During the summer holidays, Roots school hosts its annual literary camp “Pochitay-ka,” where children read exciting children’s books together with a teacher, go for walks, play games, make wonderful crafts, go on excursions and to the swimming pool, and enjoy delicious and healthy meals.

 

All of this helps them not only retain their Russian language skills over the summer but also develop their conversational abilities—and make new friends too.

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Think back to your own childhood: we always got a long list of books to read over the summer. But for many children in Canada, this tradition is unfamiliar. Don’t worry though—our camp is called “Pochitay-ka” for a reason! Every summer, we create a special literary plan tailored to both preschool and school-age groups. On a hot summer afternoon, after running, playing, and swimming to their hearts’ content, the children settle in comfortably to discover some of the best works of Russian and world children’s literature.

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At our camp, we speak only Russian. It’s a great opportunity for many children to improve their conversational Russian over the summer. Children from mixed-language families, where English is the main language, receive support not only from the bilingual teachers and counselors but also from their fellow campers.

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An active, enriching summer is the best preparation for the new school year!