WITH SUMMER vacation nearly upon us, children can look ahead to three months without school, but parents must find things to keep their kids busy.
This year, many parents do not have to look any further than their own neighborhood. There are enough summer activities happening in Brooklyn Park to keep everyone happy.
Let's start at North County Recreation Center, 196 Hammonds Lane. For children ages 5 and younger, there's the Under 5 Club. From 10 a.m. to noon every Friday, kids can play, make crafts and enjoy a snack while their caregivers socialize. The cost is $10 for the 10-week program.
For children ages 1 to 4, the center offers Craft and Play for Ones, Pre-K Stories and Crafts, and Pre-K Music and Crafts. The next session begins the last week of July. It lasts four weeks and costs $20.
Budding fashion designers age 8 and older can learn to sew at Sew Time, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays. Choose your own fabrics, patterns or projects to bring to class, and get creative on the center's new Janome L108 sewing machines.
Those who know how to sew may enroll in Sewing for Beginners to Advanced. Children age 8 and older may attend from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Tuesdays, and adults may attend from 5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Mondays. The cost for the five-week class is $25.
Not interested in sewing? No problem - learn to dance instead. Ballet, tap and jazz dance lessons for children ages 4 and older are available. Each class lasts for six weeks and costs $30.
To register: 410-222-7313.
If North County Recreation Center's offerings don't strike your fancy, take a look at what's going on at Chesapeake Center for Creative Arts, 192 Hammonds Lane.
Children who enroll in the classes will be taught by award-winning dancers Adrienne and Ashley Canterna and Cher Krysowaty. Preballet, ballet and tap classes and a teen dance workshop will be offered.
If all the world is a stage, as Shakespeare said, children can get a head start by taking "Storybook Make-Believe," "Introduction to Comic Acting," "Monologue Study," "Stage Combat," "Fundamentals of Acting," or "Physical Comedy and Circus Skills."
Members of the Merely Players theatrical group will be offering advice on the entertainment industry in "There's No Business Like Show Business."
For the artistically inclined, classes in landscape painting, fine art with acrylics, painting and drawing, and pottery are available.
If you're into the music scene or would like to be, you can learn to write songs by taking "Junior Composer," learn rhythm patterns and sight reading in "I've Got Rhythm," or take private guitar or flute lessons.
All classes at the Chesapeake Center will begin the second week of July. For information on class times and costs, call 410- 636-6597.
But then again, maybe your kids would rather curl up with a good book. The Brooklyn Park branch library's summer reading program, Race to Read, will hold its kickoff from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the library, 1 E. 11th Ave.
Register for the chance to receive a game board, coupons, and free passes to area attractions and restaurants and be eligible to win weekly prizes. The school that has the most registered readers will take home the library's Chesapeake Cup. Information: 410-222-6260.
Prayer breakfast
Male members of the Pumphrey community are invited to the Men of Pumphrey Prayer Breakfast. It will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lloyd Keaser Community Center, 5757 Belle Grove Road.
The speaker will be Baltimore City Councilman Melvin L. Stukes. The cost is $5. All proceeds will go to the annual Pumphrey Day celebration. Information: Vivian Lattimore, 410-789-5482, or Estelle Delaware, 410-636-7462.
Neighborhood meeting
The Brooklyn Heights Improvement Association will meet at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Brooklyn Park branch library, 1 E. 11th Ave.
The association will continue to work on revisions to its bylaws. Information: 410-636-0023.
