Time to starting thinking...summer activities for the littles

Okay now, I'm totally not starting with preschool summer activities because this is the age near and dear to my heart. It's simply the age when a parent first goes nuts about that long summer and how to keep junior adequately occupied.

Enter Edmond's amazing list of summer activities (see last year's lineup here).

Now you can trip on down to the zoo (the hyenas are especially creepy) or the science museum (kids can't get enough of that giant robot!), which are definitely family-fun gigs. But when it comes to week-long or weekly classes, there's plenty to choose from right here in town. Here are just some of the amazing opportunities for little ones this summer (and if you're a local business, I'm always happy to add more to this list!).

Camps for the budding artist or performer....Edmond has several great opportunities for preschoolers to try their hand at the arts. The Fine Arts Institute of Edmond offers their Little Artist Camp for those ages 3 to 6, which will include painting, making collages, and creating 3-D art. Also, Dance Phase offers a Princess Camp for those ages 3 through 7, which includes dance instruction as well as other engaging activities.

Weekly sports classes...Most of the sports places listed here offer classes all year long, but some offer special summer deals as a way to try something out. Several Edmond hotspots for preschool athletics are the Edmond YMCA, Oklahoma Gold Gymnastics, Arctic Edge Ice Arena, and Edmond Soccer Club.

Mothers Day Out...Nothing better prepares those little ones to get into the swing of preschool, pre-K, or kindergarten like a fun-filled mothers' day out program (see a list here--not all will have summer availability). Becky Scharf, Director of Stepping Stones Mothers Day Out, agreed, saying, "It is important for kids to remain on some sort of schedule during the summer to keep them active and engaged." That may be true for us parents too, huh?

Vacation Bible School...For a week of faith-inspired activities and socialization, check out this year's list of local VBS opportunities here...

Swimming...And,  as always, a reminder that kids of any age, but this age in particular, have much to benefit from summer swimming lessons. Check for a list of local lessons here.

So, yes. It's time to start thinking about signing up. The problem is...what to choose? You know what? It's a good problem to have.

Stay tuned for grade school summer activities next week!

Time to start thinking...about summer (activities)

You did it! You made it through one of the most wintery winters we've had here in a while. It's time to start pulling out shorts, think about swim suits and vacations, and yes, consider how to keep those kiddos busy all summer long.


And with so many summer programs getting ready for "sign up" time, you've got to think hard and fast.


There's so much to choose from in Edmond, that I find myself a little dazed as I think about all the options. Sports? Music? Swimming pool memberships? Art camp?


Sigh. And to think my childhood summer breaks used to consist of a pile of books, two siblings, and a overactive imagination to keep me busy.


Well, guess what? You certainly don't have to overdo it. The best thing is to find that happy medium between keeping the minds and bodies of your kids active while still enjoying the laid-back pace of the season.


Pre-K and younger...If your kiddos are in daycare, chances are the program already has some fun summer activities up their sleeve! But if your kids are home with you, that doesn't mean they can't participate in some group fun, and at this age, working on social skills throughout the summer is definitely a benefit when preschool or Pre-K starts in the fall. There are several Mothers Day Out Programs offered during the summer (see list of MDO programs here), but if the cost or your summer schedule is prohibitive, just scheduling a weekly playgroup can do the trick.


As for other activities, programs for preschoolers abound. Places like Oklahoma Gold Gymnastics, Arctic Edge, Soccer City, The Fine Arts Institute of Edmond, and the YMCA offer many fun, affordable options. And don't forget this is a great time to get your child water safe. For a list of swimming programs, click here.


For more on this topic, check back April 10.


For elementary school kids...This is a time where your child can explore different sports and creative outlets, and taking advantage of summer programs that give children that opportunity can give them something to call their own. Maybe you've explored several different sports, and your child now knows what he or she does or doesn't like (often related to what that kiddo feels good at doing). Week-long camps are a great way to immerse a kid in an activity, and weekly, summer-long programs can contribute to long-term development. For a list of some local programs, check back April 17.


For the older crowd...A kid has often become specialized by this time, so choosing an activity can be easier. Music and sport camps are often offered through the school system, ones that you may know about long before the summer gets here.


But finding programs isn't the only thing a pre-teen or teenager can get involved in. In fact, the summer is a perfect time to begin discovering interests and building up experience through summer jobs and volunteering. Many churches will be running Vacation Bible School programs and will need teenagers to help, and other charities will be happy to have a volunteer. And if kids pick something near and dear to their heart, they'll gain valuable work experience as well as that buzz that comes from helping others. For more on this topic, check back April 24.


Finally, you don't have to spend big bucks to make the summer memorable for those kids. Places like the zoo, the science museum, and even just playing together as a family at a park can create a sense that the summer is a special time of year. Just be intentional about making a plan, and in their downtime, just let those kids be kids.

