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Arlington, Texas (June 9, 2004) – It’s summertime and kids everywhere have started their summer vacations. Before the chorus of “I’m bored!” begins, parents need to consider their options. While summer months provide challenges for all parents, those with gifted children may find activities that entertain the typical child may not satisfy the needs of their children.
There are many different definitions of “gifted,” but most schools and psychologists use IQ tests to determine giftedness. Children with high IQs are typically very curious and often express intense feelings and complex thought processes.
“Many schools have difficulty dealing with highly gifted children, who are grouped in classrooms by age instead of intellectual ability,” said Dr. Deborah Ruf, gifted children program coordinator for American Mensa, the high IQ society. “Summer vacation offers an opportunity for parents to enrich the learning experience for children who may not be challenged by typical activity during the school year.”
When considering activities for gifted children, it is important to provide entertaining educational activities that they enjoy. Parents should offer a wide variety of activities for their gifted child to choose from, such as:
- Lessons in a foreign language
- Summer camps tailored to child’s specific interest (space, theatre)
- Talent searches
- Special events at local library/ book club
- Music lessons
- Online distance-learning courses
- Summer school at local high school or college
“Gifted children learn quickly and have lots of questions,” said Dr. Ruf. “Summer activities allow children to explore their own interests at their own pace.”
Parents can learn about programs in their area by checking with their local school system. The National Association of Gifted Children offers a list of programs across the country on its Web site, www.nagc.org.
American Mensa offers year-round enrichment for gifted people of all ages. The only qualification for membership in American Mensa is a score in the top two percent on an accepted, standardized intelligence test. Most local Mensa groups offer activities for families and children. Nationally, young members enjoy a special track of programming, called Kids Trek, at the organization’s annual convention each July.
“Mensa is a great organization for gifted children because it offers them a chance to be with their intellectual peers, instead of just their age-mates,” said Dr. Ruf. “With 100,000 members worldwide, Mensa offers gifted people many opportunities to cultivate their interests.”
For more information about American Mensa and gifted children, visit us.mensa.org.
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