones that won’t dry out or become faded over time.

  1. People once used bread as erasers. 

Before the eraser was invented, people used tablets of rubber or wax. To remove ink from parchment or papyrus, they used bits of rough stone to rub it off. In Japan, they used soft bread. The eraser was invented by an English engineer in 1770 who accidentally picked up a piece of rubber instead of breadcrumbs and found that it worked well to erase.5

Find coloring pages and printables with ActivityHero’s Free Super Duper Kit!

For even more color-related options, check out ActivityHero’s On-Demand activities.

1Source

2Source

3Source

4Source

5Source

Categories
Gaming Online Learning

3 Ways to Celebrate National Video Games Day

Celebrate National Video Games Day on September 12th. While the date and origin of this holiday are unclear, many Americans have decided to designate this day for video games. Why pass up the opportunity to celebrate with them? Here are three ways to enjoy honor this holiday.

  1. Play from home.

Take a cue from gamers all over the world in 2020. Last year, millions turned to video games to have fun and stay connected during the pandemic. According to MarketWatch, video games became a bigger industry than film and North American sports combined due to the pandemic.1 

  1. Go old-school. 

While video games are now dominated by at-home gaming consoles like the XBox or Playstation, now is a great time to revisit the classics. Gather friends and visit an arcade to bask in the nostalgia of timeless games like Pac-man, Space Invaders, and Pong. 

  1. Create with your favorite video games. 

Games like Minecraft, Roblox, and Animal Crossing have exploded again in popularity this year. These games all have something in common: the creative element. Within these games, players have the freedom to create their own mini-games, whether it’s roleplaying, designing your own worlds, or even coding your own add-ons. Collaborate with other players to use video games as a creative outlet, or even learn to code your own games! 

Need more ideas? Check out ActivityHero to find creative and educational classes for video games and coding. 


Source1

Categories
Keeping Kids Active, Healthy + Engaged Mindfulness Parenting Resources Yoga

6 Ways to Lessen Stress

Manage back-to-school exhaustion and pandemic anxiety with grace.

Here are simple techniques to help us all get back on track using meditation from our friends at LoveHero.

Is it possible that we’ve all forgotten how tiring the first week of school or just visiting the office after being away for so long, really is? The 18-month long new normal’s transition back to the old and connecting with classmates and co-workers in real life has been much harder than expected for some of us. You are not alone.

1. Start with movement

For most young kids, attempting to sit in meditation without any exercise first will be a challenge. Kids understand energy. And, energy can be used as a vehicle to meditate. Start with 5-10 minutes of energetic exercises such as jumping jacks, scissor jumps or running in-place.

2. Use positive language

While exercising, maintain a positive attitude that will get kids thinking about their ability to monitor their emotions and tune into positive feelings. Affirmations such as “I am positive!” work great for this.

3. Use breathing to channel the energy

The next step is to start slowing down the intensity of the exercises and to start replacing them with breathing. Breathe with your belly holding the breath longer and making the inhales and exhales deeper each time.

4. Sit down, breathe and focus on the heart

The other thing that kids understand well is positive emotions. In a sitting position do a few more rounds of breathing, but this time, with the hands on the heart, imagine this energy you’ve built up turning into rays of green light that are shooting from the heart.

5. Become a hero

What good is love if you don’t share it? Kids love being heroes. Use the light shooting from your heart to send love to someone or something that might need it. It can be a group of people (frontline healthcare workers), a person you love, a pet or a plant. Become a hero using your heart to uplift others.

6. Sit in stillness

Finally, sit in silence and stillness for 30 seconds or longer if you can.  It helps to play soothing music at this point. Each child is different, so start small and build your way up.

To practice more yoga and mindfulness, find a live instructor in-person or online from home with LoveHero and other yoga options on ActivityHero today. 

Categories
Featured Posts Mindfulness Parenting Resources Yoga

5 Ways to Manage Stress and Anxiety in Kids

Stress and anxiety is common for both children and adults. Butterflies before a piano recital or feeling nervous about a big test is a normal reaction to a stressful situation or event. As parents, we can’t eliminate stress in our children’s lives – only teach them how to manage it. 

Triggers that can cause stress in children include major life changes such as moving or divorce, family financial problems, peer pressure or bullying, body changes, and worrying about schoolwork. Helping our children form coping strategies at a young age will set them up for long-term success as they encounter education, career, social, and financial decisions. 

During 2020, the number of children expressing stress increased with schedule disruptions, school shutdowns, social isolation, virtual learning, and health concerns. According to a parent survey on ActivityHero, 86% of children reported the feeling of anxiousness. 

Without healthy stress management, chronic anxiety could lead to behavioral and physical symptoms in children, according to MedLine Plus.

