Summer Activity Guide 2016 by The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

SUMMER A TIME TO EXPLORE NEW INTERESTS

ou’re the parent now, and summer is coming. What are your kids going to do for the next 10 to 12 weeks? How are you going to keep them busy? How are you going to keep your sanity?

How soon before you hear someone whine, “I’m bored.”

First, some good news: Summer is a time for kids to experience a bit of boredom. It’s a good thing. They learn how to entertain themselves and temper and adjust their own feelings. It’s an important life skill. Not to scare you, but some researchers of college-age drinking think over-programmed childhoods may play a part in the issue simply because young adults haven’t learned how to relax or entertain themselves (“Why College Kids Drink Like They’re Getting Extra Credit for It,” by Kat Stoeffel, New York Magazine, http:// nymag.com/thecut/2014/10/) They get to college, see other kids relaxing with alcohol and get an unhealthy idea.

So it’s a good idea to give kids free time in summer.

On the proverbial other hand: according to the After School Alliance, children experience learning losses if they do not engage in summer learning activities. “Children who are without summer learning program activities are at particular risk of losing the academic, social and emotional gains they accrued during the school year. . . . Studies dating to 1906 find that all children score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do when it begins” (Issue Brief No. 43, Page 2, www.afterschoolalliance.org).

So you have to keep them busy. How? Make summer a time to explore new interests and find new passions!

“One of our central jobs as parents is to find ways to develop and support the interests of our kids, regardless of what those interests are,” said Eleanor Barker, executive director of the Children’s Museum of Bozeman. “If a kid is interested in soccer, it’s easy. You get them cleats and a ball and find them a team. If it’s cellular biology or computer programming, you’ll want to do some

exploring at museum and library programs. Carve out some time this summer to follow your child’s lead, and dive into new experiences as a family.”

Encourage your kids to read biographies and books on topics they haven’t thought of yet. Do it together. With your child, volunteer for a local nonprofit. Spark kids’ interest in attending a day or away summer camp that pursues subjects and activities they’ve never thought about before or they’ve expressed a passing interest in – science, theater, horsemanship, climbing, art or writing, for example.

Start that search months before school ends.

“Like all of our education partners, we’re finding that our summer camps are filling faster each year because of the growing population of young families in our area,” said Angie Weikert, education and public programs director for the Museum of the Rockies.

If you can’t find the right opportunity this year, visit the museums with your kids on your own, she

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

The Worry Free Dental Experience For Your Cubs

We excel at providing specialized dentistry for infants, children and teens in a caring and positive environment. As a pediatric dental office, we focus on preventive care to help each child improve and maintain a healthy smile that will last a lifetime! We are here to serve you...... the families of the Gallatin Valley and beyond.

Dr. Sayre

We Are Pleased To Welcome Dr. Aleagha To Our Team!

Dr. Aleagha

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

AWAY CAMP

A Great Learning Experience When the Time is Right

ven if you never went to overnight camp, your children might like to. Talk with them about it. Watch a positive movie about summer camp together, and explore options together online.

Going away to camp could be your child’s first deep, meaningful experience with nature and real adventure. It can boost self-esteem, self-awareness, self-reliance and problem-solving skills. It introduces them to different types of people, helps them make friends and fosters independence and leadership skills.

According to the American Camping Association, kids who’ve been to camp report the experience helped them feel good about themselves and do things they were afraid to do at first.

The trick is to be sure the idea of going away to camp is the child’s, and she heartily endorses it. Summer camp should be the fodder for lifelong positive memories, not the beginning of feelings of abandonment and being unloved.

W hen to Go

Separation is a process. It’s something we learn to do by baby steps and increments.

It starts with play dates and progresses with starting school. Sleepovers at friends’ houses and weekends with grandparents or other relatives – but without Mom or Dad – is the next step.

Some kids can go away to camp at age six.

They were born with the ability and desire. They dressed themselves as soon as they were able.

They already want to study abroad in high school and move cross-country for college.

Other kids may not seem up to it at age 10. But they secretly might want to try it, and they’ll enjoy it with some positive encouragement.

Camp could well be the place they learn the importance of cleaning up after themselves and experiment with being on their own for the first time. It’s easier for them to have and enjoy these experiences before the hormones of puberty kick in. The experiences might even help with the hormones.

Talk to your pediatrician, other parents and camp directors – even your child – about when’s a good time to go.

T rai n i n g W h eels

If your child expresses serious doubts, suggest that it’s a possibility next year. Then in the next year, take steps to positively expose them to and prepare them for the idea.

Bob Ditter, licensed social worker and former online columnist for PBS Parenting, advised, “Think of camp as ‘life experience with training wheels.’

Camp professionals have been helping kids separate and become more independent for years. This is their true business. They tell you they teach swimming or arts and crafts or canoeing, but what they really teach is self-reliance and resilience--in other words, coping skills for kids.”

Camp gives kids safe opportunities to discover how to get themselves out of minor trouble, deal with consequences and assess potential risks based on their knowledge of consequences. 

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

Camp Art Attack!

GOING AWAY TIPS

Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 12 pm Session 1 starts June 20-24 and runs weekly through July 29th Excluding July 4th week

Throwing on the Wheel • Ebru Art Acrylic Canvas • Watercolor and more!

