Friday, 2 June 2017

Athletics & art among varied activities at summer camps in Woodstock area

Woodstock city kids' camps have many weekly themes

Theatre Woodstock has 3-week camp where children stage a musical 

By Mark Schadenberg
The emphasis could be on sports or the arts or many other activities, but in Oxford County you will certainly agree that there are many options for summer camps for children.
The City of Woodstock might be the trend setter or pace setter (or volleyball setter) as The Friendly City offers camps at parks, the community complex, the museum and the art gallery. Look at the links in www.cityofwoodstock.ca and be sure also to explore the May edition of What’s On Woodstock magazine.




   WOODSTOCK CAMPS
Based from the Woodstock District Community Complex on Finkle Street, various camps with a very interesting and large cross-section of themes take place for kids ranging from 4 to 15.
For sports, there is basketball, tennis, swimming, skateboarding and other fun exercise-based activities.
Theme camps vary from ecology to animals, from mysteries to meteorology, and then time travelling back to when your grandparents were young.


The Woodstock Museum is always a busy place for children all summer. See https://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/woodstock-museum/day-camps.asp for more details, and be sure to sign up quickly for Dinosaur Week as it will be a Jurassic-like week of learning experiences of gigantic proportions.
The Woodstock Art Gallery’s (www.woodstockartgallery.com) themes for 2017 camps include sculpture, painting, cartooning, and even something called self-expressive portraits. Each week usually ends with an art show.
Even if your children are not enrolled in a summer camp, outdoor fun is available at both the Southside Aquatic Centre’s splash pad, the Lions Pool on VanSittart Avenue, and the brand new water spray feature at Cowan Fields park on Devonshire. Lions Pool offers lots of public swimming times on its schedule, plus lessons. See: https://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/city-hall/lions-pool.asp
On the hottest afternoon of the summer, bring your kids to the library for story time. See: www.woodstocklibrary.on.ca. Every issue of What’s Of Woodstock magazine includes a comprehensive program listing for the library, art gallery and museum.
      

   OTHER CAMPS
(This is by no means set out to be a complete list.)

 Venues associated with the City of Woodstock, but not operated directly through city hall also host many camps such as minor soccer (Cowan Park), Theatre Woodstock and gymnastics.
Check out the additional links to some summer kids’ activities here:
Woodstock Legion Athletic Club: www.wlac.ca

Woodstock Co-Operative Dance Studio: www.dancewoodstock.com
Footprints Dance: www.footprintsdancecentre.com
Kick N’FX Karate School: www.kicknfx.com
Theatre Woodstock (Stages is name of youth programming): www.theatrewoodstock.com (This summer the kids will stage the musical Twinderella from Aug 24-26, so the camp will consist of almost every weekday in August.
Woodstock Soccer Club: www.woodstocksoccerclub.com It can be added that the soccer club has instructional fun time practically year-round for children as young as 2.
Woodstock Meadows (The Golf School). www.tgsmeadows.com
Singing Brook Farm: www.singingbrookartscamp.ca
Other specialty camps exist such as golf, and then also hockey (Dave McLaren annual camp is Aug 21 – 26 at the complex; 226 228-2717 or dmclaren@execulink.com) as another season arrives in August.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Camp in Woodstock is July 31 for the next 4 weeks. See: https://stemcamp.ca/2017-summer-camp-locations/woodstock-summer-camp/
YMCA in Woodstock: www.ymcawo.ca/woodstock
There is a basketball camp for kids too, but I was told by its convener they are already sold out.
As the good book says there are also summer vacation bible schools at many churches, including www.bethanywoodstock.ca, www.dundasstunitedchurch.ca, and www.knoxwoodstock.ca
My children attend an all-French school and so Ecole Ste Marguerite Bourgeoys hosts a few camp weeks early in the summer. Contact the school if you have French-speaking children.

*     *     *     *

NOT REALLY A CAMP
Besides family fun time at a splash pad or at the library, there are other happenings and programs to enjoy. I’ve always been an avid mountain bike trail rider, and the www.woodstockcyclingclub.ca has youth training programs beginning at 10 years old. It’s a Monday and Wednesday early evening opportunity to learn the basics of meandering around trees while you wear a helmet for safety.

Contact each group as some camps are run for limited weeks.

Many website links above



I'm too old to attend a summer camp, 
but my kids enjoy the summer activities

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal LePage Triland Realty
Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage

757 Dundas St, Woodstock
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter: markroyallepage
Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland


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