ART FUN CAMP Who is Art Fun? Find out at this great camp. Kids learn all about painting, drawing, sculpting, and cartooning in a fun and festive atmosphere. The four-day camps meet for three hours each day; snacks and supplies included in tuition. Sessions held in northwest Austin Jun 7-10, Jun 14-17, and Jun 21-24. 266-7550.
AUSTIN CHILDREN’S MUSEUM‘s camps, with intriguing titles like Forest Fanatics, Invention Dimension, Space and Slime Science, and Global Ambassadors, let kids be rangers, scientists, curators, engineers, and much more. Half- and full-day sessions run Jun through early Aug.ACM also has plenty of goings-on for teens, including a Summer Youth Theatre Workshop (Jun 28-Jul 31); Teen Loft Nights on Tuesdays featuring multimedia, live music, dance, and more; and a monthly all-girl multimedia club. Let’s not forget the toddlers, though: On Wee Wednesdays (10am-2pm), preschoolers rule! They get to play with age-appropriate toys, hear stories, and enjoy the exhibit (currently “Lives of the Tree,” running through Jul 18) without the distraction of older kids.There’s plenty more going on this summer at the Dell Discovery Center, so call for the latest updates. 201 Colorado. 472-2499 or http://www.austinkids.org.
CLAYWAYS POTTERY STUDIO Ahh, the sad ceramic ashtrays of our youth. Live vicariously through your kids and send them to Clayways’ half-day camps, which teach older kids (11 and up) to throw gorgeous pots on the wheel and create unique clay pieces. Younger kids, ages 6-10, hand-build pieces such as animals, masks, and bowls. We love ’em even more when they’re lopsided, yes? The five-day sessions take place Jun through early Aug. 5442 Burnet Rd. 459-6445 or http://www.clayways.com.
KIDSACTING Your child has watched Antz and A Bug’s Life on video for the eight millionth time, and it’s getting to where mere hint of Woody Allen’s voice gives you the creeps worse than a tree roach scurrying across the kitchen counter. (Well, maybe Allen’s voice does that to you for other reasons.) Here’s your chance to get your rugrat away from the VCR and acting like vermin themselves — KidsActing, Austin’s only theatre school producing full-scale musicals with casts of youngsters, this year offers a summer camp production of the musical Bugs! among other performing arts day camps in screen acting, play and musical production, variety shows, and more. Camps take place in Austin, Round Rock, Lakeway, and Oak Hill. Enrollment is still being accepted for kids ages four through 18. 458-KIDS,ddc@onr.com, or http://www.onr.com/user/kidsacting.
MAGIC CAMP is a unique camp teaching magic, juggling, and puppetry in a noncompetitive environment. The camp holds half-day programs for five- to seven-year-olds and full-day programs for ages 7-19. Tuition includes a morning snack and all supplies. A Youth Leader Training Academy, open to adult youth leaders, will also be held, and a Performer’s Academy, for which an audition may be required, is open to young people of any age who are ready to work on the specific performance of their act. Guest performers and teachers (including McGruff the Crime Dog!) share their expertise throughout the sessions. Sri Atmananda campus, 4100 Red River. 288-1596 orhttp://www.magiccamp.com.
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ORGANIC GARDENING SUMMER CAMP Though kids probably don’t understand the intricacies of TDA certification and double-digging methods (heck, neither do we), organic gardening can teach them respect and responsibility for living plants and animals even smaller than themselves. Applications are currently being accepted for summer and fall organic gardening classes for young tikes from the ages of two to six. Each child, decked out in rubber knee-boots, gets his or her very own garden to tend, and they get to care for baby chicks too! Ronda’s Montessori Garden, 4300 Mount Vernon, 707-8635.
STATE THEATER COMPANY SCHOOL OF ACTING Just as the Live Oak Theatre has undergone major renovations, so has its acting academy. The new classrooms will be ready just in time for their summer day camps, sessions of which begin May 29 and continue through Jul 30 and cost $50-250. Kids and teens dreaming seriously about drama or just looking for a place to play will be equally at home in the State’s one- or two-week camps in performing, improvisation, playwriting, and film. The two-week camps culminate in a performance for family and friends. Offices temporarily located in the Perry Brooks Building, 720 Brazos Ste. 119. 472-3160.
SUMMER BASKETBALL CAMP Don Eddy has been teaching kids to play hoops for many years now, and he’ll be running another camp this summer at St. Edward’s. The camp is nationally recognized for expertise in the instruction of shooting and one-on-one offensive skills. Boys and girls ages 8-18 are invited. There will also be an evening camp for kids in grades 10-12 only, meeting from 6:30-9:30pm. Jul 12-16, St. Edward’s University. 210/492-9779 orhttp://www.debb.com.
TOAD HALL CHILDREN’S BOOKSTORE offers all sorts of arts, crafts, dance, science, and cooking classes and creative writing workshops throughout Jun-Jul for kids ages four to eight. Call for complete schedule and registration form. 1206 W. 38th, 323-2665.
