By Stephen Dafoe
Morinville – There will be no reason to sit on the couch this summer; the Town of Morinville has six weeks of summer activities this July and August, entertaining and educational programs aimed at children aged 6 to 12. Program organizer Breanna Grant is excited about the opportunities for children to mix social learning skills with physical exercise in a fun series of programs that will take place inside and outside the community with approximately two field trips scheduled for each of the six programs.
But the activities are not merely about getting away from home for a summer adventure. Each of the week-long camps has a learning component built in through a program that mixes a bit of exercises with a bit of socializing.
“We’re following the High Five Learning Program,” Grant said. “It involves cooperation, team building, team skills, learning with others, building friendships.” Grant explained within the High Five Program is a physical literacy component, something that will be put into place through the running, jumping and other movement-related activities found in the programs. “We just try to get them up and moving. If we show them how to play new games and stuff, they’ll actually want to get off the couch. We won’t do a lot of sitting around.”
Varied programs
Grant said the six programs each carry a unique theme. The first camp, It’s a Circus in Here, runs July 9 to 13 and will utilize circus skills and activities. We Got Game, running July 16 to 20, looks at indoor and outdoor games, including a life-sized game of Snakes and Ladders. Iron Chef Camp, running July 23 to 27, will put the talents of Chef Phil Hughes and Cole Dribnenky to play in examine all things related to the kitchen. Waterific, running July 30 to August 3, provides children with plenty of opportunities to get wet. August will feature two weeks of camps. Showtime (Aug. 7 to 10) will have children making a drumming circle from scratch, developing their own dance routine, and becoming a superhero all in one jam-packed week of activities. The final camp is called Home on the Range, a program running Aug. 13 to 17 that will throw children back to the old west as they become cowboys and cowgirls for the final week.
While the camps are thematically different, each will carry some similarities in how it is put together. “It incorporates crafts, science, lots of outside time,” Grant said, adding all of the science and craft activities will be tied back to the theme. “For example, during Iron Chef Week we are having Phil Hughes come out and cook with the kids. That involves the science of food, table etiquette, clean practices for cooking.”
The programs run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ray McDonald Sports Centre (arena) meeting room. Cost is $125 per week per child. Daycare from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. is available at a cost of $10 per child.
For more information contact Breanna Grant at 780-939-7839.
While I applaud the opportunities being presented to the youngsters of Morinville, this is not the critical population that needs entertainment or activities in this town. Great ideas for working parents to keep the kids busy, but a growing problem in this town is our teenagers who are bored out of their skull. For our kids aged 13 to 16 (beyond that they can at least drive to St. Albert for fun things to do)there is nothing to keep them occupied. I’m sure we’ve all fallen prey to “Knock a door ginger” or even some eggings or slight vandalism to our yards, but this problem is clearly becoming worse. Given the recent and multiple break-ins to the Teen Centre (Centre??? sounds big and impressive) you would think we’d create programs, events, or real Centres to accommodate this age. Because of the values I’ve instilled on my children, my son prefers to not “hang out” with his friends, because knock a door ginger is the only “fun” they have, and he knows this is wrong. Morinville needs to step up for their youth, if they don’t, the youth will continue to send their messages via break-ins and vandalism.
Morinville Mother you hit the nail on the head with your comment,”Because of the values I’ve instilled on my children, my son prefers to not “hang out” with his friends, because knock a door ginger is the only “fun” they have, and he knows this is wrong.” unfortunately many parents have not instilled values in their children and thus the problems arise.
There are plenty of programs planned for teens in this community and many youth (not the problem ones) participate in said activities, but many other opportunities are lost because parents are not active in their childrens lives and do not encourage them to get involved in what is planned for them. We have a wonderful youthworker who goes out of her way to plan things, with youth input yet still many of those activities are cancelled due to lack ot attendance.
Do not blame the trouble on lack of things to do, blame it on parents who have not instilled values and taught their children how to behave as responsible citizens.