Ages 4+ Call us at (406) 586-8081 Visit our Facebook page: Arts on Fire Bozeman

Located in the University Square Shopping Center (Main & 23rd)

www.artsonfirebozeman.com

D o g W a l ki n g !

C a t cu d d li n g!

REGISTER TODAY! 1 . Get camp recommendations from friends, or ask the camp you’re considering for references. If the camp is nearby, visit it. Bring your child along for the tour.

2. Be sure you’re confident your child is ready to be away from you (he can shower alone, for example), and you can handle the separation.

3. Express that confidence in your child repeatedly before she departs.

4 . If you or your child is anxious, look into the possibility that a hometown pal can go along.

5 . Talk to your child about what to expect in camp, about feelings of fear and homesickness and how to handle them, about safety and looking out for others.

6. Don’t overpack. Your child won’t have enough room to store them, and you don’t want to give

him too much to keep track of. When packing, group similar clothing and articles together in closeable plastic bags so they’re easy to find, or designate a bag for each day’s clothing.

7. Don’t let your last words be: “I’ll come get you if you don’t like it.” You’ve just planted the idea that they won’t.

Available Sessions: June 27th - July 1st July 4 - 8 th

th

July 11th - 15th July 18th - 22nd

July 25th - 29th August 1st - 5th

Campers will interact with animals, do crafts, play games, learn from guest speakers and more!

For campers ages 6-12. 6 different one-week sessions. $225 per week. For more information, please contact: Sarah Carter, Education & Outreach Coordinator, (406)388-9399 ext. 224 education@heartofthevalleyshelter.org

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

Summer is fun.

Lone Mountain is fun.

Summer is Lone Mountain.

Gymnastics - Trampoline - Swimming Campapalooza Day Camps - Preschool Kidventures

Lone Mountain Gymnastics and Swim School • 1237 N. Rouse, Bozeman • 587-1180 • www.Lonemountain.biz for details and online registration

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

SUMMER PROGRAMS AT THE BOZEMAN PUBLIC LIBRARY June – August 2016 SPECIAL EVEN TS: Saturday, June 4 at 4pm: Jack and Kitty Norton concert Tuesday, July 19 at 3pm: Mr. E and Kyle Magic Show WEEKLY PROGRA MS J U NE AND J ULY: Kids can pick up summer reading materials starting in June to keep reading for fun all summer!

Mondays 10:15 – 11:15am: Kinder Camp (6 weeks beginning June 20) for kids entering kindergarten in fall

Mondays 3:30-5pm: LEGO Club Tuesdays 3:30-5: Chess Club Wednesdays 10:15 & 11:15am: Little Ones Storytime for ages 2-5 Wednesdays 3:30-5: Wii Wednesday and Minecraft Meet-up Wednesdays 4-5pm: R.E.A.D. Aloud to a Dog Thursdays 3:30-5: Game On Outdoors Play Capture the Flag, tag, and other outdoor games Fridays 10:30-12: Sports Camp Games and outdoor activities for ages 6-11

AUGUS T PROGRA MS: Creative Workshops will be open to online registration starting July 1. These workshops are sponsored by the Library Foundation and are free and open to a variety of age ranges.

Look for date in August for Kindergarten Celebration Party for all kids entering kindergarten in the fall

Visit the Library or www.bozemanlibrary.org to find out more about teen and adult programs all summer.

PERFECT SUMMER READS FOR EVERY GRADE G r a d es K-3

G r ades 4- 7

The Never Girls • The Kingdom of Wrenly • Stella Batts

The Great Good Summer • A Riddle in Ruby • Magnus Chase

Grades 8 - 1 2

Orbiting Jupiter • Salt to the Sea Continued On Page 10

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

OF BOZEMAN

MONTANA

The ArtSplot offers Summer Art Enrichment Programs since 1995 Our students develop observational, artistic and verbal skills in a creative atmosphere.

• JOIN US • Experience what sets us apart The ArtSplot studio is located at 111 South Grand Avenue, Suite #211.

For Summer Program Dates and Registration visit

www.ArtSplot.com

Or call Chelsea & Richard at 587-8424

• Prevent injury • Improve Athletic Performance • Decrease Recovery Time

Keep them strong, healthy & feeling great this summer!

John Griffiths, DC Doctor of Chiropractic FUTURE CLASSES:

Kung Fu and Warrior Yoga for kids and adults.

(406) 580-8486

2417 W. Main Street Suite 1, Bozeman www.performancebigsky.com

PERFECT SUMMER READS FOR EVERY GRADE

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ompiled by the staff of the Children’s Room and the Teen Corner at the Bozeman Public Library Summer is an important time to keep readers practicing so they don’t fall behind. Many early readers like series, and kids will find lots of their favorites on library shelves.

Bozeman Public Library also levels the beginning readers so kids reading at levels A-L can find just the right books this summer.

Stop in to sign up for your free library card and discover all the great reading ahead!

Grades K-3 The Kingdom of Wrenly by Jordan Quinn. Lucas is the prince of the Kingdom of Wrenly and loves to go on adventures with his best friend Clara and her horse Scallop.

Galaxy Zack by Ray O’Ryan. The year is 2120 and Zack Nelson and his family are making the big move from Earth to the planet Nebulon.