Events & Activities
AUSTIN MUSEUM OF ART — LAGUNA GLORIA The museum’s 18th annual family exhibition, “Groundswell: Artists and the Earth,” is currently on view through Jul 25. Sculptures, paintings, installation, photographs, and drawings with the Earth as their theme and inspiration invite young audiences to take a close look above and below ground. An accompanying hands-on art space designed by Austin artist Tr� Arenz allows kids to try out the various media for themselves. The woodsy, watery grounds also offer a range of activities and classes for kids throughout the summer months (and beyond), so call for a complete schedule of events. 3809 W. 35th, 458-8191 x211.
AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY presents their annual Summer Reading Program at all their branch locations. Participating children receive incentives for reading as many books as they can. The program also includes storytimes, arts and crafts, films, safety programs, and other special events. There is no cost to participate. General information: 499-7301; children’s programs: 499-7599.
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THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS of Austin and Travis County offer a wide range of programs for kids all year. This summer they offer a variety of camps, chess clubs, field trips, game rooms, arts and crafts, photography classes, music clubs, and tons more. Give the branch closest to you a call. South Austin: 303 S. Johanna, 444-6369; Dove Springs: 5405 Pleasant Valley, 447-5875; East Austin: 900 Neal, 494-9203.
SWIMMING! Our beloved Barton Springs Pool will be closed for renovations for the next month or possibly longer, leaving Stacy, Northwest, and Deep Eddy as the only public pools available for a preseason plunge until school is out and all the neighborhood pools open up. The complete pool schedule will be published in these pages as soon as it becomes available. In the meanwhile, don’t miss impending registration deadlines for Austin PARD’s Aquatics Programs, teaching swimming and diving to kids six months and up and water aerobics for ages 16 and up. Session I has already begun; session II begins Jun 1 (mail/drop-off deadline is May 14; walk-in registration happens May 22 & 24-28). Sessions III-IX run Jun-Sep. For complete schedule & forms: Aquatics Office: 901 W. Riverside, 480-3030.
Stacy Pool is outdoor, has six lanes, and is heated in the winter. The pool closes periodically for chlorination; call for schedule. 6-10am laps & lessons Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm, recreational swimming all week. 800 E. Live Oak.
Northwest Pool: 4-8pm Mon-Fri; 12-7 Sat-Sun, 7000 Ardath. 453-0194.
Deep Eddy Pool: 6am-9pm daily, 401 Deep Eddy. 472-8546.
Pool Administration & Neighborhood Pools Information: 476-4521.
CHILDREN’S DAY ART PARK is an annual tradition presented by the Austin Symphony at Symphony Square. The program is full of music, dance, arts and crafts, and storytelling. Beginning 9:30am every Wed from Jun 2 to Jul 28, children can visit the “Instrumental Petting Zoo,” where they can try their hand at playing different instruments from the orchestra. During the morning festivities, members of the ASO visit with the children to talk about their instruments and play favorite tunes. Just don’t feed the musicians! At 10am, performances especially geared for young children are presented onstage: Joe McDermott (Jun 2), Beto y Los Fairlanes (Jun 9), Bill Oliver (Jun 16), Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folkloria (Jun 23), Jon Emery’s Teddy Bear Picnic (Jun 30), Tamasha Africana (Jul 7), Texas Rose (Jul 14), Floyd Domino (Jul 21), and finally, Joe McDermott & Friends (Jul 28). Each week, too, there are storytellers, mimes, and magicians to add to the fun. After the featured entertainment, children can follow the Pied Piper down the “Lemonade Trail” to the Art Tent, where local artisans have set up shop and the kids can create stuff to take home. Admission is still only 50� per child; adults are free when accompanied by a child. Lemonade is 10� a cup. Bring a sack lunch and dine on the shores of Waller Creek! Symphony Square, 1101 Red River. 476-6064.
RETAMA PARK When daddy needs a new pair of pants, the whole family can come along! Selma’s big ol’ horse racing track has a smattering of entertainment for the kids, too. Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-31, take a day trip to Retama’s Family Picnic, which features live country & western music, games, face painting, pony rides, lawn mower races (!), and a Backyard Circus which your li’l freak or geek is invited to dress up and join. Jul 30’s Kids Obstacle Course lets your progeny be the jockeys — on stick ponies — and romp on hay bales and toss horseshoes. The world-famous Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders make an appearance at the park Jul 31, 3pm for photos and autographs. For summer’s homestretch, Aug 7, Rocket Man blasts in for a demonstration of wingless flight and space-age technology; barn tours and jockey-dunking will also be offered.
I-35 off exit 174-A, in Selma. All events free for kids. 210/651-7000 or http://www.retamapark.com.
TERRA TOYS “Pardon me, sir, but do you have any Grey Poupon? No? How about a broken guitar string?” South Austin’s favorite toy store hosts free weekly scavenger hunts all summer. Clue lists are handed out at noon every Saturday Jun-Aug, and the first person or group to return by 6pm with all 20 items wins $15! Second and third place gets cash prizes too; all other players get their pick from the store’s treasure chest. Terra Toys also has a regular Sunday afternoon reading of children’s books at 1pm. 1708 S. Congress. 445-4489.
