Here we go again. The temperature is already rising, and so will tempers if you don’t hurry up and
decide what to do with the young ones this summer!
This is part two of our summer fun guide for the kids, which features the
latest updates on cool and exciting activities for Austin’s youth. While this
includes plenty of organized fun, don’t forget about some other of our fair
city’s gems, like the hike-and-bike trail, Town Lake, Barton Springs Pool, our
many parks and recreation areas, Lake Travis, Umlauf Gardens, and more.
PROGRAMS:
AUSTIN CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Always featured at the museum is
STUFFEE, a giant, soft sculpture that teaches children about nutrition,
digestion, and health. May 27-August 27, the museum’s summer exhibition,
“Storytails,” celebrates the different ways people tell stories. The show will
encourage visitors to tell stories, draw pictures, and read and write tales
about their pets. Panels, activity stations, puppet shows, and more will be
featured.
The museum is currently looking for participants for their 1995 Counselors
in Training Program (for ages 13-18). Anyone interested in teaching youngsters
about rocketry, spy science, film animation, and other exciting topics are
encouraged to join. Counselors are asked to commit at least one full week of
volunteer time and six hours of training. Available shifts are mornings,
8:45am-12:30pm; afternoons, 12:30-4:15pm; and 8:45am-4:15pm.
Junior Volunteers (ages 12-17) are also needed this summer. Participants
work three hours a day, three days a week, assisting children and families as
they explore the museum. Volunteers can work in a stimulating environment,
learn new skills, make new friends, receive on-the-job-training, earn community
service credit for college applications, develop a future job recommendation,
and just have fun! Session I will be held June 5-25; Session II, June
26-July 16; and Session III, July 17-August 6. The museum is located at 1501-A
W. Fifth. Hours: Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm, and Sun, noon-5pm. Admission: $2.50 adults,
$2 kids (free for members and kids under 2). Call 472-2494 for more
information.
THE AUSTIN NATURE CENTER, located in Zilker Park, provides
exhibits and educational programs for children of all ages. Exhibits illustrate
the ecology of Central Texas through preserved natural areas, including a pond
trail, a “Discovery Lab” featuring hands-on displays, wildlife exhibits with
native animals (injured or orphaned and unable to survive in the wild), and a
wildlife garden featuring native habitats. Volunteers provide trailwalks into
the Zilker preserve and introduce our native wildlife to visitors on Saturdays
and Sundays.
Summer camps include a Nature Day Camp for kids ages 7-8; a Tadpoles
Day Camp for kids ages 3-6; an Adventure Camp for kids ages
9-10; Adventure
Camp II for youth ages 11-12; Wilderness Adventure at Reicher Ranch for youth
ages 9-11; and Counselors in Training, for ages 13-16. Costs and schedules
vary. Before and after camp child care is also available. Call for schedules
and availability.
Admission is free. Hours are Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm; Sun, noon-5pm. Call
327-8181.
AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTprovides a schedule
of activities, summer camps, and events for preschoolers to teenagers at their
various recreation centers about town. PARD sponsors a diverse range of
activities, including youth basketball leagues, drop-in recreational programs,
gymnastics, dance, creative arts, sculpture, cartooning, and summer camps for
tots to teens in a variety of interests. Most activities and camps are offered
at reasonable or low cost, and many one-day events and workshops are free. Call
499-6738 for a schedule of events for your nearest recreation center.
AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY and its various branches offer a wide range
of activities and programs for youth throughout the summer. You can pick up a
schedule at your nearest branch. Call 499-7465 for more information.
AUSTIN ZOO, 10807 Rawhide Tr, 288-1490. Austin
Zoo, aka Good Day Ranch, features a “hands-on” approach to educating our
community about a variety of exotic and domestic breeds of animals. Children
can pet, feed, and learn about a wide variety of animals, including a serval,
lemur, python, wallaby, and others. Additional activities include talks about
animals and demonstrations by expert zoo keepers, including goat milkings at
11am and lory feedings at 2:30pm daily. Call for information regarding family
memberships, field trips, and parties. Admission is $4 adults, $3.50
kids/seniors, under 3 years free. Open daily, 10am-6pm.