When Zack arrives for his first day of school, he meets Drake Tucker, a Nebulite boy who also loves to explore and learn about the planets.

Dragon Masters by Tracey West.

This series has dragons, a Dragon Stone, a king, a wizard and magic.

CONT/P.4

Eight-year-old Drake is taken to the castle to be trained as a Dragon Master. Dragon Masters must connect with and train their dragons, and uncover their dragons’ powers. Does Drake have what it takes?

These early reader chapter books are written for beginning readers.

If you are looking for chapter books to read aloud at night or on your next road trip, please let us give you some great suggestions!

Three-Ring Rascals by Kate Klise.

Welcome to Sir Sidney’s Circus. If you like talking mice, an elephant who writes letters, a lion who loves pizza and the Famous Flying Banana Brothers, you’ll enjoy this series.

Grades 4-7 The Great Good Summer by Liz Garton Scanlon. When Ivy Green’s mom leaves Ivy and her dad to follow Hallelujah Dave to the Great Good Bible Church of Panhandle Florida, the seventh-grader’s life turns upside down. Mr. Green doesn’t know what to do about Ivy’s unhappiness.

But science-geek Paul has an idea that the two take the bus to Florida, find Mrs. Green and visit Kennedy Space Center.

Magic Bone by Nancy Krulik. Told from the point of view of an adorable sheep-dog puppy, this humorous series follows Sparky as his magic bone allows him to journey to different parts of the world.

Stella Batts by Courtney Sheinmel. Stella Batts is a third-grader who wants to be a writer. This series chronicles the ups and downs of life with a five-year-old sister, parents who own a wonderful candy store and Joshua, who teases Stella about her name.

The Never Girls by Kiki Thorpe.

There are two ways to reach Never Land. One is to find the island yourself. The other is for it to find you.

Every once in a while, Never Land opens its doors to a special few. One day, four special girls arrive in Never Land in just this way.

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan, a 2016 Newbery honor book. Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a harmonica. Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania and Ivy in California become interwoven when the same harmonica lands in their lives.

A Riddle in Ruby by Kent Davis.

First in a trilogy, this debut novel overflows with adventure, magic, mystery and alchemy. Ruby Teach is a

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

Summer Camp 2016 Love Where You Live What do you want to know about the local outdoors?

Fish, rivers, lakes, streams, insects, rocks, minerals, mammals and more. We have 10-weeks of connected programming. Come for one week, or stay for all ten!

Monday- Thursday 7:45am-3:15pm with aftercare available until 5 p.m.

Week 1 June 13–16 Week 2 June 20–23 Week 3 June 27–30 Week 4 July 5–7 Week 5 July 11–14 Week 6 July 18–21 Week 7 July 25–28 Week 8 August 1–4 Week 9 August 8–11 Week 10 August 15–18

Gardens Dinos in your Backyard Bugs Birds Fish People Outdoors Water Mammals Our town

Weekly Rates: Rainbow (Ages 2-3) Camp: $225 Sunshine (Ages 3-6) Camp $215 Yurt (Ages 7-9) Camp $215 Aftercare: $10 day/or $25 week www.gbmschool.org, call 587-0132

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING ANNUAL WATER SHOW Sunday April 24, 2016

The Bozeman Stingrays Synchronized Swim Team would like to thank our Booster Club Members for their generous donations and invite everyone to our Annual Water Show, Sunday April 24, 3pm at the Bozeman Swim Center. This is an opportunity for us to show off what we have worked on all year and encourage anyone interested in synchronized swimming to come and see what we do. This event is free – come and cheer our swimmers on!

Synchro Summer Camp

7/25/16 - 7/28/16 9 a.m. - Noon Please call (406) 580-0315 for more information.

www.bozemansynchro.org

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

2016 BOZEMAN ADULT

SOCCER LEAGUE FUN RECREATION LEAGUE

• Women: 16 and over • Men: 25 and over • No experience necessary

COMPETITIVE LEAGUE

• Men & Women : 16 and over • Teams determined by league player draft.

June 7-September 27, 2016

For more information, like us on Facebook, visit Bozemansoccer.com or email bozemansoccer@gmail.com

Registration:

Online registration available at bozemansoccer.com through May 15 Like us on Facebook for updated registration & league information

Ages 9–18 years old Practice Sessions Tuesday and Thursday Evenings Local, Regional and National Competitions

MAY - JULY 2016 OUTDOOR JUNIOR OLYMPIC TRACK & FIELD Bozeman Track Club If you love to run, jump or throw, our Spring Outdoor Track & Field season is for you! Open to athletes ages 9–18 of all ability and skill levels—from beginner and novice to competitive. Emphasis is placed on building self-confidence, goal setting and being actively involved in a broad range of sporting activities.

Start Date: May 17, 2016 Track & Field A Sport for Everyone!

Registration Now @ www.bozemantrackclub.org

For More Information or Questions Contact Dave Skelton at bztkclub@gmail.com

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

CEDAR RIDGE EQUINE SUMMER YOUTH HORSEMANSHIP CAMPS Summer Youth Horsemanship Camps and Clinics Group and Private Lessons

PERFECT SUMMER READS FOR EVERY GRADE CONT/P.10 scrapper, the sort of thief you can’t help but root for, even as she steals and swindles her way through her adventures. Middle-grade readers will surely be hooked for the next two books. Best of all: Kent Davis lives in Bozeman!

