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Feb. 6 - Feb. 19, 2016
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Fun spring break camps abound for Chandler area students By Alison Stanton
It is probably hard to believe, but spring break is just around the corner. For the Chandler Unified School District, spring intersession and an extra in-service day mean students will be out of school from March 7 to March 21. Parents who wish to enroll their children in a spring break camp have plenty of options from which to choose. From music and sports to programs about undersea life, cooking and arts and crafts, there are plenty of fun choices. For example, check out the following: City of Chandler Tiffanie Hawkins, marketing and communications coordinator for community and neighborhood services, said the City of Chandler is offering a wide variety of safe and affordable spring break camps. For example, she said kids 5 to 12 can take part in a morning, afternoon or full day Youth Intersession Camp from March 7 to March 18 at Tumbleweed Recreation, Snedigar Recreation or Environmental Education centers. For kids 10 to 13, Hawkins said the Tween Intersession at Tumbleweed Recreation Center offers afternoon or fullday sessions. “Camp programming varies by location and includes a compilation of games, youth development, arts and crafts, sports, swimming, field trips and more,” Hawkins said. Chandler’s Spring Intersession Camps are open to residents and nonresidents. “Each session we see campers from across the East Valley including Chandler, Mesa and Gilbert.” Pricing for the camps varies depending on location and residency, Hawkins said. For more information on the City of Chandler’s spring break camps, visit www.chandleraz.gov/breaktime and go to pages 49 and 50. Chandler Unified School District Students in the Chandler Unified School District can take part in one of two Beyond the Bell Spring Intersession Break Camps. Christina Speciale, program coordinator II, child care division, said the district recognizes that quality programs are essential to a child’s growth and development. With that in mind, Speciale said the “Spring it On” camps—one for kindergarteners through sixth graders and one for fourth to eighth graders—will include art, cooking, sports, games and more. Both camps, which are from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 7 to March 21, will also feature special events and field trip days. The camps are $27 a day or $33 for special attraction days. Speciale said the camps are set up to create a multiaged and multichoice experience for students. “We don’t just want to ‘warehouse’ children. We want them engaged, enriched and excited to be with us,” Speciale said.
A wide variety of spring break camps are available for students in the Chandler area. For example, children who love theater can take part in the Spring Mini-Musical Camp at Chandler Center for the Arts. Submitted photo
For more information on CUSD’s spring break camps, visit www.cusd80. com and click on Community Education. Chandler Center for the Arts Kids who love singing, dancing and performing will enjoy the Spring MiniMusical Camp at Chandler Center for the Arts. The camp, which is from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 7 to March 11, is for kids ages 7 to 14. Campers will get the chance to experience the process involved in putting on a musical production from auditioning and memorizing lines to learning songs and dance routines. General Manager Michelle Mac Lennan said the Connecting Kidz performing-arts camps give kids of all ages the chance to participate in fee-based programs. “We aim to provide kids with exposure to the arts in a variety of forms, provide arts educational experiences and build future arts lovers,” Mac Lennan said. Students may return for the summer and fall camps. “Our campers learn more than just how to sing, dance or perform; they develop self-confidence, collaboration, teamwork and public speaking--all which helps them socially in and out of the classroom.” For more information, visit http://
chandlercenter.org/connecting-kidz/ camp-kidz/spring-camp. i.d.e.a. Museum Kids who adore science will find plenty to do during the 5-day i.d.e.a. Museum Spring Break Camp in Mesa. The camp, which is from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. from March 14 to March 18, is for kids ages 5 to 12. The camp includes crafts, science experiments and more, centered on an investigation of the imaginary and reality of life underwater. For example, during the camp on Mon. Mar. 14, students will take part in the Fish out of Water program. The camp will allow kids to investigate humans in the ocean through art, a discussion about people who work and play in the water, and a talk about mermaids. Parents may register their kids for one day or all five and snacks will be provided. Members pay $13 a day or $50 for the week; non-members pay $16 a day or $65 for the week. For more information about i.d.e.a. Museum’s spring break camps, visit www. ideamuseum.org.