Free summer fun

Parents have no right to complain that there’s nothing for their kids to do this summer.

The City of Thunder Bay has taken care of that argument, once again offering three programs that range from play time to arts to sports.

A.J. Kresek, the super sport specialist with the city’s free drop-in playgrounds program for kids aged five to 12, said he and his colleagues have created theme days to take them through the middle of August, featuring arts and crafts and games related to the subject at hand.

“It really gets kids out doing something recreationally,” said Kresek, himself not that far removed from his own playground days.

“It gets them exercising and it’s also really beneficial to parents who need somewhere for their kids to go throughout the summer. I think it’s great that they can get outside and have something to do that’s there for them every day. They know it’s a safe place to be and they have trained staff to run them through the things they want to do.”

Daily themes, which are also grouped weekly, include everything from Alice In Wonderland and How to Train Your Dragon to medieval times and alien invasion.

“For example, today’s the summer kick-off day, so all the games and crafts run around our summer kick-off. Tomorrow’s a birthday theme, so all the games will run around a birthday theme,” Kresek said.

Activities include making birthday name tags, a gift unwrap relay and a birthday wheel.
The program is held at parks across the city. John Jumbo, North McIntyre, Odgden and VickersPark are Monday to Friday, while other parks are Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday and still others operate the program on just Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The super sport and super arts programs are aimed at children between 8 and 13 and youth aged 12 to 17.

Unlike the playgrounds program, there is a daily $25 cost to take part. In super sports children learn the ins and outs of everything from cheerleading to lacrosse, basketball to floor hockey. There’s even a Surivor day built in for good measure.

The arts program is for the more creative kids in the city and covers everything from cooking and drama to dance and painting.  

Kicking the summer program off with cooking classes at the Ogden Community Centre, participants learned how to make things like granola bars, fruit smoothies, veggie pizza and fruit salsa.

“We wanted to start the summer off this way because the temptation in the summer is to eat a lot of junk,” said Super Arts specialist Kirsten Fritsch. “We want to encourage them to eat healthy at home and show them easy ways how to prepare fun stuff for their family.”
 
“The importance of having programs like this is to get the kids active and involved, to help them make new friends and to promote healthy childhood development,” Fritsch  added . “The kids today are having a fantastic time.”

To register  for super arts call 625-2351.