Mangaluru: Summer camps across coastal districts are broadening their scope this season, blending technology-driven learning with activities rooted in local culture and traditional livelihoods.Camps that were once limited to dance, art, craft, music, swimming and sports are now offering a wider range of programmes to meet changing interests among children and parents. Organisers said the shift reflected growing demand for future-ready skills and meaningful engagement with regional heritage. Newer additions include sessions on artificial intelligence, robotics and hands-on science experiments. Several camps have also introduced children to practices associated with rural coastal life, such as coconut leaf weaving, preparing traditional foods, and beekeeping.One such initiative is Tinker Lab, a month-long summer camp launched by the Centre for Advanced Learning and Early Learning Centre for children aged 8 to 16. “By the end of the camp, each student is expected to complete more than 20 projects they can take home and showcase. The camp features four activity labs, each led by a specialist teacher,” said Vijay Moras, head of the institution. He said the science lab allows students to conduct experiments, build measuring instruments, test chemicals and create structures using an inquiry-based approach inspired by the Nuffield method followed in schools in the United Kingdom. In the Maker Lab, children build and programme robots and also take up creative work such as making LED bottles and painting traditional Mangaluru clay roof tiles. The camp also includes a Tree Census, in which participants measure and record every tree on the CFAL campus as part of an ongoing research database.At SDM English Medium School in Dharmasthala, the summer camp includes coconut leaf weaving, making brooms from coconut leaves, and preparing traditional food items. School head Parimala MV said the food prepared by students was sold at the end of the camp. Children from lower classes are also given sessions on good etiquette and habits.Educator Anjana Kamath of Hakuna Matata said summer camps have evolved well beyond conventional art, craft, music and dance sessions. “They are adding more technology, such as AI, robotics and related activities. However, there are also others focusing on bringing children to nature,” she said. Kamath said she chose to hold her camp in the evening rather than the usual morning-to-noon schedule because of rising temperatures.