Masterminds by Gordon Korman.

Eli Frieden lives in the most perfect town in the world: Serenity, New Mexico. Honesty and integrity are valued above all. Eli has never left Serenity. One day, he bikes to the edge of the city limits. Something so crazy and unexpected happens, it changes everything. Eli and his friends investigate, and the clues suggest Serenity is connected to great criminal masterminds.

The Sword of Summer (First book in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series) by Rick Riordan. Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. He lives alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits. One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle his dead mother called dangerous. Uncle Randolph tells him the impossible: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The BFG by Roald Dahl (Movie release scheduled for July 1). The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It’s lucky for Sophie that he is. Otherwise she might have become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the other giants are off to En-

gland to swollomp little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them. And the BFG is going to help her!

meets 12-year-old Jack and the two boys discover the meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.

The Hidden Oracle (First book in the Trials of Apollo series) by Rick Riordan. How do you punish an immortal? By making him human. After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus and lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. He must learn to survive in the modern world until he can regain Zeus’s favor.

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. Told from alternating viewpoints, Bone Gap melds fairy tales, myths, gothic romance and magical realism into the story of Finn, who lives in a town with gaps in the fabric of time and place. 2016 Printz Award Winner for Teen Literature.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys.

World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom. Among them are Joana, Emilia and Florian, who meet enroute to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. The three find their strength, courage and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety. Just when it seems freedom is at hand, tragedy strikes, and all 10,000 people aboard must fight together for survival.

Grades 8-1 2 The Tournament at Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice The Early Years series) by John Flanagan.

When Halt and Crowley discover that the ambitious Morgarath has been infiltrating the Rangers to corrupt the Corps, the young Rangers travel north to find Prince Duncan, seeking a royal warrant to stop Morgarath before it is too late. This story lays the groundwork for the epic battles that culminate in The Ranger’s Apprentice series.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt. Two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at 13, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family in rural Maine. He

Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin, a 2013 Newbery honor book. This true story begins in 1938 when a German scientist discovers how to split the uranium atom, and follows the plotting, risk-taking, deceit and genius that created the world’s most formidable weapon. 

On the ground horsemanship life skill development workshops Beginner to Advanced Riders Welcome Instruction for all ages You do not have to own a horse, horses are provided

www.cedarridgeequines.com cedarridgeequines@gmail.com (530) 263-3433

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

THUNDERHEAD WRITER’S COLLECTIVE

hunderhead Writer’s Collective, which presents writing workshops for middle school and high school writers yearround in the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture, will offer two Creative Writing Summer Camps for students going into sixth to eighth grades.

The programs allow young writers to develop a story from start to finish. They also get the opportunity to experiment with free writing, present their writing to others and offering constructive feedback themselves.

“We’re surrounded by stories – in songs, poetry, television shows, books, movies and conversations,” said Thunderhead Director Debby Greene, longtime writer and writing instructor. “Stories are passed down in families, and we get to know one another and the world through stories.”

The workshops help young people craft their own. But the initial premise was to help kids get away from the sense of perfection that school writing often demands. “So much of that writing must be formal and polished. So many kids have

trouble doing free writing. We wanted them to enjoy playing with writing and coming up with things messy and magical, to enjoy and get lost in the creative process.”

The first workshop is July 11-14, the second Aug. 15-18. Scholarships are available. Visit Thunderheadwriterscollective.com or contact Debby Greene at 406-539-6488, debbygreene200@gmail.com. 

EXPLORE NEW INTERESTS CONT/P.4 added. “We’re all doing lots more summer programming in the galleries to keep kids learning outside school time.”

Any of these camps can trigger future career ideas or lifelong passions, help your kids improve learning skills like writing and speaking without

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their being aware of anything but having fun, and enhance important traits such as resilience, tolerance, compassion, self-discipline and learning to form new relationships.

This publication abounds with ideas. Talk about the possibilities with your kids. Ask them what

they might like to do for a day or a week. Lead them by listening. You want their summer activities to be their ideas – just like your vacation is your idea, not your boss’s. 

WIDE- RANGE OPTIONS

he Gallatin Valley offers a wide variety of summer camp opportunities, and a chance for children of all ages to explore new interests and activities. Flip the pages to find: • Sports camps, including swimming, kayaking, golf and gymnastics.

• YMCA, Montessori and City Parks and Recreation programs.

• Adventure day and overnight camps, and climbing camps.

• Indoor and outdoor science camps. And technology, engineering and math camps. Be sure to check out the STEAMlab programs at the Children’s Museum of Bozeman.

• Arts, writing, music, theater and dance camps.

• Horse camps and Pet Pals camp at the Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter.

• Even Chinese language camp.

If money is an issue, ask about scholarships when you call to inquire about the camps. Many have programs to help with fees.

SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

SUMMER SPECIAL Special Includes: uniform, ATA membership, up to twelve weeks of instruction plus one belt test all for $300 Discounted family memberships available!

Martial arts instruction has been shown to increase students’ self discipline, confidence, self esteem, and fitness.

