The University of the Fraser Valley, in partnership with the Vancouver Institute of Philosophy for Children, present a series of “Think Fun” summer camps in July.
The camps are based on a UNESCO recognized program and aim to teach elementary school children how to reason well through fun activities.
Through a rich thick interpersonal environment of philosophically trained counsellors (the ratio never drops below 1:5), campers learn the importance of articulating reasons, of being able to consider alternative points of view, of thinking cooperatively, of judging the difference between good and poor reasoning, and in general, learning to celebrate owning their own decisions. But the over-arching goal of Think Fun remains fun.
Two different camps take place the week of July 18 to 22.
Transformers, for ages six to eight, aims to answer the question of what it would be like to be transformed into an insect, a star or a famous person. Crawl around new worlds, explore questions you have always wanted to ask and fly through exciting activities. As a transformer, participants will be making masks, escaping from cages, create amazing art and playing exciting games. There will also be some surprising guests as learners investigate what it means to ‘change’.
Wonder Wizards, for children aged nine to 11, takes campers on a world of fantasy full of frightful goblins, courageous knights, towering giants and fiery dragons. In Wizards of Wonder, campers travel through a fictional world on a quest to seek wisdom.
This camp investigates questions around what it means to be a hero, the way in which we treat those who are different from us, what makes a true friend, and most importantly, what a good life looks like.
Activities include energetic field games, custom designed board games, lego villages, innovative crafts, and entertaining outside presentations.
For information, visit thinkfuncamps.ca.