  • Decreased appetite or other sudden changes in eating habits
  • Frequent Headaches
  • Nightmares or Sleep disturbances
  • Upset stomach or vague stomach pain
  • Sudden changes in behavior that are out of character
  • New or recurring fears (fear of the dark, fear of being alone, fear of strangers)
  • Clinging, unwilling to let you out of sight (separation anxiety)
  • Not able to control emotions; Aggressive or stubborn behavior
  • Unwilling to participate in family or school activities

Stress management for Kids and Teens

Here are 5 ways to help your child manage every day anxiety and take healthy habits into adulthood:

1) Good Sleep Routines

Sleep is essential for your body and mind to recover and reset from the day. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 9-12 hours of sleep a night is recommended for 6- to 12-year olds. Teens need 8-10 hours of sleep a night. Set a schedule and bedtime routine for consistency. For younger children, this could include a “wind down” time of bath and story time. For teens, limiting screen time and gaming before bed can support more restful sleep. 

2) Physical Exercise

At least 60 minutes of exercise a day can have many health benefits for children, including relieving stress. This is a healthy habit for the whole family – hiking, biking, surfing, or other recreational activities are all great ideas to enjoy together. 

Other fun, non-competitive exercise and fitness classes for your child to manage stress (and burn off extra energy), include:

Kids Yoga

Yoga: Online stretching and yoga classes are a relaxing activity for all ages. In yoga classes for kids as young as 4, students learn basic yoga movements and body awareness.

Dance Party: Toddlers to teens can enjoy a fun dance party, connecting in a safe environment led by an engaging instructor. Many dance and movement classes have fun themes and do not require any previous dance experience.

Karate: Introductions to martial arts classes online do not require previous experience, and can be a confidence builder for children.

We’re here to help your child become even more engaged, strong and optimistic during this unique time.  We know that grit, resilience and laughter have never been more important than right now.

– Family Karate Online

Find Fitness Classes on ActivityHero>>

3) Schedule Relaxing Activities

In addition to exercising your body, scheduling relaxing activities can also relieve mental stress. Art, music, journaling, and other relaxing hobbies all have therapeutic benefits. The most important reminder is to make sure there is zero pressure – these should be purely for fun!

Art Classes for Kids: Art can be a constructive outlet for children of all abilities to express emotions and relieve anxiety. Drawing, painting, clay modeling, and crafts are all great activities.

In addition, any relaxing hobby your child enjoys can help them socialize and unwind. Cooking, theatre & drama, music, LEGO or even making slime could be good options!

Find Online Classes on ActivityHero>>

4) Breathing & Meditation

If your child is starting to feel overwhelmed, teaching them breathing exercises can help them work through their feelings. Taking deep breaths, visualizing themselves in a calming place, and listening to relaxing sounds are all strategies to help them refocus. 

“We started using online classes on Activity Hero after schools closed and I was furloughed. My son especially enjoys Vibras Meditation (now LoveHero). Positive messages and empowerment are so good for kids right now (and always I guess.) The instructor is great and we will continue even after things move to the new normal.”

-Parent Review

Find Meditation & Mindfulness Classes on ActivityHero>>

5) Model Self-Care and Positive Thinking

As parents and adults, modeling self-care and positive thinking is probably the hardest habit to implement. However, our children observe and absorb more of our adult stress than we realize. Some strategies include:

  • Talk with your children about how you have dealt with stressful situations and encourage dialogue about how they are feeling. Tip: Conversations can be more natural if you engage when your child doesn’t have to look directly at you – riding in a car, walking the dog, or sitting on the beach. 
  • Be mindful of your reactions; take a deep breath before responding to stressful situations. 
  • Avoid negative thinking; Model behaviors of self-care instead of self-doubt for your children.
  • Be Aware: Children are spending more time online and it’s important to understand (and teach) the dangers of cyberbullying, social media addiction, and predators. 

If at any time you feel your child may have chronic anxiety or depression, please consult your healthcare provider. Some of the signs and symptoms of anxiety or depression in children could be caused by other conditions, such as trauma. If you need help finding treatment, visit MentalHealth.gov

Categories
After-School Activities Chess Mindfulness Online Learning

5 Fun Facts About American Chess Day

Join millions of chess fans in their love for the world’s most popular board game to celebrate American Chess Day on September 1st!

Chess tournaments, clubs, and classes continue to attract devoted members of the chess community. Whether you’re a professional or a beginner, there’s something for everyone.

Chess is one of the most ancient, intellectual and cultural games, with a combination of sport, scientific thinking and elements of art. As an affordable and inclusive activity, it can be exercised anywhere and played by all, across the barriers of language, age, gender, physical ability or social status.1

  1. 2020 was a huge year for chess.

While people were staying at home during the pandemic, chess was the perfect way to connect with others online. Chess enthusiasm in the US spiked even more with the release of the incredibly popular Netflix Series, The Queen’s Gambit. 

