As every parent of school-age children well knows, we are just about to begin the third week of summer vacation. I can imagine that a little restlessness has begun to set in now that we have shed the structure of school year schedules. Sleeping in and having a formless day stretch before you is fun at first but I know from experience with my own children that this can quickly slide into an intense laziness of the young body and mind. Never fear, mom and dad, Community Education can help!
The Community Education summer guide was mailed out back in April. I am not naive enough to think that anyone still has it handy now that the reality of summer is upon us. Fortunately, this resource for community happenings is easily accessible. It can be found online on the Community Ed page of www.isd181.org . The Brainerd Public Library, the Washington Education Building, our offices at Forestview Middle School and many of the schools all have paper copies available.
This guide is full of great activities to get the bodies and minds of the kids in your life moving over the next several weeks. There are of course many sports camps still to come. From mountain biking to cheerleading, from seniors to kindergartners, there is a camp for just about every sport for every age.
Perhaps your children are more musically inclined. We have the Explore Music program in July that gives first through fifth graders the opportunity to participate in the amazing Lakes Area Music Festival. For the older ones who just want to jam out, there is the School of Rock at the Franklin Arts Center in August.
Community Ed is not the only summer activities outfit in town. Several other organizations have their summer activities listed in the guide as well. From parks and recreation at Baxter, Brainerd and Nisswa to the Northland Arboretum and Crossing Arts Alliance to the YMCA and Public Library, there are so many things for people of all ages to do in our community this time of year.
ADVERTISEMENT
Another great feature of all these summer opportunities is that many of them do not require residency of participants. Maybe you live outside of the Brainerd School District or are having company come visit. No worries, all are welcome in our programs! Sign the kids and their cousins visiting from out of town up for the Art Impressionism class in August or tennis camp in July. They will have a blast together and the adults get a break from their role as Summer Activities Directors.
Those of us in schools always worry about the summer slide where students turn their brains off for three months, forget what they learned at school, and then take a while to get back into learning mode once school starts again. These summer activities are the perfect way to keep brains engaged while enjoying our glorious summer season.
Cori Reynolds is director of Community Education at Brainerd Public Schools
