by Julie Lucksinger
illustrations by Kelly Edwards
Summertime… when the livin’ is easy… Ah, sweet, sweet summertime…” Yeah, well… we all know whoever wrote that song didn’t have kids, don’t we? Most likely, they didn’t live in Texas either, where the median temperature during the sweltering months hovers in the mid-nineties if we’re lucky. While the Chron can’t squelch that sizzling summer heat, we can hopefully help you keep your youngsters’ summer boredom at bay. This year’s guide features a variety of old standby’s for the season, as well as some new faces for you adventurous types. Choose your favorite one and have some fun during those long, dog days!
Programs & Camps:
ALLIANCE FRANCAISE D’AUSTIN offers French classes for youth at all levels. The French Fries Kids Club teaches the language in a fun way — kids participate in a variety of group activities, including songs & music, play-acting, storytelling, celebrating French holidays, and more. Classes are forming now. 451-1704.
AMERICAN RED CROSS offers a variety of practical programs and classes for youth this summer. Health and Safety Training includes courses on baby-sitting and lifeguard training, and swimming lessons are also offered. The local ARC Swim-A-Cross event is a summer-long event that includes swim clubs across Austin and surrounding areas. The clubs solicit pledges for laps completed during one practice session (the proceeds are then split between the club and the ARC). Call for a schedule of classes and events. 928-4271.
AUSTIN CHAMBER MUSIC CENTER offers a summer workshop for musicians of all ages. Youth will experience the joys of studying and performing chamber music with other musicians, as well as improve their sense of rhythm, intonation, musical confidence, and performance skills. Student recitals and master classes are also featured. Instruments include piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, voice, and guitar. Students new to the ACMC must audition. Call for an appointment. The workshop meets June 2-14, 9:45am-5:45pm, at the First Unitarian Church, 4700 Grover. 454-7562.
AUSTIN CHILDREN’S CHOIR is looking for new members! Audition during April to join the choir in rehearsal during the summer. Children ages 8-13 years of age are eligible. Call to schedule an appointment. 452-7662, x1221.
AUSTIN CHILDREN’S MUSEUM features programs and classes for kids throughout the year. “Inside the Looking Lens — The Art and Science of Photography” is the latest exhibit at the museum. A variety of events for the whole family will be held throughout the exhibition’s run — participants can work in a dark room, select their own tools in a camera store, compose their own photographs on a computer, and capture images on film in the museum’s photo booth. A new exhibit, “Literacy Through Photography,” will open June 5, to run in conjunction with the “Looking Lens…” program. The exhibit will showcase the photographic work of students in six Austin schools. Open through August 17. Playscape Escape, an educational, hands-on activity program for parents and children (up to age 2), is held every Monday, 10am-1pm ($3 members/$3.50 non-members). How? and Why? Summer Camps will be held for children ages 7-10, June 2-August 1. They include: Space and Slime Science; Cool Concoctions, Austintatious Adventures; and Media Madness. Call for costs and schedules. Volunteer opportunities are available for older youth who want to help out at the museum. Admission is free every Wednesday, 5-8pm. Hours: Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm, Sun, noon-5pm (closed Mon). 1501-A W. Fifth. 472-2494.
AUSTIN MUSICAL THEATRE SUMMER CAMPS offer classes in singing, dancing, stage presence, showmanship, and acting through song for kids ages 9-18 (Jun 23-Jul 3), and ages 5-8 (Jul 7-11). Classes are led by AMT founders Richard Byron and Scott Thompson. $275 two for two week camp; $150 for one week. St. Stephen’s School. 292-9696.
AUSTIN NATURE & SCIENCE CENTER offers a variety of programs and fun activities for the kids (and the whole family!) throughout the year, but special attention is paid to the young ones during the summer. Summer camps & programs include: Nature’s Way Preschool & the Lunch Bunch; North Austin Camp Pick Up and Drop Off (ages 3-12); Preschool Saturdays (ages 2-5, with parent); Tadpole Camp (ages 3-6); Nature Camp (ages 7-8); Adventure Camp (ages 9-12); Speciality Camp (ages 6-13); Backpacking Camp (ages 11-13); Advanced Caving (ages 11-13); and much more. One-day activities are held weekly at reasonable rates (sometimes they’re free!). Call for costs and a camp/program schedule. To kick off the season, don’t forget Safari ’97, the annual fun science/nature festival for the whole family. The event features live entertainment, exhibits, demonstrations, and craft activities. April 26 & 27, 10am-6pm. Cost is $5 per person. 301 Nature Center Dr. 327-8181.
