DEARBORN – A fun-filled summer awaits children, thanks to the many classes, activities and programs offered by the city Recreation & Parks Department.
Cheer-Dance Camp — Hosted by Jump-A-Rama, this camp for children ages 4 to 10 features instruction in dance routines, cheers, jumps, stretching, tumbling and stunting. Camp runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 7 to 11 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave. Cost: $190 and participants are required to purchase a camp T-shirt and pom-pons the first day. Register at the Ford Center service desk.
Day Camp—“Summer Camp at The Center” offers seven more, one-week sessions, running weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., tailored to children ages 5 to 11. Activities include sports, rock wall climbing, swimming, group games, arts and crafts, and board games, as well as special events, such as scavenger hunts and talent shows. Remaining sessions begin July 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Aug. 4. Register at the Ford Center service desk. Cost per week: $130 for passholders at the Ford Center, $160 for residents, $200 for non-residents. Siblings receive a $20 discount. 943-2350.
Engineering (Mechanical) for Tots — Children ages 3 to 5 learn about the basic concepts of movement constructing a boomerang can, popper, spinner, wind-up whirligig, buzzer and a good vibrations guitar. Meets from 9 a.m. to noon July 21 to 23 at the Ford Center. Cost: $90 for passholders and $100 for residents, plus a $30 supplies fee. Register at the service desk. 943-2350.
Football and Cheerleading — Offered through the three franchises (Thunderbirds, Tractors and Lions) administered by the Dearborn Youth Football Association. Each franchise has three teams — freshman (ages 8 to 9), junior varsity, (ages 10 to 11) and varsity (ages 12 to 13) — and is aligned to one of the city’s three public high schools. Openings for both football players and cheerleaders remain for all three franchises. Practice begins Aug. 4 at Edsel Ford High School (Thunderbirds), Hemlock Park (Tractors) and Dearborn High (Lions). To find out how your child can participate for free, go to www.dearbornlions.org.
Football Camp — Hosted by the Western Wayne Junior Football League at Fordson High School from 5:30 to 8 p.m. July 15 from 17. Open to players ages 8 to 13. Instructors include coaches from both the Dearborn Youth Football Association and Dearborn’s three public high school teams. Cost: $30 in advance and $40 on-site. Registration forms are online at www.WWJFL.com. Children registering by July 1 will receive a free WWJFL T-shirt.
Golf Instructional Clinics/Leagues — At the Robert Herndon Dearborn Hills Golf Course, 1300 S. Telegraph. The “Putters” program for youngsters ages 9 to 11 offers one remaining four-week session July 15 to Aug. 5, which begins with an instructional clinic and includes the subsequent three weeks of three-to-six hole league play. Cost: $70. Register at the golf course or by calling 563-GOLF.
Hockey Camps — Conducted by Vigilante Hockey Camps at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center July 14 to 18, Girls 12 and older, 7 to 10 p.m.; July 21 to 25, Squirt and Pee Wee, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Bantam and Midget, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and July 28 to Aug. 1, Mites, 9:30 to 11 a.m. For costs and additional information, as well as for registration, go to www.vigilantehockeycamps.com.
Ice Skating Lessons — Classes meet once a week for six weeks beginning July 14. Classes include all levels of freestyle and Basic 6 through 8, Mondays from 5:10 to 5:50 p.m.; Beginner through Basic 5, Mondays from 5:50 to 6:30 p.m.; and Beginner through Basic 8, Wednesdays from 12:10 through 12:50 p.m. Cost: $60 for Dearborn residents and a one time annual fee of $15. Call 313-943-4098.
Ice Skating — Open ice skating is offered at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center. Call 313-943-4098 for times and fees. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
Lego Robotics Camp — Open to youngsters ages 12 to 14, this camp, which meets Aug. 11 to 15 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., challenges participants to build and program a robot and to create the ultimate theme park experience. Cost: $270 for passholders and $280 for residents, plus a $40 supplies fee. Register at the service desk. Call 313-943-2350.
Playgrounds — Supervised Summer Playground Program operates at 12 city parks and playgrounds from through Aug. 8, offering elementary-age children such activities as arts and 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. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. are Cherry Hill, Crowley, Dearborn High Tot Lot, Ford Woods, Levagood, Myrtle-Martha, Oxford, Penn-Vassar, Rosalie, Schemansky, Summer-Stephens and Ten Eyck. Free. Call 313-943-2353.
Swimming (Indoor) — Offered at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., daily from 1 to 5 p.m.. Cost: Daily resident admission fee ($6 for children ages 4 to 12 and $8 for ages 13 to 17), free for passholders. Call 313-943-2350.
Swimming (Outdoor) — Open swimming will be offered at Ford Woods, Lapeer, Summer-Stephens and Ten Eyck pools daily from 1 to 6 p.m. and at Dunworth Pool weekdays from 1 to 8 p.m. and weekends from noon to 8 p.m. Schedules will change in mid-August. Pool tags, good for unlimited admittance, are available at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $45 for school-aged children under age 18 ($80 for non-residents). Youth admission without a pool tag is $8 per day at Dunworth and $6 per day at the other pools. Non-resident rates are $12 and $9, respectively. Call 313-943-2350.
Swimming Lessons — Offered at each of the outdoor pools Monday through Thursday in two-week sessions. Sessions at Dunworth Pool run June 30 to July 10, July 14 to 24 and July 28 to Aug. 7. Sessions at the other neighborhood pools run June 30 to July 10 and July 14 to 24. Classes meet for 30 minutes. Register at the service desk of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Centerr, 15801 Michigan Ave., weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $55 ($65 for non-residents) and the purchase of a pool tag. Call 313-943-2350.
Swimming Team — Offered at each of the outdoor pools for children ages 17 and under, beginning June 16. Practices are generally held in the mornings. Teams compete against each other and individual swimmers compete among themselves at the City Championship Meet, July 22 at Dunworth Pool. Cost: $15 and the purchase of a pool tag. Call 313-943-2350.
Synchronized Swim — Designed to teach the basic skills of synchronized swimming to children ages 17 and under. Practices are held at the outdoor pools. This program culminates with the Annual Synchronized Swim Show July 30 at Dunworth Pool. Cost: $15 and the purchase of a pool tag. Call 313-943-2350.
Tennis — Instructional clinics featuring Quick Start Tennis conducted by the Dearborn Community Tennis Association in two-week (Monday through Thursday) sessions that meet at the Dearborn High School courts July 7 to 17, July 21 to 31, Aug. 4 to 14 and Aug. 18 to 28. Pee Wee (ages 4 to 6) meets from 9 to 9:45 a.m., Beginner (ages 7 to 8) from 10 to 11 a.m. and Advanced Beginner (ages 8 to 13) from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost: Pee Wee, $65; Beginner, $73; Advanced Beginner, $89. Non-resident rates are $8 higher. Register at www.DearbornCTA.org.
Theater Experience — A week-long experience for children ages 6 to 18, conducted by Missoula Children’s Theater, which culminates with a full production of “Beauty Lou and the Country Beast” and includes opportunities for students to participate in three free workshops. Meets July 21 to 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost: $165 for residents ($175 for non-residents). Call 313-943-2354.
Vocal Music Academy — “Show Stoppers Vocal Academy,” open to singers in grades 4 to 8, meets Tuesday through Thursday, through July 16, from 10 to 11:45 a.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave. Participants learn and practice sight-singing, breathing, tone, stage presence, choreography, solo and groups singing and basic musicianship. Culminates with a performance at 8 p.m. July 16. Cost: $170. Register at the Michael A Guido Theater box office Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 313-943-2354.