abouTfamily

Happy Campers - Brazos Valley Style
By DEBBIE PETERSON

Worried about how to keep your kids happy campers over the summer months? The only worry you need to have is how to decide which of the numerous options of summer day camps in Bryan/College Station to choose. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but is meant to be a sampling of the wide range of summer day camp experiences this area has to offer.

The City of Bryan Parks and Recreation Department will hold a Summer Park Program for kids ages 5-12 from June 2-July 11 from 12:00pm-5pm. The programs are held at various Bryan parks and include swimming and field trips. The program is free except for a small fee for the field trips. Bryan ISD offers sports camps, including track, baseball, basketball, and softball.

The City of College Station Parks and Recreation Department offers tennis camps for kids from 3 years old all the way up to adults at different dates and times throughout the summer. Also, for a membership fee, the Brazos Valley Boys and Girls Club will have summer hours from 8am-5pm and will have activities including sports camps, arts and crafts, field trips, a free lunch program and more.

College Station ISD will be having Tiger Sports Camps including baseball, softball, basketball, football, track, soccer, tennis, and volleyball. Also, a Summer Day Camp will be available for kids who have completed grades K-6. It will be held June 2-Aug. 14th from 7:30am-6pm. Activities will include games, crafts, swimming, and field trips. The camps will be held at Rock Prairie and South Knoll Elementary Schools, and registration will be held from May 7 on at the Community Education Office.

Briarcrest Country Club in Bryan will be having Summer Camp for both members and non-members in several different sessions throughout the summer for ages 5-12 and a Camp for Tots for ages 4-6. The camps will include tennis, golf, arts and crafts, swimming, fitness and other fun activities and will include lunch. Tennis and Golf camps for various ages and ability levels will also be offered.

Aerofit offers Summer Fit Camps for both members and nonmembers at their Villa Maria location in Bryan. Parents can sign their children up for 1 week sessions from June 2 through August 22 in gymnastics, power kids, racquetball, fitness, basketball, karate, volleyball or swim camps.

Another sports camp, Awana Soccer camp, will be offered by Central Baptist Church August 4-8 from 6:00-8:30pm. In addition to learning soccer skills and putting them to use in games, the camp will include “The Zone,” a time of Bible study and worship.

Texas A & M University holds several sports camps during the summer for kids ages 8-18, including baseball, soccer, golf, softball, swimming, and tennis. Texas A & M camps offer attendees the chance to be coached by some of the finest collegiate coaches in the nation. Some of these camps offer both day camp and overnight camp options.

Texas A & M also puts on Camp Aggieland and Camp Adventure, both sponsored by the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Camp Aggieland is a one week camp offered in two sessions, July 7-11 and 14-18 from 8am-5pm. The camp is for ages 6-12 and is intended to give children educational experiences to develop motor skills and enhance self-understanding as well as provide an introduction to the Texas A & M campus. Counselors are education students and the camp will include sports, games, dance, arts and crafts, writing, drama and field trips.

Camp Adventure is a two week outdoor adventure camp for kids ages 8-12. It will be held June 2-13 from 8:30am-4:30pm. Kids will be divided into tribes by age and gender and will have the opportunity to try activities like the ropes course, archery, canoeing, recreation games and sports and rappelling.

One unique camp experience is offered by Susan Quiring of Susan’s Ballroom Dance. “Be a Class Act: Etiquette and Dance Summer Camp” will be held June 2-5 at The George Bush Presidential Library and conclude with an evening banquet and dance. The camp will run from 12:45-2:15pm for 7-10 year olds and 2:30-4:30pm for 11-18 year olds and will include teaching on social and communication skills and dance techniques in order to give the students confidence in any social situation.

If your child wants to earn money over the summer by baby-sitting, a very useful activity would be the safe sitter class taught by St. Joseph Regional Health Center. Parents can choose from five different three day sessions that will give students ages 11-13 the opportunity to learn and practice emergency procedures and other helpful techniques to prepare them to be good baby-sitters.

Jacque’s, a local toy, book and teacher store, puts on educational but fun Summer Camps for ages 6-11. The camps are 2 hours a day for 5 days. This year’s schedule is still being finalized, but last year’s camps covered a wide variety of topics from art to cooking to science.

First United Methodist Church in Bryan will be holding a Creative Arts Camp the week of June 23-27 from 1-4pm. The camp will offer many different kinds of creative arts that students can choose from when they register, such as cake decorating, sewing, carpentry and more. During the week the students will work on the musical “Postman Paul” which will be performed for the public that Friday night at 7pm.

The Brazos Valley Art League wants kids attending their summer art programs to “Experience Fine Art around the World.” The program will include morning programs for children ages 7-8 and afternoon classes for 9 and 10 year olds. The classes are limited to 10 students a week and will students the opportunity to try several different art forms such as sculpture, acrylics, pastels, printmaking and fiber art and explore art history.

Many of these programs have limited space available and can fill up fast, so sign up early to ensure your happy campers will have a place.

June’s article is going to be about free or inexpensive summer family fun in Bryan/College Station, and July’s article will cover ways to “stay cool” locally during the hot summer days. Please e-mail me at Debbie@aboutownpress.com with your family’s favorite local summer activities.