Even if the sun doesn’t shine much this summer, kids and adults alike will likely be looking for new ways to stay active and busy before fall begins.
The City of Kirkland’s Parks and Recreation department has a wide variety of classes, activities and locations for any age range.
A big highlight this year is the Move It! Summer classes, said Recreation Coordinator Nesha Thomas.
“It’s like going to a health club without the health club vibe,” she said. The program allows people to buy a one time pass, good for 10 weeks of classes. There is no limit on the number of classes taken during that time, and Thomas said most days offer at least three class choices, except for Sundays.
“There are a lot of different options,” she said. The program runs from June 14 through August 21 with no classes on July 3 or July 5 at the North Kirkland Community Center. Residents can get a Move It! pass for $81, while non residents can purchase one for $97. Anyone 16-years and older is eligible to buy the pass.
There are a variety of summer sports camps open to kids in Kirkland, said Thomas.
“We do have a lot of sports camps for kids,” she said. “But they do fill up quickly.”
A popular one, according to Thomas, is the Kangs Basketball Camp for both boys and girls ages 7 through 12. Lake Washington High School coach Barry Johnson and members of the LWHS boys team work through drills and games with the participants, broken up into age groups. The camp runs Aug. 2-6 at Kirkland Junior High.
Despite budget cutbacks to city programs across the state, Kirkland is still offering a number of summer day camps for kids. Tracy Harrison, the parks department’s camp program coordinator, said there a ton of things going on this year.
One new camp this summer, Harrison said is the Giggles and Grins mini camp for kids ages 3-5. The four day camp runs Mondays through Thursdays at the North Kirkland Community Center.
“It includes quirk, messy art projects and lots of games,” said Harrison. Each week offers both morning and afternoon sessions with week themes including “All about bugs”, “Western round up” and “Barnyard friends”.
The city is also offering a new Mom’s Camp this summer at McAuliffe Park.
“Camp is not just for kids,” said Harrison. The four day camp runs July 6-9 and includes yoga, cooking classes, art, massage and other activities designed to make being a mom less stressful.
Junior Summer Day Camps is back again this year, designed for kids ages 5 through 8. Over nine weeks throughout the summer children can participate in various weeks with themes like “Grossology: the science of really gross things”.
The Peter Kirk Summer Day Camp, the city’s longest running day camp for over 30 years, is for kids ages 7 to 11 years old runs for 10 weeks with various art, science and outdoor adventure themes.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” said Harrison. “They visit all the beaches, go on field trips. We just have a really dynamic camp director this year who wants to open their eyes to the community.”
Both Harrison and Thomas said all the camps fill up, with some already full for the summer.
“We just want people to hop on board,” said Harrison. “We have a lot of new camps.”
To learn more or to sign up visit www.kirklandparks.net for registration information and to see a copy of the Summer 2010 brochure. The Kirkland Parks Department is located at 505 Market Street, Suite A and is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 425-587-3350 to register over the phone.
More information
Here are useful numbers to have on hand while making summer plans:
• The Parks and Community Services Office – 425-587-3300
• North Kirkland Community Center – 425-587-3350
• Peter Kirk Community Center – 425-587-3360
• Heritage Hall – 425-587-3342
• Kirkland Teen Union Building – 425-822-3088
• Recreation Hotline – 425-587-3335
• Parks Maintenance – 425-587-3340
