I wrote yesterday about the loss of creative programming for kids under 10 during General Assembly. Other parents have inquired, and the General Assembly Planning Committee has added details to the Child Care section of their pages:

The theme for childcare this year is, It’s Good to be Green:
Alright kids! Ready, Set, GO GREEN! Taking care of each other and the planet is on everyone’s mind these days and being eco-friendly can be fun! From craft projects made with recycled materials to puzzles and games about our planet, we’ll learn about our environment in a fun, playful and creative way. Our nature theme tents and tunnels will give the feeling of playing in the great outdoors. Exploring our surroundings could lead us to a great scavenger hunt. Divided into teams and following clues, let’s see which team finds the most eco-friendly items hidden throughout the room. From using recycled materials to special projects directed at environmental learning, children will leave the program feeling positive about themselves and becoming eco-friendly.

Sounds much better than “child care from 6 months through age 9.” It’s still not clear what ages get this programming (a member of the committee said in an e-mail it was for 8- and 9-year-olds), and all day in one room doesn’t sound great for anyone over about 4, but it’s more appealing than what was on there before. Thank you! Please extend it to 6- and 7-year-olds if at all possible!

The Fahs Lecture, sadly, appears to have no chance of being restored this year, since the Planning Committee, in what was described as a respectful conversation, said there is no such thing as a guaranteed spot at General Assembly. However, there used to be, and I am one GA regular who thinks that that provided a much richer program than the more recent process of confining most program decision-making to a small group. If anyone thinks that our current method is the best way to meet the wonderfully diverse needs and interests of the thousands of GA attendees, I offer the Fahs Lecture decision as a counter-example.

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