Jump Into Summer

Exploration and learning are vital for all children, especially those in foster care. Oftentimes, children experiencing the foster care system have had schedules disrupted by trauma or multiple moves, potentially causing them to fall behind in a variety of areas. Summer provides a fun and unstructured environment for foster children to create fun memories and catch up on their learning. Foster parents have the unique opportunity to help the child explore new things and discover new interests. Now is the perfect opportunity to invest in and explore new things together.  Below are some ideas to engage your family in summer fun.

•  Pick a topic to explore together: Choose something that interests you both, and then learn about it together! If the child is interested in animals, the local zoo or aquarium may allow them to learn more about their favorite critters. Following your visit, you can check out movies or books at the library to expand your learning.
•  Plan new activities your foster child has never done: Go camping, to a sporting event, or a local festival. Children in foster care do not typically have opportunities like these, so by creating these shared experiences, you can give the child significant memories to hang on to forever.
• Find and register for summer camp programs, including those specific for families in foster care and adoption:   

Royal Family Kids Camp: Highly trained camp staff and counselors provide individual attention and encouragement to children who have experienced abuse and neglect by participating in a variety of fun activities. https://rfk.org/locations/colorado/

Heritage Camps: These camps focus on supporting families who have adopted  transculturally, providing opportunities to connect children and their families with authentic cultural experiences. The entire family can participate and includes children 3-18 years. https://www.heritagecamps.org/

Community Camps:
https://denver.kidsoutandabout.com/content/guide-summer-camps-denver-co-area
https://www.auroragov.org/things_to_do/recreation___sports_programs/Camps
https://dreambigdaycamp.com/
https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/summer-camps
https://www.coloradoacademysummer.org/
https://denverymca.org/programs/youth-programs/summer-day-camp
(possible scholarships for foster families)

By Marilyn Robinson, Director of Family Connections