A popular six-week program for kids featuring music, art classes and yoga started for the summer season Monday on the Long Island City waterfront (Photo provided by Jessica Sechrist)
July 14, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
A popular six-week program for kids featuring music, magic shows and yoga kicked off at the Long Island City waterfront Monday.
The free program, known as Summer Kids, also includes art classes, dancing and story time, with hundreds of children expected to attend over the six-week period. Spaces for the program are limited but slots are still available, organizers say.
Summer Kids takes place each day from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and will run through Aug. 21. This year the program expanded to include events on Saturdays and Sundays in order to make it easier for parents working weekdays to attend.
The programming is organized by the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy (HPPC), a volunteer group that oversees events and helps with the upkeep of the park.
Rob Basch, president of the HPPC, said that the program is designed to keep kids outdoors and engaged over the summer.
“It is important to get our youngest members outside and active,” Basch said.
Basch said the program has proven to be a big success in recent years with more than 650 kids participating in last year’s season – despite capacity restrictions in place due to the pandemic. He expects attendance numbers to easily surpass that figure this year now that the caps have been lifted.
“It is rewarding to see how the community has embraced these programs and to see all the smiling faces,” Basch said. “Our community continues to grow with many young families moving in.”
Children taking part in art classes at last year’s Summer Kids program (Photo provided by Jessica Sechrist)
There are 42 events in total this year — up from 28 in 2021 — and programming changes day-to-day.
This year’s “Summer Kids” line-up features program favorites like Bricks 4 Kidz, Yogi Beans and STEAM classes (Science Technology Engineering Art Math) by City Owlets.
The Blue Bus project and Zing! Kids Fitness will also be participating as well as the music duo Andy & Suzanna.
Snapology, which incorporates Lego bricks into learning, and the art educators Art Strong are also taking part.
All events are free and require advance registration due to a limited number of spaces. To register a child, click here and select the day and activity on the calendar. The program is open to children aged 10 and under.
Summer Kids is funded by the HPPC, Weill Cornell Medicine Long Island City, Hunter’s Point South Living, NYC Ferry, Councilmember Julie Won and the Dept. of Youth and Community Development.
For more information contact the HPPC at info@hunterspointparks.org.
Summer Kids 2022 schedule (Poster provided by Jessica Sechrist)
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