When summer hits, the last thing your kid probably wants to do is continue with schoolwork. However, summer learning loss is a very real thing. According to the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), many teachers have to spend about a month re-teaching students material that they've already covered. While you can combat this problem at home with a reading program, you may be looking for something more. Enrolling your child in one or two summer camps may be the answer.

Summer camps are fun getaways, and many of them specialize in different academic disciplines that will inspire your child's creativity and curiosity. Here are some camp ideas that your child may be interested in:

STEM-related Camps

STEM stands for the educational subjects "science, technology, engineering, and mathematics." STEM-themed summer camps can help your child improve their competitiveness in these fields. If your child is not keen on science or math, then one of these summer camps could change his or her mind. For instance, there are many space camps that are run by NASA alumni. These camps are quite fun since your child gets to simulate space missions while developing basic engineering and technology skills.

If you looked at the Google Doodle recently, they celebrated 50 years since kids first began to code for Computer Science Education Week. Coding doesn't have to be a boring task that your child learns when they are older. There are summer camps that have fun coding games, while older kids can actually start learning Python, JavaScript, and other advanced programs. Some of these programming camps have a video game angle. While the idea of video games may not thrill you, these camps do teach campers real-world skills of how to design apps and 2D/3D games.

International Relations Camps

Does your child have an interest in travel, language, or other cultures? Then a language-immersion camp may be the ticket. If your child is interested in pursuing a foreign language in school, then this kind of camp can help them flex the language aspect of their brain. There are many different camps that focus on one language and have native speakers to help your child learn some basics of not only grammar but of cultural traditions. For instance, if your child is interested in learning Japanese, he or she may also learn traditional disciplines like bonsai care or Ikebana (flower arranging) while at camp. 

Model U.N. camps are also a great idea. These camps simulate the United Nations and encourage kids to learn about different countries and diplomacy as they try to resolve real-life problems, like natural disaster response and aid, in simulations. These kinds of camps help your child develop geography and social science skills, as well as improving their teamwork, public speaking, and writing skills.

All of these camps are just a handful of the options that are out there. Talk with your child to see what kinds of summer camps he or she is most excited about. Contact a company like Startup Wonder for more information and assistance.