Continuing Education Press Releases

New U of U Program Gives Families Real-World Bonding Skills

Adult & Child Class Series Begins Feb. 24, 2010

February 10, 2010 – It's getting harder and harder to spend quality time with the kids, with an ever-growing list of distractions — TV, cell phones, YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter — cutting into family time. Although shared activities are essential for family health, the amount of time we're spending together has dropped sharply in the last three years — as much as 35% for higher income households.

In response, two University of Utah departments — Youth Education and Lifelong Learning — have teamed up to offer a new program designed to bring Salt Lake families closer together. Beginning in February, these two Continuing Education teams will roll out a new Adult & Child series, a collection of hands-on classes that lets kids age 6-14 discover new activities alongside their parents — or any other important adults in their lives.

"It's like the old saying: families that play together, stay together," said Mandy Self, Director of Lifelong Learning at the U. "Families that learn together are united by a common bond, which usually means closer friendships, better communication and more meaningful interactions."

The series kicks off on Feb. 24 with Adult & Child Conversational Spanish, followed by several classes throughout the spring semester including Indoor Rock Climbing, Sushi Making and Organic Vegetable Gardening.

"Learning something with your kids gives you an automatic climbing partner, cooking partner, someone to speak a new language with," said Nate Friedman, Program Manager for Youth Education at the U of U. "Suddenly, you're not just hanging out in the same room, but you're engaging your kids, laughing, learning and growing with them."

Beginning on March 6, Adult & Child Behind the Scenes Theatre Experience gives kids 6-11 and their parents a backstage look at Youth Theatre at the U's production of James and the Giant Peach before it opens to the public. Through hands-on activities, participants will learn about the scenery, costuming and acting that bring this classic story to life — and will meet the actors in costume, learn a song from the production and then get to see the play.

"We've designed a range of classes to appeal to all sorts of interests," said Self. "Families will get a fun, real-world experience of a new hobby that could last a lifetime."

Adult & Child Boot and Click, an introduction to outdoor photography, rounds out the spring lineup. Families will learn essential photography skills before hiking to a variety of scenic locations throughout the valley — and getting a chance to share and get feedback on their photos.

"We're planning this as an ongoing series," said Friedman. "More and more, families need real ways to connect. We want to help them rediscover the simple joy of doing things together."

A 2009 study by the Annenburg Center for the Digital Future found that the time devoted to family socializing has declined sharply in the last three years, from an average of 26 hours per month in 2005 to just 17.9 hours in 2008. 28% of Americans reported spending less time with members of their households, up from just 11% in 2006.

Numerous studies have shown that households with shared activities rate their family relationship significantly higher than those that do not — and that these families are much more willing to support each other through tough times.

"Spend an afternoon with your kids and you'll have a great memory, but learn a skill together and you're on the path to a lifetime of shared experiences," added Self.

To register or for more information about the series, visit youth.utah.edu or call 801-581-6984.

Series details:

• Adult & Child Conversational Spanish (Age 8-10 and 11-13), Feb. 24 - March 31, 2010
• Adult & Child Indoor Rock Climbing (Age 8-12), Feb. 26 - March 19, 2010
• Adult & Child Sushi Making (Age 10-12), Feb. 27, 2010
• Adult & Child Behind-the-Scenes Theatre Experience (Age 6-11), March 6 & 13, 2010
• Adult & Child Organic Vegetable Gardening (Age 8-11), March 22 - April 9, 2010
• Adult & Child Boot and Click Photography (Age 11-14), April 22 - May 13, 2010

Lifelong Learning at The University of Utah provides high-quality evening and weekend classes that challenge, inform, entertain and generally enrich the lives of adults through learning and social interaction.

Youth Education at The University of Utah develops interests and passions through experiential education and extends the resources of the University of Utah to students eighteen and under.

Continuing Education at the U enriches the lives of people of all ages in the greater community and beyond by providing extraordinary learning opportunities from the university. The division encompasses nine programs: Academic Non-Credit, Lifelong Learning, Exam/Test Preparation, Professional Education, Technology Education, Youth Education, Distance Education, the Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning and the English Language Institute. Founded in 1911, Continuing Education offers credit and non-credit courses that serve over 30,000 students annually from around the world. Information about each of Continuing Ed's programs can be found at www.continue.utah.edu.