BOABOB TREE CHILDREN’S BOOKSTORE offers a variety of activities
and events for the youth throughout the summer. Weekly booksignings, storytimes
in English and Spanish, and classes are featured. Beginning in June, classes
include Creative Writing, Bookbinding, Science Experiments, Stamping,
Cardmaking, Doodling and Journal Making, and more. A special Spanish Festival
will be held June 20-22. The store is located at 3736 Bee Caves Rd. Call
328-7636 for details.
CHILDREN’S DAY ART PARK,the annual program of the Austin
Symphony, will be offered Wednesdays, June 7-August 23 at Symphony Square, 11th
& Red River. Beginning at 9:30am, aspiring young musicians can check out
the Instrument Petting Zoo, a hands-on display of various instruments from the
orchestra. Musicians, mimes, jugglers, and storytellers will also entertain the
children as they explore the Square and visit with the “Instrument of the
Week.” At 10am, performances by talented Austin musical groups begin on the
amphitheater stage. After each performance, kids are invited to bring a sack
lunch and walk the “Lemonade Trail” to the Art Tent, where local artisans help
children create a variety of items to take home. Admission is still only
50cents per child; adults are free when accompanied by a young one. Lemonade is
10cents a cup. Call 476-6064 for details.
PIONEER FARM is a place where people can learn how pioneers
settled and farmed the land. Visitors can see the farm animals, take part in
the daily chores, and tour the historic homes and barns.
= The farm is open Sundays, 1-5pm; Mon-Thu, 9:30am-3pm. Cost is $3 adults,
$2
children
3-12, under 3 free. Call 837-1215.=
TERRA TOYS 20 items each week, and prizes are awarded to
everyone. Youth can also pick up some extra cash by decorating and coloring
Terra Toys bags – you get 2-10cents per finished bag. Storytime is held every
Wednesday at Terra, from 2-2:45pm, June 7-August 9. And two Science Days are
scheduled for Sat, June 17, 1-2pm, and Sat, August 12, from 1-2pm. Call
445-4489 for details.
TEXAS MEMORIAL MUSEUM offers programs and activities for youth
throughout the summer months, including dinosaur exhibits, gems and rocks, and
indigenous peoples’ artifacts exhibitions. The museum is located on 24th &
Trinity on the UT campus. Call 471-1604 for more information.
TOAD HALL CHILDREN’S BOOKSTORE offers a variety of activities for
the kids throughout the summer, including booksignings, workshops, story times,
and more. Classes include creative writing, science workshops, Camp
Booka-Booka, and more, for children in grades K-5th. Story times are held
weekly. Call 323-2665 for more information or to register for classes.
WILD BASIN WILDERNESS PRESERVE is over 200 acres of beautiful
Hill Country set aside in the mid-1970s to preserve the land through active
management, nature education, and research. Operated with the help of trained
volunteers who serve as tour guides and trail hands, the preserve offers a
variety of activities for the kids every week. Events include birding and
animal tracking, geology, examining wildflowers and native plants, reptiles and
amphibians, and insects; hiking for exercise, moonlight, and stargazing, and
much more. Most activities are offered at a minimal charge. The preserve is
located at 805 N. Capital of Texas Hwy. Call
327-7622 for more
information.
THE YMCA offers a variety of activities and summer camps for
children ages 6-14. Costs vary, and financial assistance is available for those
who need it. Call 476-6705 or 891-9622 for details. Camping sessions are also
available June 4-August 12 at YMCA Camp Cullen, located in Trinity, Texas.
Activities in an outdoor setting include swimming, horseback riding, canoeing,
skiing, archery, riflery, basketball, soccer, and more! A Family Camp will also
be featured July 2-8. Call 800/531-5694 or 713/659-2733 for more information.
CAMPS & CLASSES:
AIKIDO CLASSES FOR CHILDREN are currently being offered at
Hancock Recreation Center. Kids can learn the basics of self-defense, conflict
avoidance and resolution, and self-awareness through games, exercises, and
aikido techniques. For ages 6-12. Call 453-7765 or 708-1182.