AUSTIN MUSEUM OF ART, LAGUNA GLORIA offers a variety of classes and activities for kids throughout the summer. The 16th annual family exhibition, Art Patterns, is currently on view through May 4, designed for both children and families to enjoy. A hands-on participatory gallery is a highlight of the show. Call for details. “Fiesta 1997,” the 47th annual art show of Laguna Gloria, will feature a special children’s area, with games and entertainment. The event will be held Sat & Sun, May 17 & 18. Finally, a variety of classes are offered at the Art School at Laguna Gloria, including Color and Clay; Mad Hatters; Young Explorers; Dinosaur Art; Painting; Clay; Cartooning (taught by Sam Hurt!); and more. Call for a brochure. 3809 W. 35th. 458-8191.
AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT always offers a wonderful, broad assortment of programs and classes for preschoolers to teenagers at their various recreation centers around town. Activities include youth basketball leagues, drop-in recreational programs, dance classes, creative arts, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, martial arts, and much more. Summer camps focused on a variety of interests are also offered. Most programs are offered at reasonable rates (limited scholarships are sometimes available), and many one-day activities are free. Call your nearest recreation center for a schedule of events, or reach a PARD representative at 499-6738.
AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY and its various branches offer programs and activities for youth throughout the summer. A schedule of events may be obtained at your nearest branch, or call 499-7465.
AUSTIN THEATRE FOR YOUTH SUMMER ACADEMY offers a full-day training/performance program in theatre arts for kids ages 7-17 (Jun 2-28). A two-week morning program in creative drama for kids ages 5-7 is also offered (Jul 7-Aug 1). Ten percent discount if enrolled by
Apr 10. 41st & Red River. aty@onr.com or 459-7144.
AUSTIN ZOO is a user-friendly, hands-on, interactive, happy kinda zoo. They offer a variety of activities this summer, including a special Summer Camp for youth ages 5-12, running June 2-Aug 1; Wild Nights features overnight campouts for families, friends, and church and civic groups on Friday nights (reservations must be made two weeks in advance); Animal Tales is the featured storytime at the zoo, presented Saturdays, 11:30am-noon, May 3-Aug 30; and a Summer Campers’ Cook Out/Camp Out will be held Fri, Aug 8, (6pm, cookout; 8:30pm-9am, campout). Zoo-goers can always grab a ride on AZ’s miniature train, the “Rawhide Rocket.” The zoo is open daily, 10am-6pm; 10807 Rawhide Tr. 288-1490.
BOOKBINDING & CREATIVE WRITING CAMPS are held at Casa del Sol Studio in Oak Hill. The five, week-long classes offer activities designed to unleash children’s creative talents, and all material is new and will not be a repeat from previous summer camps. Sessions will be held both outdoor and in the studio, June 2-July 18, 10am-12:30pm. Cost is $125 per session. 9105 San Diego Rd. 288-4562.
CHILDREN’S DAY ART PARK is an annual tradition presented by the Austin Symphony (to tell you how old it is, well… I attended it when I was a child! And loved it, by the way). The weekly program runs Wednesdays, June 4-July 30. Beginning at 9:30am, aspiring young musicians can play in the Instrument Petting Zoo, a hands-on display of various instruments from the orchestra. Musicians, mimes (they still have those?), 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, youth 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 get in free when accompanied by a child. Lemonade is offered at 10cents a cup. Symphony Square, 11th & Red River. 476-6064.
CLAYWAYS POTTERY STUDIO offers weekly Summer Camps for kids, featuring 20 hours of instruction and all materials. Classes include handbuilding in clay, handbuilding and wheel throwing with clay, and more. Each five-day session meets Mon-Fri, 8:30am-12:30pm, and camps run May 26-August 8. 5442 Burnet Rd. 459-6445.
CORNERSTONE SCHOOL offers indoor, air-conditioned summer camps for youth ages 4-12 years old. Instruction in math, reading, and Spanish is offered, as well as lessons in gymnastics, computer programming, and piano. 831-D Houston St. 452-6332.
FUTURE KIDS offers summer camps in a variety of themes for youth ages 4-14. Participants take on adult roles and use the computer as a tool to tackle life’s problems, create movies, solve mysteries, compete as athletes, and more. Morning and afternoon camps are available. Camps run May 26-Aug 13, and costs range from $115-175 per week. For a virtual good time, call 346-8020.
HILL COUNTRY ARTS FOUNDATION is hosting an exciting year of visual and performing art workshops for youth who wanna get out of town this summer (the foundation is located in Ingram, TX). A variety of comprehensive visual art classes are offered, as well as a special Youth Theater and Performance Camp (ages 13-18), and a Performing Arts Day Camp (ages 8-12). Call for a brochure. 210/367-5122.
