Ahmedabad holds summer camps for children
9 May 2009, 1414 Hrs

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Ahmedabad, May 9 With rising mercury, the number of people enrolling their kids in summer camps is increasing in Ahmedabad.

During the summer season when schools closed for a couple of months, and summer camps are what kids look forward to keep themselves busy.

A 45-day annual vacation of schools has begun and the recession and heat-hit parents have made a point to stay back home and engage their kids with summer camp activities.

"The atmosphere at these camps is really good. These are times of recession; it is difficult to afford a holiday. So we thought that we would rather put our daughter in the summer camp. This will increase their physical activity. My daughter comes here to skate and she is having a good time," said Gaurav Tomar, a parent.

Most children are opting for outdoor games such as basketball, skating and swimming at these camps.

"For outdoor games the rush is so much that we have to stop taking more children after a thousand enrolments. The number of students in the camp is around 800-1000," said Anjan Rakshit, coach, St. Xavier's Loyola summer coaching camp, Ahmedabad.

Summer camps are a relatively new phenomenon in the country, with kids traditionally utilising most of the vacations visiting their relatives with their parents, and the rest of the time finishing their homework.

These are still urban phenomena, confined to cities and the upwardly mobile. A large part of the Indian population, that is rural or belonging to the lower middle class, would find them too western a concept or too expensive.

India reels under an intense heat wave which starts early in April and continues till late June. (ANI)