Cunningham’s ATA Martial Arts 2622 W. Main Street, suite E • Bozeman, MT 59718 info@cunninghamsata.com • Tel: 406-556-8792 “Changing the world one student at a time through excellent martial arts education.”

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

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e K u i

m w o t t n t i K w h i

w f o t t c G ing Peoples Exhibit examines Native American cul- ture, the Taylor Planetarium shows jump throught galaxies and the Living History Farm, open in sum-v mer, is a hands-on trip back in time. In all theset areas, activities and presentations change con-c s stantly so every visit offers new encounters.

Through May, two visiting exhibits – “50 Greateste Photographs of National Geographic” and “Acrossc the Andes” – explore the world and world issues,O culture and nature through breathtaking photos.g Or young families can view them as art and searchp for animals, faces and colors. Coming June 18 isi “The Villas of Oplontis, Near Pompeii,” with ar-a tifacts and photos that explore an ancient worldA a wrecked by a volcano.

“We know that out-of-school time and activitiesp are really important to kids’ STEM (science, tech-a nology, engineering and math) education,” saidC Angie Weikert, education and public programs director. “And museums inspire lifelong learning.”

The Museum of the Rockies has a wealth of educational resources on its website too.

TAP INTO BOZEMAN’S GREAT MUSEUM RESOURCES

his summer, take your kids on field trips to the local museums. All of them, if you can. Again and again.

Bozeman has four great ones: The Children’s Museum of Bozeman, the Museum of the Rockies, the American Computer and Robotics Museum and the Gallatin History Museum.

Don’t wait for school field trips to take your kids there. Make your own, so your kids can spend as much time as they want in the areas that interest them. You can show them the things you loved as a child and help them discover their own favorite things and a little bit more about themselves.

You get a chance to be a kid again. They might discover what they want to do when they grow up.

Han d s - O n at CM B

Exhibits at the Children’s Museum of Bozeman are all hands-on, set up with activities for pre-schoolers to middle-schoolers and teens, and constantly changing so families find something new every time they visit. There’s also a special emphasis on showing parents engaging learning activities they can replicate with their children at home and in the community.

The littlest ones can enjoy the permanent Explore Montana and Physics Playground exhibits, space to build stuff with popsicle sticks or Legos, and the chance to work together with their parents on hands-on activities that change daily. Older kids discover new challenges in the rotating ex-

hibits and the supervised science and technology programs presented in the year-old STEAMlab.

In summer, the learning continues outside with displays such as the Bug Hotel and Pollinator Garden.

The museum strives to help children of all ages explore at their own pace with their hands and minds, and to foster questions, learning and problem-solving skills that will prepare them for school and the technological world they will inhabit.

“The world needs more scientists and engineers, but we don’t want to squeeze individuals out of a sieve. We want to expose all kids to as many different things as we can and see what comes out of the funnel of learning,” said Executive Director Eleanor Barker. “You can also make the argument that no matter what they do when they grow up, all kids will need to be conversant in computers and engineering concepts.”

Parents can find more ideas for engaging learning activities they can do with their kids by visiting the website education sections of the country’s great museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smithsonian and New York’s American Museum of Natural History, she added.

MOR’s Worl d

The dinosaur exhibits and 13 T-rexes at Museum of the Rockies are world-class and world-renowned. But they’re just a part of the treasures here.

The Martin Children’s Discovery Center delves into the many sciences of Yellowstone, the Endur-

Compu t ers an d R ob ot i c s

Bozeman is one of only three cities in the world to have a computer museum with the comprehensive exhibits and depth of artifacts found at the American Computer & Robotics Museum, on Stadium Drive off Kagy Boulevard.

It’s not hands-on, but the exhibits are fascinating and easily understood. The artifacts come from what began as a hobby collection of longtime Boz-

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016 eman residents George and Barbara Keremedjiev, who opened the museum in 1988. They’ve been expanding it ever since.

“If mothers and fathers, or grandmothers and grandfathers, come with their children and explain their own experience with the things the kids are seeing, they’re going to have a fine time. Kids will think nothing of the really old TV, but once their parents explain that they used it and how, they’re interested,” Mr. Keremedjiev said. “There are lots of weird-looking things for kids to see here, and third-graders and up love it if they have a guided tour.”

The tour starts in Room One, where there’s an eye-catching artifact at every turn. They illumine the origins of writing and printing, electricity and batteries, telephones, the space program and the first computer (created by the ancient Greeks, by the way).

Today, these technologies come together to power every modern device we use from cars to telephones to computers. The average new car contains 46 separate computers, he said. “And everyone uses computers every day. It’s just that we call them cellphones and tablets.”

Other rooms detail how everything got smaller, faster and lighter, and present new developments in robotics and artificial intelligence in ways all ages can grasp.

Admission is free and a tour arranged ahead of time costs as little as $3 a person. In April, the museum opens a new display, “Hacking Hitler’s Code,” about encryption and the

German Enigma Machine of World War II, and computer encryption issues playing out in headlines today.

The museum shop contains many child-friendly biographies of great scientists, astronauts and computer inventors to fuel children’s curiosity.

Liv in g Histor y

This summer, the Gallatin Valley Museum is adding interactive children’s areas to its extensive history displays so kids will have lots of new things to do there.