ALL-STAR SOCCER SCHOOL will conduct a soccer camp for boys and
girls ages 6-18, on May 29-June 2, at Lanier High School, Peyton Gin Rd.
Conducted by David L. Flentge,along with many other professional
instructors, the sessions will include training for field players and
goalkeepers. Participants receive a camp
T-shirt, a free camp ball, and a
camp photograph. Cost is $74 for 1/2 day sessions; $95 for full day sessions.
Call 832-9664 for details.
THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION is sponsoring the sixth annual Camp
Broncho, a five-day, medically supervised camp for children age eight to 12
with moderate to severe asthma. Camp Broncho will be held Sat, July 29-Wed,
August 2, at T Bar M Sports Camp, a full-facility campsite located in New
Braunfels, Texas. Campers participate in swimming, field sports, and arts and
crafts, plus a variety of lessons that teach them how to manage their asthma.
All activities are taught and supervised by volunteer physicians and nurses who
are specialists in asthma care. Cost for the camp is $250, though camperships
are available based on financial need and severity of condition. Call
800/LUNG-USA for details.
ARTBEAT STUDIO offers a several classes for kids ages 6-11,
including Pastel Landscape, Artsplay, and even private classes in a variety of
locations. Classes are taught by Peggy Horowitz, professional art instructor.
Call 266-7422 for registration information.
AUSTIN CHAMBER MUSIC CENTER is holding a Chamber Music Workshop,
June 26-July 8, for music students of all ages with at least intermediate level
skill on their instruments. Instruments include piano, violin, viola, cello,
bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and voice. There is also a special
program for pre school children and students with elementary level skill held
daily from 2-4pm. Daily activities include chamber music coaching, chamber
orchestra, theory and musicianship classes, piano duet instruction, supervised
practice, faculty presentations, student performances in Austin and surrounding
towns, and recreation. Cost is $325 for all-day program; $110 for two-hour
display pre-school program. Deadline for applications is June 1. Call Felicity
Coltman, director, at
454-7562 for details.
CLAY SCULPTURE AND BEGINNING DRAWING classes for youth ages 12-19
are currently being offered at South Austin Recreation Center, 1100 Cumberland
Rd. Both classes are offered at $20 for four weeks.
A Discovery Toddler
program will also be sponsored by the center, scheduled to run June 5-26.
Designed for children ages 3-5, the class will meet three days a week, from
10am-2pm. Cost is $50 for 4 weeks. Call 444-6601 for details on this program or
the sculpture and drawing classes.
MARTIAL ARTS FOR KIDSis currently being offered at Austin
Cha Yon Ryu. Children ages 6-13 are taught Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu,
Hapkido, and Okinawa Te within their system called Cha Yon Ryu. To visit a
class for free, call 452-3618.
NATURAL EAR MUSIC CAMP is a summer camp for kids who love music
and want to perform. Students can choose between either the Rock & Roll or
String group, and try out all the instruments under the guidance of a staff of
all professional musicians. Participants can learn to play an instrument, sing,
stagecraft, music theory, read charts, and more. Session I will be held June
5-23; Session II will be held July 10-28. Each session is held for three weeks,
Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm. Cost is $375, with a $175 deposit to reserve a spot in
advance. Call
447-5910 for applications and further information.
ORGANIC GARDENING SUMMER CAMP registration is underway at Dizney
Montessori School. Sessions begin as early as May 29. Each child gets her/his
own garden space. Call 707-8635 for more information.
PRESCHOOL PICASSOS, a summer afternoon session offered at the
Dougherty Arts Center, includes classes in art, creative dance, creative
dramatics, and music. Kids learn to use their imaginations, develop motor
skills, and build self-confidence. Two week sessions begin June 5. Call
397-1458.
ROCKCLIMBING SUMMER CAMPS will be offered by Texas Mountain
Guides, for youth age 8-16. Call 482-9208 for a free brochure and
information.
UTKIDZ AND UTTEENZ are both summer enrichment programs for youth,
offered by the University of Texas. There are no tests, no grades, and no way
to fail. UTTEENZ, for students entering 7th-9th grades, will devote their
mornings to a two-week, in-depth investigation of a single topic area, with
choices including book publishing, computers, architecture, and genetics.