THE YMCA offers an enormous range of activities and summer camps for area youth. Financial assistance is available for those eligible. Call for a complete schedule. Main Office: 1100 W. Cesar Chavez, 476-6705 orhttp://www.austinymca.org; Southwest branch: 6219 Oakclaire, 891-9622; North Park branch: 9616 N. Lamar, 973-9622; East branch: 1809 E. Sixth, 236-9622.
Field Trips
AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER in Zilker Park provides exhibits and educational programs for everyone throughout the year. The center also holds a variety of summer camps for children ages three to 12 and volunteer programs for 13- to 16-year-olds. Camp activities for all age groups include hands-on nature and science activities, experiments, trail hikes, observation, crafts, and games; kids at the ripe old age of nine through 12 can learn to fish, canoe, cave, mountain bike, and camp. Camps start Jun 1 and run through Aug 13. Pre-registration is required, and limited scholarships are available. 301 Nature Center Drive, 327-8181.
THE AUSTIN ZOO‘s Zoocademy summer day camp sessions will be held through August, featuring a variety of fun and educational programs. Activities include animal encounters, nature hikes, animal enrichment, arts and crafts, train rides, scavenger hunts, games, goat milking, pony care and rides, and more. The Zoocademy Teen Force transforms teens into junior zookeepers, and Zooper Troopers gives younger kids a closer look at zoo life. 10807 Rawhide Tr., 288-1490 or http://www.austinzoo.com/.
FIRE STATIONS offer free tours throughout the year at area locations. Groups and classes should call and reserve a spot before dropping by. Call the Fire Department’s Public Education Office for more information. 448-8302.
HAMILTON POOL Saturday morning cartoons are no good these days. Even if they were, Hamilton Pool’s Saturday Morning Nature Club offers a nice alternative to cereal and CBS. Discovery hikes, birdwatching, an introduction to snakes of Central Texas, and ecology games are activities slated for the club, which meets 9:30-11am. Reservations urged. Guided tours are also offered every Sun from 10-11am for the whole family, featuring a quarter-mile hike that begins at the dry uplands and ends at the magnificent collapsed grotto, pool, and waterfall. Be sure to wear walking shoes and bring your own water (and leave any pets at home!). Hamilton Pool Rd., 13 mi. south of Hwy 71. 264-2740.
JOURDAN-BACHMAN PIONEER FARM You always tell your kids how rough things were in the olden days, but the Pioneer Farm shows them (and you) what it was really like in the real olden days. The Pioneer Farm re-creates rural Texas life of the late 19th century with historically correct homes, animals, and clothes — the whole nine yards of living off the fat of the land. This open-air living history museum holds a variety of day camps, special events, and school programs which will turn the young’uns into little farmers with cooler survival skills than the most paranoid of Y2K stockpilers, from cooking with sorghum to leatherworking to milking cows. Walk-in registration is still being accepted for some day camps; sessions begin Jun 1. Your family can visit the Pioneer Farm any Mon-Wed through May (Mon-Thu Jun-Aug) from 9:30am-1pm, and Sun from 1-5pm for $3 (kids $2). 11418 Sprinkle Cut-off, 837-1215 or jbfarmer@eden.com.
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER The center’s summer camps are already full, but their Children’s Little House has a load of programs on weekends throughout May-Jun. The little ones can learn about something new every weekend: changing weather, junebugs, bumblebees, and, of course, wildflowers. They can also take the Grow-a-Gourd challenge by taking home seedlings available at the Little House throughout May and returning with the resulting gourd in Nov. 4801 La Crosse, 292-4100.
ICE CREAM TOURS are offered weekly at Amy’s Ice Cream to groups of 10-25 people (ages three and up). Participants make and taste a batch of ice cream and go into Amy’s walk-in freezer to taste and smell various ingredients. This portion of the tour is free. Following the tour, participants may buy a 4-oz. serving of Belgian Chocolate or Mexican Vanilla ice cream with M&Ms on top for only $1.50. Tours are by appointment only, so make a reservation before you go. Mon-Fri, 10am. 3500 Guadalupe. 458-6149 x515.
WILD BASIN WILDERNESS PRESERVE is 200 acres of beautiful Hill Country on the outskirts of West Austin set aside to preserve the land though active management, nature education, and research. A variety of activities are offered throughout the year for adults and kids, including nature walks, stargazing, flint-knapping, bird watching, trail maintenance, and plant identification. Day camps are already full this year, but there’s still room for you and your preschooler to enroll in the Wild Basin’s Memory Making Magic Walk. The Basin’s trails have many tales to tell, so each of the monthly walks take a new path with a new theme. The next walks are Wed, May 19 and Wed, Jun 30, both 8:30-10am. Cost for one parent and one child is $13, class size is limited, and pre-registration is required. 805 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., 327-7622.
These listings were compiled with much-appreciated assistance from Leigh-Ann Jackson and J.C. Shakespeare.
This article appears in May 7 • 1999 and May 7 • 1999 (Cover).