Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department Presents
SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS, 2019
A fun-filled summer awaits Dearborn children, thanks to the many classes, activities and programs offered by the Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department.
Art Classes—offered July 15-19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Studio B at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. Children ages 7-11 can let their imagination run wild while exploring a variety of media, including drawing, painting, sculpting and working with found objects. Bring a bag lunch and dress appropriately. Cost/session: $140, which includes all supplies. Register at dearborntheater.com or at the box office of the Michael A. Guido Theater, open Thursday through Saturday from 12 to 7 p.m. (313) 943-2354.
Basketball Camp—conducted by the Dearborn Basketball Association June 24-28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at O.L. Smith Middle School. Players in grades three through eight are invited to learn, practice and perfect the basic skills of the game. Register at www.dearbornbasketball.org. Cost: $125. (313) 740-1500.
Day Camp—“Summer Camp at The Center” offers eight, one-week sessions, running weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., tailored to children ages 5-11. Activities include sports, rock wall climbing, swimming, group games, arts & crafts, and board games, as well as special events, such as scavenger hunts and talent shows. Sessions begin on June 17, June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29 and August 5. Register at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. Cost/week: $145 for passholders at The Center, $175 for residents, $205 for non-residents. Siblings receive a $20 discount/week. (313) 943-2350.
Fishing Derby—Twenty-Third Annual Children’s Fishing Derby, co-sponsored by Eppinger Manufacturing Company and conducted at Camp Dearborn July 8 from 8 a.m. to noon. Free with paid gate admission. (313) 943-2076.
Football and Cheerleading—offered through the two franchises (Thunderbirds and Tractors) administered by the Dearborn Youth Football Association. Each franchise has four teams—junior freshman (ages 7-8), freshman (ages 9-10), junior varsity, (ages 11-12) and varsity (ages 13-14)—and offers opportunities for both football players and cheerleaders. Practice begins July 22 at Edsel Ford High School (Thunderbirds) and at Hemlock Park (Tractors). Registration information can be found at dearbornthunderbirds.org or dearborntractors.org.
Golf Instructional Clinics/Leagues—Tuesdays at the Robert Herndon Dearborn Hills Golf Course. The “Putters” program for youngsters ages 7-11 offers two, four-week sessions—June 18-July 9 and July 16-August 6—each of which includes instructional clinics and several holes of play beginning at 9:30 a.m. Cost: $70. The “Drivers” program for youngsters ages 12-17 runs for eight consecutive Tuesdays starting June 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm., and also includes instructional clinics and several holes of play. Cost: $135. Register at the Robert Herndon Dearborn Hills Golf Course or at dearbornhills.com. (313) 563-GOLF.
Ice Skating Lessons—classes meet once a week for five weeks at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center, beginning July 22. Classes include all levels of freestyle, Basic 6 and Tot Team, Mondays from 5-5:40 p.m.; Beginner through Basic 5 and Adult, Mondays from 5:40-6:20 p.m.; and Beginner through Basic 6, Wednesdays from 12:10-12:50 p.m. Register at dearborniceskatingcenter.com or by visiting the DISC. Cost: $55 for Dearborn residents. (313) 943-4098.
Ice Skating—open ice skating is offered at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center (DISC). Call for times and fees or visit www.dearborniceskatingcenter.com. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. (313) 943-4098.
Photography Camp—a cooperative venture with the Arab American National Museum, the SURA Arts Academy Summer Photography Camp features classroom instruction in the use of digital cameras and cell phone cameras for youngsters ages 10-16. Student works will be celebrated at the Annual SURA Arts Academy Student Photography Exhibition in the fall. Camp runs July 29-August 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $150 for Arab American National Museum members and $180 for non-members. For further information or to register, visit arabamericanmuseum.org/sura.
Playgrounds—Supervised Summer Playground Program operates at 15 city parks and playgrounds, offering elementary-age children such activities as arts & crafts, board games, active group games, special events and carnivals, all under the watchful eyes of trained supervisors. Sites scheduled to operate Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. include Crowley, Ford Woods, Levagood, Summer Stephens and Ten Eyck Parks. Playgrounds tentatively scheduled to operate only in the morning include Dearborn High Tot Lot, Myrtle-Martha, Rosalie-Hubbard, Oxford and Schemansky. Sites tentatively scheduled to operate only in the afternoon include Argyle-Williamson, Cherry Hill, Oak, Penn-Vassar, and Whitmore Bolles. The program runs June 17-August 9 (no July 4 and 5). Free. (313) 943-2353.
