Summer Writing Camp 2020!
I hold these powerful camps every year, but the need has never been more pronounced! Creativity and expression is paramount. Kids do not need formulaic writing, but rather a WAY and then time to be heard and to be taught with creativity and skill.
This July and August, we connect over words and the great, unifying force, FOOD!
More details below
Sign up here!
July 27-31 Session A
August 3-7 Session B
Each session has separate goals & materials, so our young writers can participate in BOTH, or choose one! Of course, skills and confidence builds with each experience and each week, so both registering for both sessions will surely be a powerful combination!
Write me with any questions!
Cost:
The price for one session is this:
5 fun-filled days of creating & building friendships as we write= 60,000 yen.
Price for two memorable weeks:
100,000 yen (discounted 20, 000 yen)
What this includes:
Your child’s notebook and all creative materials, from pens to fine markers, sticky notes for observational reading and taking notes, all snacks and ingredients for our incredible partnership between food and writing!
Special projects and an outing!
From last year, 2019 two awesome camps!
Tokyo Kids Writes is a creative summer writing opportunity
to equip young authors!
We experienced seven days of laughter, ideas, & brilliant ways to express ourselves! Seven days of building stories, vocabulary, and tons of hysterical, let-lose moments when kids realized that they have it in them to be authors, fluid readers, and confident communicators at whatever they do!
Our August, 2019 session featured the vibrant work of Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu, an author who truly is attuned to young people!
Since the camp, Ms. Donwerth-Chikamatsu (or Annie, as we called her) has published her second poem-in-verse, a continuation of Somewhere Among.
Our camp was set in the fresh, centrally-located Best Living Japan Studio in Minami-Azabu, with flexible seating, room to stretch out, and a full, professional kitchen for any experiments and top-notch cooking, baking, and food writing!
July was a blast! We used our hobbies and curiosity to research & write across a variety of genres!
Our kids utilized their passion for airplanes, karate, etc, and learned how to create a hilarious non-fiction guide, recipes, powerful poems, or poignant non-fiction pieces.
Prolific, award-winning author, Holly Thompson, came in and spent time with us! We met via Skype, talking about her book, Falling into the Dragon’s Mouth, and learning her personal process! We learned more of the truth behind her characters and setting, and held onto her every word!
Holly later spent the day with us! We laughed, read, wrote, ate together, and even ran around the neighborhood a little, writing what we observed and imagined.
Above, Author Holly Thompson
We spent time with the brilliant, Annie Donwerth Chikamatsu!
Who is Tokyo Kids Write for?
TKW is geared for 8-14 year-olds, as well as teen writers! Each camper receives individual attention and coaching for the best, most tailored experience!
We can discuss your child and make the best decision!
Tell me more:
TKW is a camp for anyone who is not already in love with words. It is definitely a summer activity for those who enjoy reading and can express themselves in writing. Read what last year’s writers said!
Not every young person is excited to hear about writing. To many, the word “writing” can signal pangs of boredom and groans of defeat. Too many kids and young adults equate writing with the tedium of scripted five-paragraph essays with no time for creativity.
This camp is a break from that rushed monotony. Tokyo Kids Write is a reboot for how each camper views him or herself as a communicator. In these seven days, how a child even sees him/herself in relation to the community and world can dramatically shift!
Writing and every part of the overall process can become fun again! Tokyo Kids Write is a sure-fire way to gear up for the upcoming school year. Young people benefit greatly from carved-out time specifically set aside to cultivate ideas, mull over thoughts, and investigate their natural, intrinsic curiosity.
We will move your young writer forward in the best possible way—through writing workshop-style learning and hands-on activities that challenge, inspire, and encourage every camper.
I invite any questions.
How is this different than another writing camp? Well…
We welcome award-winning, Japan-based authors as they join camp sessions, share personal tips, and offer specific feedback to our young authors!
Past Highlights of TKW:
One summer, our camp Skyped and emailed with Suzanne Kamata, author of Gadget Girl. We even read portions of her manuscript before it was even on the market! She supplied personal feedback to each young author via Skype and follow-up emails that she personally sent to each writer!
Two years ago, we welcomed acclaimed author, Leza Lowitz! Her powerful novel-in-verse book, Up From the Sea, connected to our campers who researched and connected with historical knowledge on a heart level. Leza joined us in the Best Living Japan Studio for what was a momentous day!
Having superstar, cool, Japan-based writers who spend time with us and offer specific writing feedback is something no one else offers!
Additionally, we don’t always stay in the studio! Instead, we take mini-outings for rich experiences to help our writing. Botanical gardens, a busy bus station to record observations, perhaps a trip to the local ice cream shop to beat the heat and practice our sensory writing and record a quick restaurant review! It may mean a quiet walk of recording every swoosh, ripple of leaves, or city sound we encounter for a story we’re working on.
Reluctant readers and writers take bigger risks and dare to engage when it doesn’t feel like an assignment. We work in an atmosphere where every child is engaged.
*Write me with your interest and we’ll go from there!
Include, please, your child/children’s name(s), ages, and a brief background of who they are and why this camp appeals to you.
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