Day Camps in Hot Springs and Central Arkansas

Summer is coming. We can't avoid it. School will be out soon, and parents will be looking for ways to keep their precious cargo off the streets for at least one more year.

What do you do with those too old to be put into a day care situation, but yet too young to be left at home alone. Though some fortunate mothers are financially able to stay at home with their children, too many are not. Even those mothers who teach school are often forced to attend in-service conferences, teach summer school or even return to school themselves to keep their continuing education hours up to date for their recertifications.

So what to do with the little darlings? While researching this article, I found dozens of churches, school and day care providers that had something for 1-2 or even 4 weeks of the year. The following are those who offer something each week for at least 6 weeks during the summer months, other than just a babysitting service.

My first choice would be Family Farm Christian Day Camp in Glen Rose, Arkansas. I included this one because they offer transportation from Hot Springs for their campers each day. It's an extra $10 added onto the camp fee, but for what they offer, I as a parent, feel it is well worth it! Simply take your child to Lakeside Baptist Church, the bus picks them up at 7:45 each morning, takes them to camp, and drops them back off to parents at 5:00 in the afternoon. They will also pick up children from the Benton and Arkadelphia areas.

Family Farm runs it's camp from June 12-August 3. Each week, campers ages 6-12 have an opportunity to get out and experience nature at it's finest. Horseback riding through open fields, fishing on the banks of a beautiful pond, or canoeing along the shores of a sparkling blue lake are just some of the adventuresome activities kids can participate in. Students who have lived in town all their life get a chance to visit the year-long residents of the camp, and the goats and other farm animals that make up the petting zoo love the attention and the treats they get from from all the kids.

Self-confidence is built in your child as they pair up to form horseshoe teams. Creativity is encouraged as teams design and build intricate sand castles in the competition held on the sandy beaches of the lake. Character is grown as team building games are played each day. Friends are made on the basketball court, the archery range or as the girls hold onto a rope and try to drag those stinky boys into the mud puddles during a not so friendly tug of war competition.

Fees are $90 a week, but discounts are provided for families when more than one sibling attends camp. For more information on Family Farms, Call Stan or Donna May at 501-337-4171.

The Hot Springs YMCA would be my next choice. Designed for children ages 5-12, who have been to Kindergarten, but have not yet started 7th grade, this camp offers activities that would appeal to the young, or the young at heart. I'm even trying to get my boss to let me off work for the summer so I can go.

The 2007 summer camp season has scheduled outings to the skating rink, the bowling alley, and the movie theater. They'll go swimming, play basketball, have free play and learn to beat their new best friend at air hockey. Pirates Cove Putt-Putt, The Hot Springs Aquarium, the Little Rock Zoo and Mid-America Museum will all play host to campers sometime during the summer.

Registration is $30 and the weekly fee is $80 for those who are a member of the YMCA or $90 for those who aren't. Campers must provide their own lunches, but one of the really cool things about this camp, is that they will have a concession stand open. For $3 a day, you can forget trying to make a cold turkey sandwich or hunting for chips that aren't stale, and the kids can get the daily special. A punch card can be purchased at the beginning of the week for $15 which will allow them to eat all week.

The Hot Springs YMCA is located just off the Martin Luther King By-Pass at 130 Werner, right behind St. Joseph's hospital. Call Lisa at 501-623-8803 for more information on the registration process.

And last, but certainly not least would be the Summer Day Camp at First Lutheran Church at 105 Village Road. You can reach them at 501-525-0322.
First Lutheran will run from June 4th until August 3rd. They offer activities for children ages 6-10. Their fees are $385 monthly, which includes lunch and snacks. There is also a $40 activity fee per month, which pays for most of the field trips.

What makes First Lutheran a bit different is that they do offer tutoring style academics during the summer at the parent's request.

Field Trips include those listed at the YMCA, as well as the Hot Springs Alligator Farm, picnics at Family Park, Lessons at Cooking with Kids and they have even planned organized sports camps, such as soccer and basketball.

There is one other option for those parents who happen to work in nearby Little Rock. If you are driving into the capital city every day, you might check out Adventureland Academy. They take all ages as long as they are at least 5 years old. They're open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for those parents who work 8-5.
Registartion is $50 for an individual and $75 if you have more than one child. If you enroll your children in what they consider a full time status, which is at least 9 weeks of the summer, the fees are $110 per week. If you only plan to use them a few weeks, that's fine too, but the weekly tuition goes up to $120.

Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks are included in that price, but some of their field trips will be extra. At the time of this writing, the field trip schedule had not been set for the 2007 summer. One note here, a field trip shirt has to be purchased for each child, and those shirts must be worn on field trip days, or the child will be left behind at the center with another staff member. This is a safety precaution for your child, and it is strictly enforced.

For more information you can give them a call at 501-227-0880. Adventureland Academy is located in West Little Rock, (just off Interstates 430 and 630) on Autumn Road, a semi-private road that connects Kanis with Chenal Valley.

Summer is coming...are you ready?