Second Home in Silicon Valley - Summer Escape, Kids' Activities

To keep kids busy during Summer vacation, I started looking into summer programs each year in March and by the end of May, the schedule is pretty much finalized. Having a second home close to our Modesto Home, Central Valley of California, in Silicon Valley has provided a whole lot more options for the kids to learn, explore, and have fun during Summer...

This year, the same as the past two years, I have signed up the kids at the Extended Year Summer Enrichment Programs offered by DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. Each elementary, middle, or high school participant ranging from grades 1 to 10 choose four courses and the program lasts for 4 weeks, 4 hours each day. I tried to choose activities that cover different areas:

For art & cultural enrichment: Drawing and painting, Japanese language, Beginning Spanish

For academic improvement: Essay writing

For communications: Public speaking

For fun, "intellectual" enrichment: Science Exploration, computer application and internet research

Physical activities: Tennis at Cupertino Sports Center.

Other courses from the same summer enrichment program include:

• Middle/High shool level: Lego robotics (usually fills up very fast), debate, drumming techniques, creating comic books, basketball, PSAT preparation, pre-algebra, algebra.
• Elementary school level: Cartooning and comic art, poetry hot pot, sculpture and clay, earth science /geology, math and art, reader's workshop.

The program starts June 23 and ends on July 18, 2008. After the four week program, we like to have family travel time and visit different places, either in the U.S. or other countries.

Modesto real estate agent's summer escape - looking forward to it...