With no in-person events to attend, chess masters streamed themselves playing chess. Online chess platforms were overwhelmed with new players. The number of games played on online in 2020 were up 66% from pre-pandemic times.2 

  1. Computers are now better than people at chess. 

In the late 1980s, computers became capable of beating strong chess players.  In 1988, the computer Deep Thought became the first computer to defeat a grandmaster in a tournament game.3 Now, even the world champion doesn’t stand a chance against the leading computer. 

  1. All schoolchildren learn chess in Armenia. 

Starting from 2011, chess was taught as a school subject just like reading or math in Armenian schools. It’s the first country in the world to include chess as a subject in primary schools. With all the benefits that chess has for kids—creative thinking, spatial reasoning, and concentration—it’s no wonder that this country has made chess a compulsory class for everyone. 

  1. There are over 2,000 variations of chess. 

Most believe that chess began over 1400 years ago in India.4 However, as it’s spread across the world, games like Chinese chess and Japanese chess have evolved to become popular games as well. Today, international chess is standardized by the International Chess Federation, which was started in 1924. 

  1. Ben Franklin loved chess! 

You can thank founding father Ben Franklin for American Chess Day. Although the United States Chess Federation started in 1939, Ben Franklin was an avid chess player and even published an essay about the benefits of chess in 1786. 

Celebrate American Chess Day by joining a community of chess players, whether you’re just beginning or an experienced player.

Find kid-approved chess classes and camps on ActivityHero>>

Source1

Source2

Source3

Source4

Categories
Academic Writing Academics Basketball Chess Creative Arts Creative Writing Lego Martial Arts Parenting Resources Sports Time-Saving Tips for Busy Moms Tutoring

3 Back to School Pain Points with Solutions

(Pandemic Edition)

As we all continue to adjust to an ever-evolving new normal, surviving a back to school season in the time of a pandemic, remains challenging.

From experiencing unexpected school quarantines (e.g. a student in your kid’s class tests positive for COVID-19) to being waitlisted for after school extended care and all the driving around for drop-offs and pickups, here’s how three moms at ActivityHero are managing the chaos.

1. Hacking (Unexpected) School Closures

Meet Kathrine: Mom to a Kindergartener (Los Angeles)

We were so excited to go in-person to the ‘big’ school this year. Just a few days in, school communicated that a child in my Kindergartener’s class tested positive for COVID-19, so the classroom was going to shut down for 10 days. My daughter was sent home with a computer for virtual instruction along with packets of information and materials for next two week’s instruction.

Solution: Register for last-minute online camps with classmates to squeeze in some virtual play dates.  

Distance learning was scheduled for 9-11 am daily. With half the day still remaining, we found online classes to help with the afternoon so she wasn’t parked in front of the TV for all of that time. She really enjoys Minecraft and Roblox so finding social clubs or easy 45~min classes to support her favorite interests was easy. To help support some physical activity, we did also add an online Ballet class.

2. Mind the After School Gap

Meet Tabetha: Mom to a 3rd Grader (San Francisco)

After months of distance and hybrid learning, having school for a 6 hour block of time has been an amazing improvement. We were hopeful at first, then officially waitlisted for after school extended care to get us through to 6pm. As a household with two full-time working parents the 3pm pickup is challenging. With the luxury of school facilitated enrichment programs like Chess and Basketball (and this coveted time for when homework could be done with an on-site tutor) missing this year, panic-mode started to settle in. And then we chatted with some of my son’s friends and realized we could do online classes.

Solution: Find online extracurriculars for your kids so you can attend a meeting and make dinner. It’s a win, win situation for everyone.

Fun classes where learning looks like play is our usual approach for extracurricular activities so our son’s hobbies helped with the selection process. LEGO and Pokemon are his current favorites. Even better, the themed classes we found are actually great for problem solving, building and creativity. Dancing to burn off energy is also a must. Different than last year, only having a small window of online classes has been much more manageable. 

3. Less Driving = More Learning

Meet Kristen: Mom to a 7th Grader & 11th Grader (Sacramento)

We couldn’t wait for in-person school to start this year. For my 7th grader, this meant going to a new school. With two kids at two different schools and two different sets of activities, we didn’t realize all the added back and forth driving until it was happening. 
Beyond the everyday drive to and from school, I now have to make a 3rd and 4th trip, 4 days a week for sports. This is in addition to the same daily drop off to and from school at a separate campus and several evening practices for club sports at least an hour each way. Today, we spent over 4 hours in the car driving back and forth and didn’t get home until after 9pm. The boys had to do their homework in the car and I won’t even mention what they had for dinner.

Solution: Fuel kids’ brains with fun online classes to minimize time spent in the car.

We never thought we’d say this, but we were missing online classes and virtual sports. (We saved so much time and gas last year!) To help offset the in-person activities, we decided to go back and add online classes into our weekend schedule. Online Drawing and Art classes have become our time together to connect as a family. The kids are also now signed up for virtual Martial Arts and Coding classes. All of which can happen in the comfort of our home.  

Find your back to school solution! Create an account and profile for your kid to find even more personalized classes and camps at ActivityHero.