A child development advocate has called on parents and guardians to enroll their children in extracurricular and skills development programs during school holidays, emphasizing their role in shaping well-rounded, confident, and focused individuals.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the maiden Explorers’ Nest Camp 2025, Rebecca Ametepe, Project Manager at The Ghanaian Child—a child advocacy organization dedicated to promoting Ghanaian culture and instilling discipline in them—encouraged parents to view holidays as an opportunity for children to discover and nurture their talents.

“Parents should enroll their children in extracurricular activities and skills acquisition during their holidays because that helps to bring up a more rounded child and a child who is focused on exploring their talent in a good way,” she said. “This helps them boost their confidence, sharpens their hunger for achievements, and helps them acquire skills to be able to pursue their dreams.”

The Explorers’ Nest Camp 2025, organized by The Ghanaian Child in collaboration with Center 1—an event planning and hosting center based in Somanya—was held from August 18 to August 23, 2025. It brought together children from Somanya, Akosombo, Akuse, and surrounding communities for a week of immersive cultural, educational, and recreational experiences.

Facilitators, including Linda Osei Bonsu, a Research Assistant at the Ensign Global University, and Emma Caesar, engaged the pupils, aged between 3 and 18, in a wide range of activities, including indigenous Krobo art and craft, team sports and games, STEM-based learning, music, dance, a talent show, and a cultural exhibition. An educational excursion was also part of the lineup, aimed at broadening their understanding of national issues and environmental concerns.

One of the highlights of the camp was its focus on Krobo culture and artisanship, coupled with hands-on AI and STEM training—creating a unique blend of traditional and modern learning to help children develop both cultural identity and technological literacy.

“The participants leave with their confidence built, a strong sense of identity, and a better understanding of themselves,” Ametepe noted. “We’re very pleased with the success of the programme and will continue to organize more initiatives like this. Parents should bring their children—there are programmes available for children between the ages of 3 and 18, at any level of education.”

The impact of the camp was echoed by the children themselves. Six-year-old Nelikem Gogo, a Grade 2 pupil from VRA International School, described the experience as “amazing.”

“We had fun. I’ll want to be part of the next event because it was amazing. I learnt about illegal mining,” he said.

Eight-year-old Maya, a Class Four pupil, shared her enthusiasm: “I enjoyed the teaching. It was fun. I learnt about our world and our identity, about latitudes and longitudes. I want to be part of the next event because I really enjoyed the camp. I thank my teachers for teaching me.”

As more parents seek constructive ways to engage their children during school breaks, programmes like Explorers’ Nest Camp offer a compelling blueprint for combining culture, creativity, and education in child development.