An Arguement for Keeping Kids Busy

This week is Akron Zoo week in our house.  Caden is going to zoo camp for 3 days, then Ellie is going for one.  My kids love to go to the zoo and I do too, but I was afraid this might be a little much, but it's not.  I took Vince to zoo camp a few weeks ago and I wasn't too impressed.  It seemed, like most toddler programs, to be a little over his head.  So  I was really worried about sending Caden.  He doesn't usually do very well at these things, behaviorally speaking.  He got in trouble both days he was at Science Camp at the McKinley Museum so I was very hesitant to drive the 30 hour up to Akron and back for 3 days for him to hate going and misbehave.  But he LOVES it!
Each day he's excited to go back and when I told him today was his last day he said, "Awww!".  I haven't been brave enough to ask the instructor how his behavior has been.  I'm assuming since she hasn't approached me it's not THAT bad, but when he's engaged, he's usually on task and tows the line.  I can't really get much information out of him as to what they do, but whatever it is, he's having fun, hopefully learning some things and he's out of the house gaining new and varied experiences.

THAT'S why I sign my kids up for this kind of thing.  We've had a week or two over the summer with not a lot on the schedule and although it's nice for me to not have to run, they get a little bored just sitting around the house, which leads to fighting and getting into things.  So all summer it's been Zoo Camp, Science Camp, swimming lessons at the YMCA, swimming at the HOF, tennis lessons, library programs, summer reading and days at the pool.  I know that some people thing this is over programming kids, that they need time to just "be kids" but I feel like my kids need this.  They need time out of the house to DO things.  Ellie asks every night, "What's tomorrow?".   I also feel that I'm giving them experiences that they wouldn't otherwise have if we just played at home or at the pool all summer.  Caden held an octopus this week.  Enough said.