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Keep an “art box” handy full of supplies: scissors, fabric, felt, glue, paints, brushes, stickers, paper, markers, canvass, needle and thread, beads, yarn, picture magazines, etc. Rummaging through a box of art supplies can ignite the imagination and occupy children for long periods of time. They could even begin an entrepreneurial enterprise and sell their wares at the end of the summer!
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REALLY? Summer’s Here Again... Already?
With the coming of spring, the end of school is in sight. The baseball fields are alive with the crack of the bat (well actually the ping of the bat) as kids of all ages begin the spring training tradition. Students are working on their grades for the final quarter of the year and parents are performing the time honored tradition of spring cleaning. But what the warmer weather and final grades really bring to mind is that summer is coming... Summer! That great time of year, when the Gulf of Mexico turns to a comfortable bath water temperature and the sandy beaches fill with sunbathers, kids frolicking in the surf and parents, well... Parents who are exhausted and sunburnt, wondering “What are we gonna do with the kids next week now that soccer camp is over?”
It seems like just a short time ago, doesn’t it? Mom and Dad were breathing a sigh of relief as they made the final 10:00 pm dash to Walmart for the last of the school supplies they missed from the list on the refrigerator. They emptied their wallets at the mall as the last of the “must have” designer clothes were purchased and took the kids to the food court to spend the remains of the declining bank balance, to eat the last meal before the cafeteria ladies with the hair nets took over.
But, alas! Time moves on and soon the arduous task of coordinating The Schedule! will begin. You know, the schedule, that mind-boggling task of figuring out how to get little Johnny to soccer camp at 8:00 am while Megan needs to be at dance camp at the very same time, only on the other side of town. Of course, you also need to be at the office by 9:00 am to avoid that,
“So, you’re late again,” stare from your boss.
But, this year you have a plan and drop Johnny at soccer camp at 7:30 am only to realize, as you’re pulling into the parking lot, that it’s Megan’s dance camp that has before care and not Johnny’s soccer camp. So, you hit the gas, bang the shifter into first and do a 180 with gravel flying while SpongeBob entertains the kids in the back of the SUV and head across town to drop Megan, only to have to return with Johnny, before
hitting the gridlock on the Courtney Campbell and be late for work again.
It seems that you just got the routine down on how to handle the school year schedule. The kids are picked up by cousin Kathy on early out days, you split with your spouse, Johnny’s basketball practice and Megan’s soccer practice and of course, you’ve been saving up vacation days just in case the kids get sick. Yes, you
have been lulled into a feeling of control, but that’s all about to change.
But wait! You did this last year so why should it be so tough? You know what you’re doing. Except, the kids are a year older and Johnny doesn’t like soccer anymore, but Megan does, so no problem. You start out with Megan at soccer camp and Johnny at dance... no, that won’t work... But! Johnny loves basketball this year but wants to go to a training camp, not a fun camp. So yes, it’s only April, but summer break starts at the end May, which sounds like a long time away, but what happens if Megan’s soccer camp fills up before you ever find it?
So, NOW is the time to start coordinating The Schedule!
It really is like Christmas shopping. If you wait ‘til the last minute, the hot new video game that was on Santa’s list will be long gone. The same is true for the summer camp season. Making your summer camp plans now will insure that you find the right camps with the right weeks so you don’t have to reschedule that Caribbean cruise (and end up with a cabin in the bowels of the ship instead of the Aloha Deck with a balcony) because the only week left for theater camp is the same week as the cruise.
So, time to switch gears, get out the dry erase markers and start planning out the summer. Who knows? Maybe the kids’ll take it easy this year and want to go to sleep away camp for three months... but don’t count on it!
Let’s Ride Off into the Summer Sunset...
It’s a good old fashioned Western movie cliché, where the good guy in a white hat arrives in a troubled town and saves the townsfolk from the bad guys, in black hats of course.
guy rides off into the sunset. And since horses are really big, it’s a good idea to learn how to ride one before you head off into that sunset. How do you do that? Well, Horseback Riding Camp, of course!
In the Breeze Horse Ranch
REGISTRATION
Pre-Camp May 30th
March 13th - CL Residents
Registration Now Open to All Call Today!
Cost:
$27 (W)/ $30 (W/O)
March 14th - Open registration
This summer at Morningside Recreation Center, kids can take off on our Passport to Fun adventure! No flights needed just daily journeys filled with exciting activities and passport stamps. It’s the perfect way for your child to explore, make new friends, and have an unforgettable summer!
For more information, call (727)562-4280 or email
kelsey mccray@myclearwater com
Camp Dates & Times
June 2 – August 8 2025
Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
For kids entering 1-7
Cost*
Full Camp:
$1000 (W/ plus)
$1,100 (W/rec)
$1,200 (No Card)
*Half the amount is due at registration
(727) 562-4280
Morningside Recreation Complex| 2400 Harn Blvd
At In the Breeze Summer Camp all campers are assigned their own horse daily and ride up to 2 times a day and have up to 2 lessons per day. The trail rides go out across their creek and onto 300 acres of property, and the lessons are either held in the round-pen or in the arena. Fridays they host a horse show for all campers to showcase the skills they learned while at the Ranch. They send out for lunch (pizza or Subway or fast food) and that includes a drink. Or, you are welcome to have your child pack a lunch, snacks and plenty of drinks. Long pants and closed-toed shoes are recommended for safety. Please also bring a change of clothes to swim in. Helmets are required for children under the age of 16. You may bring your own or wear one of theirs. For more info email itbhorseranch@ gmail.com or call the office.