This volunteer organized and operated museum holds Native American artifacts; a furnished 1876 log cabin; an extensive model of Fort Ellis, the only early cavalry post in Montana; a cannon that protected travelers on the Santa Fe Trail before finding its way to Bozeman; artifacts from old Yellowstone; and extensive collections of musical instruments, furniture, clothes, tools, toys and more put together to tell the centuries old story of the Gallatin Valley. Local history comes alive in the items kids recognize and can easily imagine other kids using once upon a time.

Throughout the building, volunteer tour guides point out items of special interest and offer more information.

If that’s not enough, kids will have fun checking out all the old jail cells – for men, women, solitary confinement and prisoners who had visitors – for the museum is housed inside the third county jail, built in 1892.

Guided tours bring everything to life for kids today, and there’s a fine collection of children’s books in the museum shop. 

CHECK OUT FREE MUSEUMS PASS AT LIBRARY Visit the Bozeman Public Library website to reserve an Explore Bozeman Pass that covers admission for four at any one of the museums or the Bozeman Swim Center. All you need is a library card.

The number of passes is limited. Plan to reserve yours a

enter the

week to as m uch as a month in advanc e in s ummer. Choose the date and museum y ou want to vis it and r eser v e on line o r by pho ne .

Visit www.bozemanlibrary. org, click on Library Services, then on Check Out a Pass, or call the library at 406-582-2427.

DOES YOUR CHILD LEARN DIFFERENTLY? Learning options is now enrolling.

Camp Invention at CMB YOU’RE ENTERING

We specialize in assisting children with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, ADD/ADHD, as well as autistic individuals using the Davis approach and more.

register at cmbozeman.org/ci COME ON IN!

Contact: 282-7416, elsie@thelearningoptions.com, www.thelearningoptions.com

June 13th-17th, 2016 THE ZONE | $235 GradesINVENTION 1-6 | 9am-3:30pm

ALL IDEAS ARE

W E LC O M E !

Children’s Museum of Bozeman MONTANA BALLET COMPANY

Learn More: Attend seminars: May 7, Bozeman Library Autism in Terms of Identity Development 10:30, Challenges and Gifts of Dyslexic Thinking 1:30

SUMMER dance 2016

open ballet

June 6-July 22 (no class week of July 4)

A great opportunity for new & current students to continue classical ballet training during the summer.

Ages 3 & 4: Fridays, 10-10:45am Ages 5-7: Tuesdays, 4-5pm Ages 8-11: Mondays, 4-5pm Upper Division: T, W & Th, 5:30-7pm

pliés & pirouettes 9am- 12pm, Mon-Thurs.

These mini-intensives include ballet class, dancerelated arts & crafts, studio performance & more!

June 13-16, Ages 4-6 July 11-14, Ages 4-6 June 20-23, Ages 6-8 July 18-21, Ages 6-8 June 27-30, Ages 8-11

dancing under the big sky July 25-Aug 6, 9am-5pm

This 2-week intensive for upper level students features guest teachers and a full curriculum of Ballet Technique, Pointe & Pre-Pointe, Variations, Modern/ Contemporary, Repertory, Pilates, Physical Therapy, & more.

Register now at www.montanaballet.org

Elizabeth DeFanti, Artistic Director

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

START YOUR KIDS ON THE ROAD TO VOLUNTEERING his summer, you’re just looking for summer activities for your kids. Before you know it, you’ll be helping them prepare college forms.

Those colleges are going to ask about the community service your child has performed – and not just in that last year of high school. The colleges are looking for a longtime pattern of volunteering that indicates character, compassion, caring and time management traits.

Kids can start volunteering at any age. Younger kids love to help others and feel needed; build on that as they get older.

Start small. You don’t have to commit to a multiweek activity, and certainly not a yearlong one. Begin with a daylong community event, done as a family. Perhaps an organized day of trash pickup or trail building or car-washing for a good cause, or helping out at a marathon or festival. It promotes family time, and the kids see that you believe in giving back too.

Talk about the experience together afterward.

Ask your kids what they enjoyed doing, what they’d like to do next, and talk seriously about how much time you and they have to share.

Review the summertime activities your children enjoyed when they were younger. Plenty of summer camps enlist former participants and older kids as volunteers and mentors. Don’t forget about vacation Bible school.

Volunteering pays off in so many ways – for others and the community, and for the young volunteers, who enjoy a sense of accomplishment, being part of a helpful team and learning a little more about themselves and what they like and want to do. 

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

Championship Public Golf

Pee-Wee

ages 4-6

$50

A series of 4 - 45 minute lessons to introduce the junior to the fun game of golf. 11-11:45am or 12-12:45pm • May 9, 12, 16 and 19 (Mon and Thurs) 4-4:45pm • June 14, 15, 21 & 22 • July 5, 6, 12 and 13 • July 26, 27 and August 2 and 3 (Tues and Wed) • August 16, 17, 23, 24 (Tues and Wed) • September 6, 7, 13, 14 (4-4:45 Tues and Wed)

Turf Mites

ages 7-15

$50

Camps are a total of 4 hours that introduce the junior to the basics of golf while having fun.

Junior Golf Camps Bridger Creek Golf Course Junior Academy ages 4-17

$180

Any junior golfer who wants to improve this summer and have fun, this camp is for you. Every Tuesday or Wednesday for 12 weeks, the academy is led by PGA Professional Jon McAleer.

