Bermuda Parent Bermuda Parent Fall 2014 | Page 32

big kids BY DR SAJNI TOLARAM, Bermuda College BUEI: A Habitat for Learning BUEI welcomes children and families to its facilities for a range of activities including birthday parties, camps, tours, school field trips, story-time, and a range of educational programs. BUEI is sensory rich for active minds and growing bodies. It is also an attractive venue for its eye- catching exhibits. And, it is centrally located with good parking facilities. BUEI hosts birthday parties for children up to age 7. There is a choice of theme: a pirate party or a luau which includes a decorated room, plates and napkins, free admis- sion to the exhibits, unlimited carousel rides, games and activities, and party food: pizza or finger sandwiches, juice boxes and bottled water. Set-up and clean-up are included in the party package! We host the most memorable Birthday Parties! THEMED PIRATE AND LUAU PACKAGES include Themed Birthday Party Room, Plates and Napkins Free Admission into Exhibits All Day Unlimited Carousel Rides Variety of Games and Activities Pizza or Finger Sandwiches Juice Boxes and Bottled Water SET UP and CLEAN UP! BUEI 30 CONTACT: Wendy Wilson, Sales Coordinator Phone: 294-0209 | [email protected] | www.buei.org The education- al camps at BUEI are sensational, while the website, www.buei.org, lists the full offering for 2014, consider some of the follow- ing information as a gauge. The activities are hands-on; there are experiments and specimens, in- teractive computer learning, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, play-acting, and competitions. Camp participants engage in various learning skills that involve literacy and numeracy, knowledge building, and motivational dynamics. While the camps are largely scientific, participants learn about Bermuda’s role in the respective topics. The camps are conducted in BUEI’s labs, lobbies, and classrooms while incorporating the exhibits. For example, “Dabble in Seashells” camp features the world of mollusks using the Jack Lightbourn Shell Room. Participants learn how to classify them while engaging with identifying specimens and conservation. “Dabble in the Deep” includes Bermuda’s bioluminescence, fluorescence, and creatures of the deep sea. There are camps for children to engage in the world of sharks and whales that consider such aspects as their char- acteristics, behavior, and reproduction—while also looking at their relationship to mankind. Of further note, some of the camps focus on dissection and marine-related disasters. All camps are inter-active. While they are educational, they are also inspirational. The Education Programs are central to BUEI’s pur- pose. For example, as of April 1st, 2014, the Lionfish and