HorsePower For Kids
8005 Racetrack Road, Tampa (813) 855-8992
HorsePower for Kids Critter Camp is a great way to spend your time learning about all kinds of critters including horses! They also offer camps throughout the year. Critter camp includes Riding Lessons, Equine Education, Grooming and Feeding, Horse Shows and Animal Care. Camp registration requires a non-refundable $50 deposit to reserve the week. Campers must bring lunch, drinks, snacks, sun block, and insect repellent. Appropriate riding attire such as long pants and enclosed shoes help keep campers safe in their farm setting. Safety helmets are available, or if desired you may bring your own. All personal belongings must be labeled as they are not responsible for lost items. Early drop-off and late pick-up are available upon request, at an additional charge. For more info email 4dreams@ horsepowerforkids.com or call the office.
MAKING FRIENDS AT CAMP
The kids are all excited, it’s close to summer and they have big plans for summer vacation. This year they’re going to camps! There’s that great drama camp and, of course, there’s that sleep-away camp with the horses and canoes. Everyone is stoked... and then, all of a sudden, the kids realize they won’t know anybody going to that camp! They have friends at home and at school, but they’re frantic that they won’t have any friends at camp. But fear not! Here are some suggestions on how to make new friends at camp.
1. Don’t sit ALONE!
Find someone close to your age and ask if you can sit next to them. A smile always helps, make eye contact, and say “Hi,” when you introduce yourself. Even if this person doesn’t become a friend, you now know someone at camp!
2. Try to remember other Kids’ NAMES
3. Look for Something you have in common
Some easy things to talk about might be sports, cars, favorite foods, school, video games, skate boarding, movies and TV shows.
4. Most kids want to have friends!
Remember that kids are different; some like lots of friends, and some are happy with one best friend. Think about what kind of friendships you like.
6. Don’t push your way into activities
If you head over to the soccer field and a group has already started kicking the ball around, go ahead and walk over to the group. But wait to be included, don’t disturb the ongoing activity. Look for someone else who is just hanging around and approach them with a smile or nod.
7. be prepared with a few jokes
If kids start telling jokes, you’ll have a few of your own to share.
That’s easier said than done, especially when there are a lot of kids at camp. One good idea is to keep repeating their names, this will make it easier to remember. You can say something like, “Amanda, where do you go to school?”
If you find that you’re a little nervous, take a deep breath, try to speak slowly, make your voice clear, and take your time.
5. ask for help or directions
This is an easy, no pressure filled way to make contact. No one will give you a hard time if you ask if they can help you find the swimming pool. Most kids are willing to help a new camper. While walking to the swimming pool, you can strike up a conversation about camp.
Why did the cookie go to the doctor? Because it was feeling crummy!
What happens when it rains cats and dogs? You can step in a poodle!
How do you know if your clock is crazy? It goes “cuckoo!”
And remember, the Most important thing about friendship: to Make a friend, you must be a friend!
So, when the kids go off to camp, remind them that they aren’t the only ones feeling stressed. The other kids may be feeling the same thing and by the time camp is over they will have made a slew of new friends and will have memories to share for a lifetime.
YFSN
HOW TO PICK A SPORTS CAMP
Let’s imagine that March Madness has just wrapped up... that usually means more kids than usual are out in their driveways shooting hoops. The same thing happens with little girls and skating rinks just after the Winter Olympics have ended. A lot of footballs get tossed around after the Superbowl. Big sports events peak the interest of kids everywhere, but as time passes, that interest wanes for many and what’s left are kids playing the sport they truly love.
This scenario should be remembered when it’s time to pick a sports summer camp. The brochures all look great and the big name sports figures behind the camp are a real draw for kids of all ages. But a kid that’s really not into football and goes to a sleep away football camp because there’s a big name Buccaneer attached to it, may end up calling home on the second day with that familiar, “Mom, I want to come home.”
Much can be said for trying new things, but that philosophy would be better
served by trying out a rec basketball league before sending your little tyke off to a two week intensive basketball camp.
It’s important to pick a sport in which your child has shown interest at the local level.
The same thing can be said for the type of sports camp you choose. There are FUN sports camps where the main focus is playing games and less attention is paid to skill development.
skill training anyway and come home having honed their abilities a little bit.
For the more competitive player, an intensive training camp might be the best option.
These camps focus more on player development and instructors work with the campers on specific skill sets to help them progress to a higher level. Kids that play on travel teams (or rec players that would like to get to that next level) can benefit greatly from these types of camps. They’re typically more serious and are not for the occasional player who just wants to get out on the field and have a good time.
For the average recreational player, these types of camps can be great; they get to play games and have fun. And, of course, with qualified instructors, they’ll get some
Of course, with all sports, it should be fun; that’s the main reason a kid ends up playing, and these competitive skills camps can be great fun for the right kid.
Today, more and more kids are specializing at an early age.
With club sports playing year round, the days of competitive level kids playing seasonal sports are fading into memory. A ten year old who wants to play baseball at a competitive level would fall way behind if he only played Little League in the spring. The kids playing AAU Baseball and Winter Ball would have quite the advantage over the kid playing just Little League.
