[doubletrouble25]

I think it is great to try to balance sports with a non-sport activity like science or art. My son is currently in karate and the science club. To me it is always good to do a little bit of both and not focus too heavily on just sports. Being I'm a working mom, I put my son in several day camps over the summer too. I'm going to try to balance the same way this summer with soccer camp, science camp and a general outing camp. I'd love to spend more downtime with him at home, but if he needs to be away, at least I feel like he is getting a good balance and is spending part of the time learning while having fun.

[poliscmjr]

What great ideas!

[twinzplus3]

To me, the bigger question is not to balance between sports and academics but to balance between spending "down time" at home vs having to go out/be out and do something all the time. The sports/academics connection will work itself.

[kzara]

I think its important to have a good mix of activities as well. Our family's hobbies are pretty sedentary, we enjoy games of all sorts and spend a lot of time sitting around a table, so it was important that our DD have an active hobby. We found a Kung-Fu school that we love and she took to it right away.

[browneyes01]

sports are a big part of my kids life. they really enjoy playing basketball and football and i don't think they will ever get bored of playing.

[eveaa]

It's great to balance sports with non-sports activity,children need to combine exertion and rest.

[TechMom]

My son, age 7, is a G/T student and looking for some good summer camp options. I actually work for a summer camp, iD Tech Camps - http://www.internaldrive.com, and will be sending him there for a week of robotics, but am looking for other fun options to fill another week during the summer. He loves science and doing experiments, but he also really likes art and story telling. I am open to sports camps or academic camps. He plays the piano too, but his piano lessons are pretty light in the summer.
If you have a G/T child and can give me some suggestions, I would love some parent feedback. I want him to have plenty of down time this summer, but he needs some structure too. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[jdk1970]

Balance is great. The problem is kids aren't getting enough exercise to begin with. Many of them have lost the old-fashioned playtime outside in favor of video games. At least there is the Wii which can help "balance" video play with their outdoor activities.

[Mandy2]

Yep a good mix is crucial. Thanks for making me think about this! At the moment, my 6 year old plays football and goes swimming. A science club would be a great addition!

[CherylParker]

Every child should try as much activities as possible. This way the most interesting one could be found. Balancing is essential. Children often prefer to choose only one thing and, oh, almost forget those pc games. How to deal with them? This should be in another topic I know