Afternoons will be filled with a variety of topics. The program will be held
June 19-30, 9am-5:30pm each weekday at the Thompson Conference Center on the UT
campus. Cost is $460. UTKIDZ offers two unique “exploratories,” plus
enlightening individual and small group activities each afternoon. Designed for
students entering the 4th-6th grades, UTKIDZ offers students the opportunity to
check out pioneering research projects at UT, explore technologies of the
future, and rediscover life in past ages. The program will be held July 17-28,
12:30pm-5:30pm each weekday, also at the Thompson Conference Center. Cost is
$295. Program fees include all instructional materials, instruction, T-shirt,
refreshments, and lunch (for UTTEENZ). Registration will be held through May.
Call Karen Martin at 471-3125.
WINDSURFING CAMP will be offered by Duck Jibe, designed for
children ages 8-14. Participants learn the essentials of sailing, rigging,
launching, tacking, and safety. Hands-on techniques and child-size equipment
are used to facilitate learning. Call 320-0566 for more
information.
EVENTS:
THE SACRED SPRINGS POW WOW and Western Swing Festival will
include a special Youth/Scout Day designed to provide fun and education for
kids, scouts, and anyone interested in Indian Lore and culture. Slated for May
19-21, the weekend will feature a Texas Natural Chili-Cookoff, Texas Music
Exhibit, horse and carriage rides, Texas Heritage crafts, Texas tastes food
exhibits, downtown activities, and much more. Central Texas’ own Texas Tornados
will perform during the event, and a Western Swing Festival will feature the
Sons of the Pioneers. Call 800/782-7653, ext. 117 or 512/396-2495.
THE THIRD ANNUAL SUMMER FAIR at Pioneer Farm will be held Sat,
June 3, 10am-5pm. Farmgoers can come out and cheer for the home team at an
old-time baseball game, taste ethnic Texas flavors, try their hand at
horseshoes or graces, enjoy traditional music, observe talented craftspeople
demonstrate old-fashioned skills such as blacksmithing, quilting, woodturning,
broom-making, and much, much more. Food and drink will be available. Cost is $4
adults, $2 children ages 3-12. Call 837-1215 for more information.
MISC:
CANTATE, the Men and Boys Choir of Austin, is accepting new boys
from age 8 on up. Unchanged voices are particularly needed. The choir performs
in the English tradition, and participants receive thorough training in music
theory and sight singing. Rehearsals are held weekly.
Austin Girls’ Choir auditions are being scheduled now through June 17.
Young ladies age 8-18 are welcome, and rehearsals are held weekly during the
summer. The choir sings in three-part harmony, from classical to contemporary
music. Call 834-3694 for information on both the girls’ and boys’ choirs.
FREE TOURS OF LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS are offered throughout the
year at area locations, but make sure and give them a call and reserve a spot
before you drop by. Call the Austin Fire Department’s Education line at
477-9982 for more information.
ROBERT MUELLER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TOURS are available for groups
with tour reservations. Participants must be 5 years of age and up, and group
size is limited to 25 children. Tours are held Mon-Fri, at 10am, and are
available by reservation only. Children get to see the Airport Police Division,
a Fire Rescue truck with firemen, the terminal building, and – if one is
available – get in a real airplane. Call 495-7587 to schedule a tour.
SCIENCE-BY-MAIL is a unique program offered by the Children’s
Museum of Houston. Participants receive hands-on science challenges and they
are matched with a volunteer pen-pal scientist who assists the children with
their projects. Students in grades 4-8 are eligible to enroll, and all
participants will receive two packets containing an activity booklet and most
of the materials necessary to solve the problems. Cost is $43 per group with
one to four children; $259 for a classroom. Call 713/522-1138, ext. 221 for
more information.
SUMMERTIME THEATRE PRODUCTIONS are held every summer at the
Zilker Hillside Theatre in Zilker Park. Plays are free, though donations are
accepted, and don’t forget to bring a blanket, refreshments, and maybe some
bug repellent! Call
499-8388 for details.
This article appears in May 19 • 1995 and May 19 • 1995 (Cover).