Spray Parks—open at Crowley, Hemlock and Whitmore Bolles Parks daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free. No pool tag required. (313) 943-2350.
Swimming (Indoor)—offered at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center daily from 1-5 p.m., starting June 17. Cost: Daily resident admission fee ($8 for children ages 4-12 and $10 for youngsters ages 13-17), free for passholders. (313) 943-2350.
Swimming (Outdoor)—open swimming will be offered daily from 1-6 p.m. at Ten Eyck starting June 14 and at Lapeer and Summer-Stephens beginning June 15. Dunworth Pool will offer open swimming weekdays from 1-8 p.m. and weekdays from noon to 8 p.m. beginning June 17. The new Ford Woods Pool is scheduled to open early this summer. Schedules will change in mid-August. Pool tags, good for unlimited admittance to the outdoor pools, are available at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $55 for school-aged youngsters under age 18 ($120 for non-residents). Resident youth admission without a pool tag is $9 per day at Dunworth and $6 per day at the other three pools. Non-resident rates are $11 and $9, respectively. (313) 943-2350
Swimming Lessons—offered at each of the outdoor pools in two-week sessions that run Monday through Thursday for 30 minutes. Sessions are offered at Dunworth, Lapeer, Summer Stephens and Ten Eyck pools June 17-27, July 8-18 and July 22-August 1. Dunworth Pool features a fourth session August 5-15. Register at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $60 ($80 for non-residents) and the purchase of a pool tag. (313) 943-2350.
Swimming Team—offered at each of the outdoor pools for youngsters ages 17 and under, beginning June 17. Practices are generally held in the mornings. Teams compete against each other and individual swimmers compete among themselves at the City Championship Meet, July 16 at Dunworth Pool. Register at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $16 and the purchase of a pool tag. (313) 943-2350.
Synchronized Swim—designed to teach the basic skills of synchronized swimming to youngsters ages 17 and under. Practices are held at the outdoor pools beginning June 17. This program culminates with the Annual Synchronized Swim Show, July 24, at Dunworth Pool. Register at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $16 and the purchase of a pool tag. (313) 943-2350.
Tennis—instructional clinics featuring Quick Start Tennis conducted by the Dearborn Community Tennis Association in four, two-week (Monday through Thursday) sessions that meet at the Dearborn High courts June 17-27, July 1-11 (classes July 5 instead of July 4), July 15-25 and July 29-August 8. Pee Wee (ages 4-6) meets from 9-9:45 a.m., Beginner (ages 7-8) from 10-11 a.m. and Advanced Beginner (ages 9-13) from 11-12:30 p.m. Cost: Pee Wee, $67; Beginner, $76; Advanced Beginner, $92. Non-resident rates are higher. Register at www.DearbornCTA.org.
Theater Experience—Dearborn Summer Children’s Theater offers children ages 5-12 a hands-on introduction to the world of theater. DCT runs August 5-9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center and culminates with a full scale production of Disney’s “Aladdin, KIDS” on August 10 at 4 p.m. Rashid Baydoun will direct this production. Cost: $150. Register at dearborntheater.com or at the Theater Box Office, open Thursday through Saturday from 12 to 7 p.m.. (313) 943-2354.
Theater Experience—Dearborn Summer Youth Theater is a four-week total theatrical experience for children ages 11-18 in which young actors learn theater etiquette, individual and group choreography and music and stage performance skills while preparing for their program-ending performances of a popular musical. DSYT meets weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from June 24-July 25 (no classes July 1-5) at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. Performances will be July 26 at 7 p.m. and July 27 at 2 and 6 p.m. in the Michael A. Guido Theater. Cost: $195. Register at dearborntheater.com or at the Theater Box Office, open Thursday through Saturday from 12 to 7 p.m. (313) 943-2354.
Track & Field—Dearborn Track Club instructors will teach participants in grades 3-12 how to sprint, run distances, high jump, throw the discus, long jump, compete in hurdles and toss the shot put in this program that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at Dearborn High from 6:30-8 p.m. from June 18-August 8. (no meetings July 2 and 4) Cost: $55. Register at www.dearborntrackclub.weebly.com.