KIDSACTING SUMMER CAMP for kids ages 4-18 offers activities in screenacting, improvisation, comedy, musical theatre, magic, juggling, and more. Camp ends with production starring participants. Begins Jun 2. 5811 Burnet. 458-5437.
LIVE OAK THEATRE School of Acting offers a variety of unique performance classes and camps for youth ages 5-18. Programs include: Camps for children and teens allow the young actor to experience all that goes into creating a play, from the rehearsal process, gathering props and costumes, to advertising. Instructors are all professional actors who treat students as professionals in the business of creating a play. Plays or series of scenes will be chosen that will allow each student to play a lead role. Two summer sessions are available — call for a schedule. 107 E. Eighth. 472-3160.
MAGIC CAMP, for kids in 2nd-8th grades, is a multi-sensory learning experience that combines the fun of magic, puppets, and juggling. A pair of two-week sessions are offered June 2-13 & 16-27. A special one-week, half-day program will be offered July 7-11, mornings, for children ages 5-6. As well, before- and after-camp care is available for those who need it (at an additional cost). 4100 Red River. 288-1596.
NATIONAL WILDFLOWER RESEARCH CENTER offers weekly activities and hands-on programs for youth, including lectures, musical events, ongoing exhibits, and much more. “Big Bugs” is the center’s scheduled outdoor summer exhibition, featuring Texas-sized bugs — ants larger than a truck; a dragonfly too big to fit in your living room; a black widow spider on a web larger than an office; a baby grasshopper twice as big as your bathtub; and praying mantis! The exhibit will be on view beginning June 7. Children’s Nature Discover is held Saturday afternoons, 1-4pm. Leaf printing, recycled papermaking, nature walks, storytelling, and more await children of all ages. Call for a schedule of events. 4801 LaCrosse Ave. 292-4200.
NATURAL EAR MUSIC CAMP is a three-week day cap taught by performing musicians and run by Michele Murphy, a teacher and performer. Youth ages 8-18 work in groups of six and learn to play guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. Each group selects three songs that they will perform during their graduation ceremony at a local Austin live music venue. Former student bands have performed at Aquafest, the Broken Spoke, the Continental Club, and the Saxon Pub. The first camps runs June 9-27; the second session runs July 7-25. Call for costs and details. 447-5910.
PIONEER FARM is an outdoor living history museum which presents the story of rural life in Central Texas through a variety of programs. The farm offers a composite look at three family life-styles typical of the Walnut Creek area during the late 19th century. To illustrate this, they use historically correct farm animals, crops, clothing, furnishings, buildings, implements, food, and more. Sunday programs offer families a glimpse into the past, alternately featuring such themes as Dairy Day, Leatherworking, Pioneer Games, Bread Baking, Barnyard Babies, From Field to Food, Canning, and much more. It’s already too late to get into the farm’s popular summer camps, but youngsters can come out during weekday hours and experience many of the activities the camp has to offer. Hours are Sun, 1-5pm; Mon-Thu, 9:30am-1pm (now through May) and 9:30am-3pm (Jun-Aug). Admission is $3 adults, $2 children, and groups of 10 or more $2 per person. 11418 Sprinkle Cut Off Rd. 837-1215.
RONDA’S MONTESSORI GARDEN offers Kids Organic Gardening Summer Camps for
children age 2-6. Each child gets his or her own garden and learns how to keep it growing strong! Students then sell their organic produce the public, with proceeds going directly back to the program. 4300 Mount Vernon. 707-8635.
SGRAFFITO SUMMER CLAY CAMPS offer chidlren the opportunity to create fun and functional pottery to take home. Campers will learn the basics of clay (and decorating) while making pinch pots, coil bowls, rattles, mirrors, and masks. All camps cost $40 and meet two days a week for two hours at a time. Cost includes all instruction, materials, and a snack. 809 W. 12th. 708-9000.
SWITCH WILLOW STABLE offers summer camps for horse-crazy kids, ages 7-15. Morning activities include grooming, tackup, and daily riding lessons; afternoons include lots of barn lessons about horses and horse care, horse videos, hands-on activities with horses, arts and crafts, bareback rides, games, and more. Weekly group lessons are available for those who don’t want to commit to the full-camp experience. Camps run June 2-Aug 8. Call for schedules and fees, or attend an open house to be held this weekend, Sat, April 5, 10am-noon. 10802 Bonaparte Bend. 258-8298.
TERRA TOYS children’s toy store offers a rang of activities and events this summer, including their popular annual Summer Scavenger Hunt, held Saturdays at noon, June 7-August 30. Participants can scavenge 20 items each week, and prizes are awarded to everyone. Curious George’s Birthday Party is also an annual tradition, slated this year for Sat, August 16, noon-3pm. Finally, kids can earn some extra Summer cash by decorating and coloring bags for the store. Artists can earn 2-10cents per bag. 1708 S. Congress. 445-4489.
