Nature Deficit Disorder Tackled at Camp Filled with Power Tools, Danger for Kids
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 08. 7.08
While there are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the lack of free time among children that’s leading to nature deficit disorder, there’s a summer camp called “Tinkering School” that aims to change all that by letting kids decide the direction the camp will take with power tools, motor cycles, zip lines, fire, spears, and boats of their own creation.
And it’s all for kids, even as young as 7 years old.
Of course, the forms you may have to sign off on before your child heads off to experience such a fascinating opportunity includes the statement “I understand that my child may be injured or killed at this camp.” And the standing rule among campers is “No more than one injury per day!”
Tinkering School is Born
The whole idea came about when Gever Tulley, the camp's founder, sat at breakfast in a friends home and watched as a child was told he couldn’t play with sticks. Obsessed with the idea that it was absurd that children would be held back from playing with such a natural toy he set out to create Tinkering School with the goal in mind that kids should have the opportunity to play with real tools, make real things, and take real risks.
Now we just have to see how many TreeHuggers out there think their kids might find this a cure for a lack of time spent in the great outdoors!
More on Nature Deficit Disorder
Sharp Increase of Myopia In Children Caused By Lack of Time Outdoors
New Study Says Kids Need the Adventure of Risky Play
Where Wiffle Ball's a Crime There May Be No Child Left Outdoors
Sounds great! Keep the younger kids away from power saws, but other then that let them learn and discover. Kid's will never learn how to avoid danger if they're never exposed to it.
I would send my kids to this in a heartbeat, granted I had the money. I'd probably choose this over many other summer camps and I'm positive my boys would.
I agree, this is a great concept, but I also hold strong that you do not need a school or camp to occupy your children, just let them loose at home!
Great concept. Since this is probably a first, I sure hope they mind their P's and Q's and keep everyone safe.
Being overly protective with children can leave them without any understanding of how risky various actions are. What is really a risk, what is worth taking? My former boy scout friends tend to be much better at that kind of assessment...
Power tools at 7 may be a bit much, though. I started martial arts at 6, but there is no way I would have been allowed near even a hand saw before I was 11 or 12.