Tuesdays: Ages 6-9 4-5:15pm* • Ages 10-17 5:15-6:30pm* Ages 6-17 6:30-7:45pm* Wednesdays: Ages 4-6 4-5pm* • Ages 7-13 5:15-6:30pm* *Times are for June 14 - August 9. Jr. Academy meets 4 hours earlier starting June 16th

Junior Academy Plus

Fall Grades 8-12

$240SPH/$290 NonSPH

This group must play tournament golf during the summer. In addition to the 12 weeks of junior academy series, the PLUS Ages 7-10 Tue & Wed 8:30-9:30am, Thu 8:30-10:30am participants will have 2 private 30 minute lessons and will attend a Ages 11-17 Tue & Wed 9:30-10:30am, Thu 10:30-12:30am tournament preparation meeting. Cost for tournament entry fees aprox. $160 • May 5, 12, 19, 26 (4-5pm all ages) • June 21-23 Schedule: • June 28- 30 • July 5-7 • July 26-28 Saturdays May 28, June 4 and 11th 10-11:15 am then, • Aug. 9-11 • September 6-9 (4-5:30 Tues- Fri) Thursdays June 16-August 11th 1:45 - 3pm • September 13-16 (4:30-5:30 Tues-Fri) 18 Holes Tee times at 8:30am - June 23, 30, July 7, 14, 21, and Home Schoolers ages 6-17 $50 August 4 & 11 1:30-2:30

(see Turf Mites description) May 5, 12, 19, 26

Nike 1/2 Day Camp ages 7-15

$250

Half day golf camps offer children a fun opportunity to experience the wonders of golf in a healthy and positive environment. There is a 6:1 student instructor ratio. The cost includes a Nike amenities package.

Ages 7-9 8-11am Ages 10-15 12-3pm • July 11-15

Nike Full Day Camp ages 12-18

$450

This camp is designed for boys and girls ages 12-18 who enjoy golf and are keen to learn more about every phase of the game. The fee includes lunch, instruction, green fees and Nike amenities package.

Ages 18-22 9am-4pm

Lease your fast-growing junior golfer a set of fitted junior golf clubs for the Summer! $29-$49

2710 Mcllhattan Road, Bozeman • 406-586-2333 • www.bridgercreek.com • Like us on facebook!

Mark Holiday PGA Director of Golf Jon McAleer PGA Professional

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

THEATER CAMP

HELPING YOUR KIDS FEEL

COMFORTABLE ON ANY STAGE

magine a camp that could help your child develop confidence, collaboration and empathy, and good speaking skills to boot.

That’s theater camp, where theater is the camp and not just one fun experience among many. Stacy Hostetter, founder and artistic director of Kaleidoscope Youth Theater, has been offering the opportunity – in one-, two- and fiveday and two-week increments – to Gallatin Valley kids each summer for years.

It’s a boisterous, creative experience, of course. Kids sing, dance, act, create costumes and scenery. They also learn how to enunciate and project, how to get inside a character’s head and understand another way of thinking, and how to work with others to bring a show to an audience.

But it’s not just for outgoing kids. “I was painfully shy into college and beyond,” Hostetter said. “I worked behind the scenes in lighting and props, then was in a few choruses, had a few speaking lines and went on to write plays. Even

a shy child will find a home in theater.”

Theater camp offers a supportive atmosphere where every baby step is not just encouraged but applauded. Participants get a chance to explore the world of story and character, and learn how to put together all the pieces of a complicated show.

“Of course, kids learn how to speak in front of an audience, but they learn how to work together in a scene too. Collaboration is ginormous in theater,” she said.

Shy kids often enjoy playing a role. “Learning to think and talk in another way, like a character, frees you to talk in many ways yourself,” she said. Children learn to express themselves not just through words but through facial expression, gesture, pitch, tone and speaking rate. They also learn how to read the signs when someone else is speaking and to give others space and respect to speak too.

In other words, theater can teach empathy.

“Because they don’t want other actors to be uncomfortable, children learn to step in and

help them.” That also fosters quick-thinking and problem-solving skills.

Theater and plays teach the elements of story and, often, a bit about history and world customs too.

Not all of her summer theater campers are theater buffs, Hostetter said. “A lot of our kids play sports in school, and theater camp is a time for them to let their creative side show. Often, parents encourage kids to try theater camp to give them a chance to try something really different from anything they’ve done before.”

Kaleidoscope Theater offers internships for older kids, who mentor and teach younger kids and get an opportunity to gain volunteer service. That can be a benefit when college application time looms. Some of her theater camp alums have landed major internships in college, including with law firms, because the people doing the hiring appreciated the benefits of a theater background.

Because Hostetter writes her own plays – more than 60 to date – she can write or adapt scripts

to the needs, interests and abilities of her young players. She often does.

“Theater offers a safe place for kids to explore and become different sides of themselves. No one’s going to make fun of them, and they feel safe and encouraged and cared for,” she said. “We’ve seen tremendous growth from kids who came here so shy they didn’t say much but went on to take the stage and play a part well. We know kids can do amazing things if they’re given the chance.”