TEXAS MEMORIAL MUSEUM offer programs and activities for youth throughout the summer months, including dinosaur exhibitions, gems and rocks, and indigenous propels’ artifacts exhibits. Call for tours and a schedule. 24th & Trinity. 471-1604.
TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE offers a variety of activities and workshops for the young ones throughout the state, so there’s something to do no matter where you’re travelling in the Lone Star! Activities include Family Fun Days, Spelunking Tours, Night Wildlife Hikes, Canoe Tours, Fishing Days, and much more. 389-4683.
TOAD HALL CHILDREN’S BOOKSTORE offers classes and storytimes throughout the summer. Courses, designed for children ages 3-10, include Making Paper, Medieval Feast, Pizza Making, Weaving, Fun and Games, Gardening, Painting, Creative Writing, Science Class, and more. Call for a schedule of events. 1206 W. 38th. 323-2665.
TOUCHSTONE ACADEMY helps children be all they can be with a variety of educational programs, including Math Quest, Mummy’s Message, and Jurassic Park. Students learn a variety of skills in a fun environment, including report writing, the scientific method, mapping and labeling, basic math skills, and more. Camps are held Mon, Wed, & Thu, 9am-noon, in three sessions: June 2-19, June 23-July 10, and July 10-3. 3207 Edwards Hollow Cove. 280-3484.
WILD BASIN WILDERNESS PRESERVE features over 200 acres of beautiful Hill Country, set aside to preserve the land through active management, nature education, and research. The preserve offers a variety of activities for youth and families every week, including nature walks, moonlighting, stargazing, flint knapping, Indian lore, plant identification, birding, and much more. A special summer day camp, “Art & The Environment: A Natural Combination,” will be offered in four-day session, May 27-June 27.
Call for costs and a schedule of events. 805 N. Capital of Texas Hwy. 327-7622.
THE YMCA offers a full range of activities and summer camps for Austin-area youth. Costs vary, and financial assistance is available for those who need it. 476-6705.
Miscellaneous:
AMY’S ICE CREAM TOURS are offered weekly to groups of 15-25 people, ages 4 and up, Tue-Fri at 10am. (An appointment is necessary, so maker sure and get a reservation before you go!) Participants will make and taste a batch of ice cream, go into a walk-in freezer and taste and smell various ingredients, and more. This section of the tour is free. Afterwards, you can buy a 4-oz. serving of Mexican Vanilla or Belgian Chocolate ice cream with M&M’s on top for only $1.50 (it’s usually $2.05). If you want extra toppings or different ice creams, they are available at regular price. Various locations. 458-6149.
FREE TOURS OF LOCAL FIRE STATIONS are offered throughout the year at area locations. Groups and classes should give them a call and reserve a spot before dropping by (as they are often busy saving us and our pets and property!). Call the Fire Department’s Public Information Office to find out more. 477-9982.
FREE TOURS OF MUELLER AIRPORT are offered to children ages 5 and older. Youth visit with the airport police, a rescue firefighter, and see a commercial airliner and the terminal building. Tours last around 90 minutes, are offered daily at 10am (and by appointment), and reservations are always required (i.e. If you show up without a reservation, you’ll have some teary-eyed youngsters on your hands!). 495-7587.
O.HENRY MUSEUM offers a glimpse into the Austin of the late 1800’s, specifically into the life and times of the great author William S. Porter (best known as O. Henry). The museum was the author’s home while he lived in Austin, and has been preserved for the benefit of history and literary buffs alike. Tours are offered (with reservations), but you can drop by unannounced Wed-Sun, noon-5pm. 409 E. Fifth. 472-1903.
THE SANCTUARY, J&M AVIARIES has over 120 species of exotic birds and mammals for young and old alike to learn about and enjoy. Tour the sanctuary by yourself, or call to reserve a spot for a guided tour (offered at no extra cost). J&M is open Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm, and Sun, noon-5pm. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, and $2 children. 8647 Hwy 290W. 288-2199.
SUMMERTIME THEATRE PRODUCTIONS are held annually at the Zilker Hillside Theatre in Zilker Park. Plays are always free, though donations are gratefully accepted! Don’t forget to bring something to sit on, something to drink, and maybe some bug repellent! Zilker Park, 2200 block of Barton Springs Rd. 479-9491.
Remember to check the weekly Kids section in the Arts Calendar for updated summer events listings throughout the season! — J.L.
This article appears in April 4 • 1997 and April 4 • 1997 (Cover).