Gone are the days when children would spend their summer vacation indoors. With each passing day, people are realising the importance of life beyond academics. Extra-curricular activities are becoming popular among parents and children in the Millennium City.
To cater to the needs of children, the city offers options like horse-riding, swimming, kick-boxing pottery, etc.
The Haryana Urban Development Authority’s (Huda) horse-riding school is conducting courses for children in two age-groups. There is a joy-ride course for children aged 4-6 years, while those aged 11 years or above are being imparted basic training in horse-riding.
The swimming course is also very popular among children and parents. Nearly all societies with swimming pools have appointed coaches for children.
Besides, there are clubs which offer special packages for kids.
Ankit Lamba, manager of swimming pool at Gymkhanna Club in Sector 29, said, "We have introduced special summer packages for children. The minimum age required for the course is three years."
The traditional art of dance and music are still popular among parents and children. Many are making their children join dance or music classes.
{{/usCountry}}The traditional art of dance and music are still popular among parents and children. Many are making their children join dance or music classes.
{{/usCountry}}At Path of Music, an institute, children are trained in different dance forms like classical, folk, western styles, including jazz, Latin and free-style. The student-teacher ratio in each group is 15:1.
To teach children in self-defence skills, kick-boxing and karate classes are being run by many institutes across the city. Sumit Virman, owner of Kaishogun Kick-Boxing and Karate Institute, said, "In the past three-four years, the number of children taking to kick-boxing classes has increased. To cater to the need of the changing times, we have introduced special summer courses."
The minimum age required for kick-boxing course is five years, he said.
Mannat Kashyap, mother of a seven-year-old girl, who is learning drawing, murals and dance, said, "No child gets perfect in an art form in a few days of training. But a child of her age learns how to stay in a group."