Summer camps keep kids hopping
Published 7:30 pm Tuesday, June 5, 2012
South County cities offer a variety of summer camps that help kids create comic books or train to be a lifeguard. Campers can swim one week and swing a bat the next.
“It’s a great way for kids to try something new,” said Linda McKee, a recreation supervisor in Mountlake Terrace.
Kids and teens don’t have to make a long commitment to a sports season or a structured class, she added.
Camp coordinators in Mountlake Terrace debuted a lacrosse camp last year. In Lynnwood, the blockbuster superhero action movie “The Avengers” has inspired the theme for “American Superheroes” week at this year’s Kamp Kookamunga. Edmonds is reaching back this year with a “Monty Python”-inspired acting camp.
“We try camps that worked before and look at the market to see what fits our niche,” said Jeff Betz, a Mountlake Terrace recreation supervisor.
A range of age-appropriate camps appeal to a wide audience and focus on dance, cooking, and lifeguard and baby-sitting training, among others.
“The camp coordinators keep a pulse on topics that are fun and exciting and tie into their interests,” McKee said.
Camps are intended to promote healthy lifestyles too, said Don Sarcletti, director of parks and recreation for Mountlake Terrace.
“They’ll develop skills at a young age and have lifelong skills,” he said. “And of course, it’s also about having fun.”
The city of Edmonds offers an array of camps, including sports, gymnastics, photography, music and science.
Participants get the chance to socialize, learn and enhance skills and experiment with problem-solving. Younger campers learn structure and routine, city staff agreed.
The city’s Discovery Programs focus on interaction with nature and marine life or offer the chance to try out water sports.
In Edmonds, on average, sports camps see 250 participants per year, gymnastics camps see 60, and 300 participate in specialized camps including Legos and an intensive X-fit camp, staff said.
Don’t delay
Registration is already underway for local summer camps. Find city recreation guides here:
Lynnwood: www.playlynnwood.com
Edmonds: www.reczone.org
Mountlake Terrace: www.mltrec.com
A sample of local camp offerings:
Kamp Kookamunga
WHAT: Themed weekly day camps focused celebrating the wild and wacky
WHERE: Lynndale Park, 18927 72nd Ave. W, Lynnwood
WHO: Grades 1-7
COST: $135 per week
MORE INFO: www.playlynnwood.com
Junior Naturalists
WHAT: Learn to track animals, identify birds, investigate wetlands and more
WHERE: Around Edmonds
WHO: Ages 9-12
COST: $113, $130 non-resident
MORE INFO: www.reczone.org
Ki Aikido Camp
WHAT: Martial arts training with basic throws, falling safely and having fun
WHERE: Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion, 5303 228th St. SW
WHO: Ages 7-12
COST: $70, $75 non-resident
MORE INFO: www.mltrec.com
