Westender JulAug 2019 Magazine

www.westendermagazine.com | 47
Endmum’s
West
notebook
by Michele Gordon thelanguagehub.co.uk
The weather may not be suggesting it but
the summer holidays will be here pretty
soon. For many it is a time to look
forward to as most will take time off work,
go on a well-deserved holiday and hopefully
enjoy sunnier days and higher temperatures.
However, I know just as many who dread the
summer holidays!
Yes, for those with children, especially for
families with working parents, it can be a very
stressful time. School summer holidays are
longer than anyone’s annual leave. So, what
do you do? Child care and activities to keep
everyone amused is in high demand and very
often comes at a high cost.
I usually take Ruby and Leon with me to
The Hub if they can’t be with someone else.
But this is a luxury which very few parents
have. Some take unpaid leave, while others
divide up annual leave between family
members and many, of course, make use of
various kids camps which offer not just child
care but also fun activities to keep children
entertained throughout the day.
Although I can take my children to
work, I usually book them into a camp for
a few weeks so they spend time with peers
rather than just with me. This year will be
no different: Scotstoun kids club, here we
come! There is a variety of camps to choose
from, anything from drama to dance or
football. Outdoors, indoors, you name it,
you are certain to find something interesting.
If you don’t want to spend much, check
out Glasgow Life’s leisure centre camps.
There are various sports activities on offer,
just be quick, they tend to fill up quickly
(glasgowlife.org.uk/sport/glasgow-sportholiday-activity-programme).
A l s o, i f yo u h ave m o r e t h a n o n e c h i l d ,
it can be difficult to book something for
both at the same time. I would really have
liked Ruby and Leon to do some sessions
with Fearless Theatre School but sadly
the logistics are against us this summer.
But check out their holiday sessions, they
sound great (fearlesstheatreschool.com).
If your child is interested in acrobatics
then you also need to take a look at the
summer camp run by Aerial Edge based at
the Kelvinhall. During all of July, kids aged 7+
can learn skills on Flying Trapeze and Silks
as well as Unicycling, Parkour or Juggling
(aerialedge.co.uk/youth-holiday-schools).
It is one of the more costly activities but it
sounds amazing. Another popular summer
camp is Camp Indy (campindy.co.uk) based
at Kelvinside Academy which is open to
ages 5-14.
One of my new discoveries is based in
Maryhill: Computer Games Development
Boot Camp run by The British Youth IT
College (byitc.org). Kids between 6 and 14
are taught IT skills in different areas such as
Software, Hardware, Games Development,
Web Development and Graphic Design.
It sounds absolutely fabulous although it will
probably stretch most people’s budget to the
limit.
If you have set yourself a smaller budget
and are just looking for the occasional activity
then look up Glasgow Life’s website again,
where you will find anything from Bounce
& Rhyme to story book sessions, arts and
crafts to sports activities in various parks, all
of which are free.
Or alternatively, check out one of the
sessions at The Hub. We will be running
weekday language activities for children and
adults, make sure to book in advance. At our
Café Hub you can start each day with a free
drop in activity for the under twos. All sorted
now? I hope this has given you some ideas
anyway. Einen schönen Sommer Euch allen
und bis bald!