Naramata

Every year, during the summer I have been bringing the kids to Naramata Center. It was founded by the United and Anglican churches of Canada, but it is not a religious camp.

The setup is that you go for a week. During the week you attend a course in the mornings, 9am through noon. The afternoons are your own, but the centre itself is situated on Okanagan lake and has its own beach and dock. So, you can imagine what most of the afternoons are spent doing.
During a regular week, the courses are specific and involve a number of different areas. I have taken courses in photography, a course which explores the differences between men and women and a course in power.
Kids also have their own specific courses, tailored for their age.

A couple of times a year they also offer what is called Intergenerational Arts week. During this week, kids who are 8yrs and up attend the 'adult' courses. The past two years my son and I have gone and taken a course in biking. Around Naramata is the remnants of the Kettle Valley Railway. The tracks have been removed and the railbed is an awesome place to ride.
It has been really good for my son. He was 9 when we first did this and his riding (skills) have improved dramatically during the course, and afterwards. His confidence in his riding ability has also increased as he now knows what he can accomplish.

After doing this for two years running, we will change our tack for next year, hopefully returning to a regular week.