Spring is officially here and this is a time of fresh beginnings, growth and blossoming. The same can be said for the potential growth of your children.
One of the most special things that I saw again and again at our Spring Break Day Camps was the sense of satisfaction and joy on the faces of the children as they did “stuff”. We sometimes don’t offer our children the opportunity to play and create nearly enough. Our TV screens and monitors have become too much of a daily constant and that goes for us adults too.
Our spring season beings in April and I would like to challenge you to “spring into action” and encourage your children to try something new. The benefits of quality recreation or even just play have been recognized by many: past presidents and even Plato. I have often used Franklin D. Roosevelt’s quote: “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future”.
We have created spring programs for the blooming artist to the enthusiastic tyke who needs to burn off some energy. Some of the programs that we are offering for preschoolers are Sports Nuts, Cinderella’s Ball, and two ballet programs: Princess Ballet and Pre-Primary Ballet.
Your child can learn to BMX with the Penticton BMX Club (helmet with full face guard and bike are mandatory), play floor hockey or tennis, find active expression in Rhythmic Gymnastics or explore his or her creativity with Collage Art, Learn to Draw for Children, Bling My Jeans and Temporary Body Art. You and your child can learn about self-esteem in two workshops offered through the Penticton Health Centre: Self-Image for Boys (May 11) and Mother and Daughter Self-Esteem (8-10 year-olds April 21 and 11-12 year-olds May 12) — free but pre-registration is required.
And youth can learn to become certified babysitters (and start earning some pocket money), take their first steps in Belly Dancing and even get shaking with Teen Zumba.
For information on all recreation programs and to register visit www.penticton.ca/recreation or pick up a spring Recreation Guide at our temporary office located at 888 Westminster Ave. W. and at various locations around Penticton.
Bob Pope is recreation co-ordinator for the City of Penticton and stops to smell the flowers in Naramata.