Edmond summer camps - Get yourself on the shortlist

Next week, I've got some fun info for you on finding your perfect babysitter (also see May 2013 Community Connections). But this week, I thought I'd start your summer planning out with a helpful list on what camps are available in the immediate area for kids and teens.

Now, I have to tell you--the first time I saw something called "princess" camp or "pop star" camp, I snaughed (which entails snorting and laughing at the same time). I mean seriously, someone wants me to pay for my daughter to have more attitude? More snaughing. But then, after rounds and rounds of Disney's Princess Sofia and my daughter turning everything into a microphone, I thought, just maybe, that these camps could be kind of fun. If anything, I'm curious what the benefits could be (and whether the princess camp might save me watching multiple episodes of Princess Sofia talking to various woodland creatures).

Then again, princess and pop star camps are just the tip of the iceberg on what Edmond has to offer the little star(s) of your life. From sports to ballet, this town has it covered. The list below is certainly not comprehensive (and I'm happy to add any I've missed), but it should give you a good taste of the variety from which you and your child can choose.

Artic Edge Summer Sports Camp (ages 7 and up) (morning workout, basketball, and ice skating;  weekly activities include swimming, martial arts, hip hop dance, arts & crafts, hockey, ping pong, gymnastics, ballroom dancing, cheerleading, and skateboarding)

Camp Cadence (ages 6 - 13) (horseback riding)


Dance Phase (princess & pop star camps)


Edmond Public Schools (school-specific camps, clinics, and leagues)


Edmond Racquet Club (ages 5 - 16) (tennis)


Edmond Soccer Club Recreational Camp (boys and girls of all ages)


Farm & Ranch Day Camp - Parkhurst Ranch (ages 6 – 12 and 4 – 5 years if accompanied by an adult) (horsemanship/pony rides, plant/harvest vegetables, and nature walks and crafts).
 

Fine Arts Institute of Edmond  (ages 3 - 14 years) (art and theater)

Francis Tuttle Summer Quest (ages 11 - 14 years) (art, web design, babysitting, robotics, cooking, and more)

Kickingbird Tennis Center (ages 4 and up)


Mad Science Camps (1st - 6th grade)


Upstage Theater (ages 5 - 15) (theater)


YMCA of Edmond Summer Day Camps (ages 5 - 12) (arts and crafts, recreational swimming, indoor and outdoor sports, drama, reading, games, interest centers and weekly field trips as well as other specialty activities including dance, martial arts, photography, theater, sailing, and scrapbooking)


For more on this year's summer camps, see the Just Us Kids by the publisher of the Edmond Sun.

Floaties, Noodles, and Swim Diapers – Navigating the world of Edmond swim lessons

If there is anything that frightens me more than another installment of the Saw movie franchise, it’s a swimming pool right outside someone’s back door. With two kiddos under the age of four, getting my little ones water-safe is no joking matter.

So I’ve set about finding what Edmond has to offer by way of training my little puppies to swim like guppies. Or, at least, to learn how to float and maybe do some simple dog paddling.

Here’s what I’ve found. First of all, until your kiddo turns three, you’re probably going to end up in the pool with them (with the exception of one place, which is mentioned below). That sparks bathing-suit terror in me, but really, shimmying into colorful spandex  is the least of my worries when it comes to my kids’ safety.

Here’s a brief list of what I’ve found:

Pelican Bay Aquatic Center. The American Red Cross holds two-week swim lesson courses during the summer at Edmond’s water park, for ages two and up. The park offers a range of instruction, everything from parent/child classes to advance stroking and water survival skills.

Infant Swim Resources.  These lessons are open to babies as young as six months and are geared toward water survival. These are not parent/child classes. I will say that watching a tiny baby learn to float may be strange and a little unsettling, but these lessons (which go up to age six) offer skills meant to keep you child safe if they happen to fall into water. See Edmond specific (lessons at Oak Tree) information here.

YMCA. Several locations through the greater Oklahoma City area, including the Edmond and Guthrie YMCAs, offer parent/child classes for kiddos six to thirty-six months and beginner classes starting at age three.   

Transformation Fitness. This Edmond fitness center offers classes for kids ranging from six months to thirteen years of age. Again, a parent must be in the water with a child who is under age three.

Lighthouse Sports, Health, and Fitness. And for those willing to go a little farther (Lake Hefner area), this Oklahoma City fitness center also offers a variety of swim classes for ages three and up. They also have “Water Babies,” which is their equivalent of a parent/child class, with the added benefit of being “drop-in.”

With so many options, parents are certain to find something to float their boats (sorry, I just could not help myself).  Because really, getting introduced to swimming is fun and exciting for little ones, but most of all, it’s one-hundred percent necessary.