The experience of theater camp stays with kids too. Some of her play-

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016 ers have gone on to be speech and debate champs, and good speakers in their professions. Others stay in community theater for years, both onstage and behind the scenes. And others, though they never perform again, have a wider world view because they’ve interacted with dramas, comedies and musicals.

“A theater background helps kids think about the world in different ways because they’ve experienced so many different kinds of characters and people on stage. They can see things without judgment and understand that everyone has a story, and every story has many sides.” 

Children’s Development Center of Bozeman, LLC Quality, Educational Child Care for Over 33 Years

Program

Creative Curriculum • Computers • Field Trips • Fitness Fun, Learning Environment • Spacious Outdoor Play Area Foreign Language • Positive Self Awareness • Music Dance • Drama • Swimming • Nutritious Snacks and Lunch

804 S. Willson Ave.

586-6051

Full & Half Day Sessions Mon-Fri 7:15 a.m.- 5:45pm AgES 2-12 yEARS

Balance

Social, Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, Creative

Teachers

Certified, Sensitive, Nurturing, Low Child/Teacher Ratio

Developmental Preschool Curriculum • Kindergarten Readiness Program Progressive Kindergarten Program • Before and After School Program Visit us at: www.cdcofboz.com SUMMER DAY CAMP

ADVENTURES IN OUTDOOR SCIENCE MOSS offers exciting programs for students entering 6th - 8th grade!

www.outdoorscience.org

CONNECTING WITH HORSES FOR LEARNING & GROWTH By working with horses in the Windhorse program, youth gain confidence and self awareness, and learn valuable lessons in leadership, partnership and responsibility.

2016 CLASS SCHEDULE

SPRING CLASSES: APRIL 2-MAY 7 AT EAGLE MOUNT SUMMER CAMPS: JUNE 13-17, JULY 11-15, JULY 25-29 AT MSU FALL CLASSES: SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 29 Open to youth in grades 3-12.

Classes and summer camps are $300; scholarships are available.

Summer camps offered in partnership with MSUand the Gallatin Valley YMCA. FOR MORE INFORMATION: 406-522-3906 WINDHORSEEQUINELEARNING.ORG WINDHORSEEQUINELEARNING@GMAIL.COM

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

HAVE A ROUTINE, NOT A SCHEDULE chool is schedule time. Sometimes over-scheduled time.

Summer is a time for stressed out kids to enjoy down time, play for hours, read what they want and even get bored. Because summer is when your kids learn to manage their own time, keep themselves occupied and even deal with boredom themselves.

A schedule is what the school year is all about.

Your kids are in this class at eight, that one at two, this program on Wednesday nights and that sports practice in fall and spring.

Summer schedules should be much looser. They chart the times and days for swim and music lessons, for day and away camps, visits to family and family vacation. But there’s not something on the schedule every day.

In summer, what you want is a simple routine for the days when your kids aren’t doing anything at all. A routine is the list of three to five simple things your kids do every morning and evening. It might include helping make breakfast and cleaning up afterward, picking up the house, mowing the lawn or taking care of a pet. It can include a little bit of time for keeping up skills they learned in school.

Focus on these few things every day for a few weeks to cement good habits. Then add other things.

Not too much though. Perhaps something new to do once or twice a week – like visits to area museums or parks or the library, or “We’re all going to the laundromat or grocery today.” You could name them “theme” days.

They’re your chance to secretly teach your kids things – like clothes sorting or measuring detergent, reading nutrition labels, what all the vegetables in the veggie aisle are and where they come from, or simple math problems like which size peanut butter is really the best buy.

You still want your kids to have down time and play time and daydream time – and time away from the TV and other screens.

But think about blocking out evenings when you just hang out as a family, maybe doing chores together, watching a movie or playing games. That’s when you’ll learn who your kids are becoming, and they will feel safe enough to ask you life’s big questions. These days, we do need to schedule time for that. 

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE 2016

Register for Summer Creator Camp Now! Visit the Earth, Ocean & Sky June 13 - August 18 Age 3 - 6 selahbozeman.com

The Heart and Hand Center Empowering People for Positive Living

healing hurts and movin’ on Heart and Hand Center invites you to come to our Ranch this summer, take a break, play with horses, make art, hike, meet some great people by participating in our summer day camps and week-end retreats.

Our summer day camps and week-end retreats focus on repairing root causes of anxiety, fear, insecurity, sadness, depression and a variety of life traumas. While having fun, we help and support children, teens and adults to heal from the ways life has hurt them and go on to live happier and more successful lives.

Summer Day Camps for Children & Teens Kids’ Camp (ages 8-12) June 13-17 Teen Camp (ages 12-15) July 11-15 Back to School Camp (ages 11-14) August 8-12 Adult Retreats: Trauma Repair June 24-26 Relationship Enhancement/Repair July 29-31 Life Purpose September 26-28

Come Join us and Make this the Best Summer of Your Life!

Space is Limited so Call or Email today to reserve a place for you and your children!

SELAH EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY, BOZEMAN’S E-FREE CHURCH 1701 SOUTH 19TH AVE | SELAHBOZEMAN@EFCB.ORG 406-587-3337 EXT.26

406.587.4036 • PO Box 36 • Bozeman, MT 59771-0036 www.heartandhandcenter.com • support@heartandhandcenter.com