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Continuing Education Press Releases

U of U Program Re-Teaches Kids How to Have Fun Offline

Youth Education Program Offers Dozens of Alternatives to a TV-filled Summer

July 15, 2009 — Too much "screen time" could actually be jeopardizing your kid's health. Recent studies have linked the amount of time children spend on digital devices with obesity, ADHD, bipolarity and aggression. And yet American kids spend an average of almost eight hours per day "plugged in."

"These findings are staggering," said Nate Friedman, Administrative Program Coordinator for Youth Education at the U of U. "There are so many distractions now —YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, TV, video games — that it really takes a concerted effort to get kids out of the house."

For the past several years, Youth Education at The University of Utah has been working to provide fun and affordable ways to get kids out of the house and re-engaged with their world. "It's our job to show these kids the fun they can have ‘offline,'" said Friedman.

The U of U program specializes in experiential learning — in arts, science, language, math, recreation, and more — for kids age 2-18. Voted "Best Day Camp in Salt Lake City 2009" by Nickelodeon's Parent's Connect, Youth Education offers over 250 week-long classes and camps throughout the summer, ranging from art classes for preschoolers to college prep classes for high-school juniors and seniors.

Youth Education's interactive classes are taught by local experts, school teachers, and college professors, and rely heavily on field trips, guest lecturers and hands-on demonstrations. "The kids hardly realize how much they're learning," said Friedman. "They're using Legos to learn about mechanical engineering, or discovering Newton's Laws through bottle rockets and soap bubbles."

There are over 90 summer classes and camps remaining this summer, with titles like Aviation 101, Claymagination, Scientific Superheroes, Creature Connection, the Music of Math, Comic Book Art and much more. Classes are held in Salt Lake, Sandy and Bountiful, and scholarships are available.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for parents to get their kids out of the house this summer," added Friedman.

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that children in the U.S. spend an average of 7.5 hours a day with electronic media — and that the more media they use, the less happy they tend to be.

"People are busy," added Claire Turner, Youth Education's Director. "Parents are working. Kids are finding more reasons to stay inside. It's a perfect storm that's turning interactive playtime into a rare commodity."

A 2010 study from Iowa State University shows that 6- to 12-year olds who spend more than two hours a day playing video games or watching TV are 1.5 - 2 times more likely to develop attention disorders.

"We're helping families find healthier alternatives," added Turner.

Youth Education summer classes run now through August. For a complete list of courses or to register, visit www.youth.utah.edu or call 801-581-6984.

About Youth Education at The University of Utah

Youth Education at The U of U offers hundreds of classes and camps in art, science, languages, music, technology and recreation for kids age 2 – 18. Classes are held across the Wasatch Front, and include summer and school break camps as well as preschool, elementary and high school classes throughout the year.

Additional Links

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.