Summer in Union County

Activities to Keep the Kids Busy All Summer Long

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SUMMIT AREA YMCA DAY CAMPS
At the Springfield YMCA, Camp Anupama, held at Ruby Park, children entering grades 1 – 5 explore nature, learn new games, and make new friends while enjoying weekly themes around sports, arts and crafts, field trips, and swimming. Tiny Trekkers (Pre-K and entering Kindergarten) (Ruby Park) small groups are formed where counselors lead the campers in discovery and play enjoy arts & crafts, sports, games, science, cooking, field trips and swim instruction. Call 973-467-0838.

At the Summit YMCA, everyone has an exhilarating summer experience. Held at Watchung Reservation, Camp Cannundus offers traditional camp activities such as hiking, arts & crafts, nature, sports and games — while Performing Arts teaches the basics of acting and works to develop individual style. Preschoolers enjoy Little Moon (age 3), Little Beavers, Sports & Stuff and Discovery. All-Sports Camp (ages 4 to 6) non-competitive programs based on age and skill development. Includes: field trips,
sports, games, swim and outdoor activities. Pre-Teens participate at Quest: A New Adventure, with theme weeks such as Wacky Water, Comic Relief, and Backwards Week. Camp UNITY (entering grades 7 to 9) is ideal for teens who love both physical
and mental challenges and occasional outings. Teens looking for adventure, travel or work skills enjoy Expedition: The Great Escape (a week on Lake George hiking, climbing, boating and more) and C.I.T., a program encouraging self-confidence,
teaching leadership and problem-solving skills and a weeklong opportunity for on-the-job training as a junior camp counselor. Call 908-273-3330, ext. 140.

At the Berkeley Heights YMCA, Kamper Kids, (ages 5 to 10 years) offers ten theme weeks. Camp is held at the Y and features themes such as: Let’s Get it Started, Delightfully Delicious, Mardi Gras and Survivor YMCA. Activities include: games,
crafts, story time, swimming (at Summit Y), field trips and special events. Half day and full day options. Call 908-464-8373.

All Camps offer extended care options and Y Cares Financial Assistance is available.

Summit Area YMCA Day Camps (Berkeley Heights, Springfield and Summit YMCAs), www.summitareaymca.org

THE OLYMPICS MAY BE OVER BUT ICE SKATING IS STILL HOT
The Olympics may be over but ice skating is still hot at Union Sports Arena in Union, NJ. As the Olympics got underway a few weeks ago, ice skaters young and old
flocked to rinks around the country, including our own local rinks. At Union Sports Arena, public skating sessions have been in high demand and participation in the rink’s Learn to Skate program has blossomed.

“With the Olympics going on, we’ve nearly doubled our Learn to Skate enrollment this year” says Marcia Anderson, the rink’s program director. ”We’ve seen similar increases in our Youth Hockey Development programs as well.”

The arena has daily public skating sessions as well as sessions on Friday and Saturday evenings. Learn to Skate lessons for both children and adults are offered at the Friday evening session as well as at the midday sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

Besides the Olympics this year, interest in Youth Hockey has also been impacted by the presence of the New Jersey Devils Youth Hockey Club at the arena. Over the last few years, the Devils Youth Hockey program has grown too large for it’s home rink at the Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain in Essex County. In order to continue to
grow, the Club as expanded into Union County by renting ice at Union Sports Arena.

“The NJ Devils Youth Hockey Program is one of the premier youth hockey organizations in the country.” said arena’s general manager Ken Anderson. “There reputation has definitely been a major part of the growth we’ve seen in our youth hockey programs
over the last year.”

The arena has a variety of youth hockey programs including developmental clinics, house league teams, family hockey sessions and a variety of summer camp programs.

Union Sports Arena, 908-687-8610; www.unionsportsarena.com

VISUAL ARTS CENTER OF NEW JERSEY
The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey has announced this year’s Kids’ and Teens’ Art
Camp schedule. One week sessions begin the week of July 17 and continue through the week of August 21. Camp runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily (drop-off at 9:50 a.m., pick-up at 3:05 p.m.). Each session is $345.

This year children will explore various art mediums including drawing, painting, clay, printmaking, jewelry making, sculptural forms and much more in the Visual Arts Center’s new, spacious art studios. Designed to be fun as well as instructional, children leave at the end of the week with a much greater understanding of the visual arts. Each week culminates with an art party, where parents/caregivers are invited to view their child’s many artistic creations.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of last year’s Teen Camp the program has been expanded to six weeks this year.

Designed specifically for the teen artist, the Teen Art Camp program is geared toward the older artist and provides the perfect transition for children who have attended our camp program or teens who are new to the visual summer programs. In addition to traditional mediums, teens will also have the opportunity to work in our new state-of-the-
art Digital Media Lab.

There are a limited number of scholarships made available. Please contact Outreach
Coordinator, Christine Cusano at 908.273.9121x13 or via e-mail at Christine@artcenternj.org.

To register or for more information please visit the Visual Arts Center online at
www.artcenternj.org or contact Camp Manager, Jen Kohl, at (908) 273-9121 ext.11
or at jkohl@artcenternj.org.

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