The 411 on Tech Camps for kids

The next generation of high-tech summer camps offer unique opportunities that may make adults wish that they themselves could go.

The number of day camps has grown by about 90 percent in the last 20 years, according to statistics released by the American Camp Association. The ACA reports that more than 10 million children annually attend summer camp and that 12,000 day and residential camps exist in the U.S.

Tech camps, camps with a bent toward science or technology,
are on the rise with a 16 percent increase in computer camps in
particular since 2000. Subjects range from human anatomy to robotics to
Flash animation.

But are children better off being left to play in the dirt or engage in a pick-up game of basketball on their own?

Tech camps for kids: Get the right fit | CNET News.com

Check out the rest of that article. Not every kid is the roll-in-the-dirt, bask-in-the-sun, hit-a-ball, make-bead-necklaces-out-of-dirt kinda kid. Options, options, options.

picture from CNET 

technorati tags:technology, kids, youth, camp, cybercamp, techcamp

YES! 1st Meeting of the National Task Force on Children’s Safety!

The first meeting of the National Task Force on Children’s Safety will take place on Capitol Hill in Washington DC on Tuesday, June 5. Founded by the Creative Coalition and producers Safety4Kids, US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi serves as the Honorary Chair of the National Task Force. At this inaugural meeting the discussion will focus on issues related to kid’s safety, specifically on the internet. Others attending the meeting include a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders as well as leaders from a range of organizations and corporations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, National PTA, Cable in the Classroom, Microsoft, CPB, PBS, Christian coalition of America, International Society for Technology in Education, Time Warner, American University and Tufts University. The mission of the National Task Force on Children’s Safety is to advocate for younger kids and identify the next steps towards putting media literacy and internet safety at the top of list of parents, educators and legislators.

Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis - CynKids 6/1/07

YES!  WOO HOO! 

My disappointment?  I wish Viacom and Disney were there.

Wonder what will come of this?  Fingers crossed!

Neopets in Multimedia: TV & New UGC

Nickelodeon is set to launch Neopets.com first series of animated Mini-Shows, which will run as interstitial programming beginning June 23, 2007. Each of the Mini-Shows will include various Neopets characters, key plot elements/twists from the Neopia realm, as well as featuring multiple endings and clues that will unlock puzzles and questions on Neopets site.

In other Neopets news:

• Neovision, launches this week, a broadband video player that
  showcases Neopets-themed user submitted content and the new animated
  Mini-Shows
• New pet customization features including new clothing
  and accessories.
• A new website layout that is easier to navigation, improved
  graphics, a new Games Room and a home page that displays messaging from
  the users Neopets.
• The Neopets second annual Altador Cup launches today. 
  The global gaming event runs throughout June.

Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis - CynKids 6/1/07

Wow. A TV show based on a popular online community & a video player to promote more UGC content online?  I SMELL VIACOM.  Oh, indeed.  Nickelodeon, Viacom’s prodigal child network, is now in cahoots with Neopets.com, Viacom’s adopted child community.

Actually, this is exciting for my job… why?  Because making the elements of an online community into a successful TV show (Nickelodeon has the golden touch) makes people realize the importance and validity of online communities for children. 

I’m curious to see what kind of television show they create… Why? Because it feels more “Cartoon Network” to me– the fankid/gamer (like Uh Gi Oh, Pokemon, Ben 10, Naruto, and all those anime shows).  Perhaps Nickelodeon is planning to draw in that demographic.  For the most part, Nickelodeon is uber-goofy.  Every program has some sort of nuttyness to it.  Will they do the same with a Neopets cartoon series?  Hmmm.

As for the UGC content– perhaps its time to do a new survey of Neopets (despite my guilt over my old neopet, Colin Skye, lol).  Why?  They were a bit more lenient on kid communications then, say… Nicktropolis, Toontown, DXD, Fosters, barbiegirls, etc.  They’ve a young crowd… and if they’re not doing “mash-ups” (like turbonick.com & nick.com do), then who is going to screen & moderate those videos?  I know they’ve got quite a staff there at Neopet headquarters, but to add the time/care/intensity of screening kid-made videos to put live on site?  That’s going to be NUTS.  Seriously.

technorati tags:neopets, nickeolodeon, UGC