Parents: There’s still time to enroll your kids in summer camp in Rockingham County

The lazy, hazy days of summer. If you’re a kid, after the first few weeks, boredom is likely to replace the feeling of freedom. If you’re a parent, you’re likely asking yourself, “What am I going to do with my child while school’s out?”

Fret not.

Even though there’s only a couple of days of school left, you still have a chance to get your children enrolled in a summer program that will both keep them out of trouble and fill their days with fun activities.

For parents confused about where to look for options, the Rockingham County Partnership for Children is a good place to start. Lori Wright, a parent counselor for the organization, said finding programs really depends on what the parents are looking for. Possibilities range from day care to youth programs that include field trips and learning activities.

“Usually we can find something that works,” Wright said, adding the cost of care depends on the type of program the parents choose.

Wright said she has a list of available programs and day care centers to help parents decide.

For older children, giving them an assortment of activities is key.

It’s fun to stay at the YMCA

The YMCAs in both Reidsville and Eden offer summer camps that combine fun with educational activities.

Marty Parrish, program director at the Reidsville YMCA, said his center’s camp starts Monday.

The 10-week program runs Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Participants are given the opportunity for field trips and an assortment of activities. Parrish said facilities at local elementary schools are used to house the program.

“We’re a Christian-based organization, so the program also includes devotions,” Parrish said.

The cost to attend camp at the Reidsville Y is $80 a week for members and $100 for nonmembers, but parents can apply for need-based scholarships.

“We’re able to help pretty much anybody,” Parrish said.

To participate, campers must have finished kindergarten and be no older than 12.

In Eden, rising kindergarteners through eighth-graders are eligible to participate in the Eden YMCA summer camp, according to a news release from the organization.

Similar to the program in Reidsville, camp includes an assortment of activities to keep participants entertained.

The Eden program begins Monday and runs through Aug. 14. The camp operates daily from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. and lunch and snacks are provided. The cost is $60 a week and participants must be a member of the Y. A $15 registration fee is also required.

What about the Boys & Girls Club?

Campers who enroll in the Eden Boys & Girls Club’s summer program will get the opportunity to do “all kinds of activities,” program director Cathy Cook said.

The program begins Monday and runs through Aug. 7.

“We take ages 5 through high school,” Cook said. She said campers will have the chance to go swimming and participate in other field trips

The program costs $125 for the entire summer for members, $165 for non-members. Lunch is included with the cost.

Cook said the program is limited to 100 campers, so parents should register their children “as quickly as possible.”

More information

For more information call one of the following numbers:
• Rockingham County Partnership for Children: (336) 342-9676
• Reidsville YMCA: (336) 342-3307
• Eden YMCA: (336) 623-8496
• Eden Boys & Girls Club: (336) 627-7960