The Best Summer Ever

What was your favorite summer job? Mine was working as a playground supervisor for the parks and recreation department where I lived. Not only did I get to play outside all day and go on sweet field trips, but I also got to hang out with some pretty awesome kids.

I like to think I made a difference in their lives - in fact I still talk to some of them. Now, of course, they are college graduates and that makes me feel a little old. I loved supervising the program but I always regretted the fact I never participated in it when I was little.

Almost every community has a summer playground program, and Massillon is no exception. What better way for children to spend the summer than playing outside with other kids their age? It is a great way for them to meet new people, make new friends and spend time with good role models.

The program also gives your children a chance to go to different attractions, like the Akron Zoo and Sluggers & Putters. I still remember how much fun those places were and the only time I got a chance to go was with the playground program.

Massillon's Playground Program is for ages 6-11 and is taking place now through August 7 at Community, Oak Knoll and Reservoir Parks. It's one of the most fun things kids can do over the summer.

If you have a child that's too young for the Playground Program but still wants to get together with other children, we also offer a Shorties Preschool Club twice a week in July for children ages 3-5. I had a chance to teach this program last year and it was way fun. We did crafts, played interactive games, sang songs (the too-di-ta song is my favorite) and read books. The program ends with some kiddie pool time, too, and no kid can resist that!

Don't miss either of these great programs. It will keep your kids outside and having fun in a supervised environment while you are at work, running errands, or just enjoying the silence of having the house to yourself :)

The importance of swim lessons

I read an editorial in today's Independent titled "Swimming lessons can be a real lifesaver" (6/1/10) and it contained some eye-opening facts. For instance, did you know drowning was the second-leading cause of death for children between the ages of one and 19 between 2000 and 2006? I was shocked to learn that.

While we are all careful when we take kids to the pool, sometimes accidents happen. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that while not all toddlers are ready for swim lessons, learn-to-swim programs can be beneficial for children under the age of four.

While swim lessons are not a fail-safe (even experience swimmers can drown), they go a long way in teaching children water safety.

With summer upon us, this is a big issue. The Massillon Parks and Recreation Department offers swim lessons for children as young as 6 months old (with a parent). All of our swim lessons are taught by American Red Cross Certified Instructors. Our instructors are required to take educational updates as they become available, so they are always up-to-date on the newest techniques.

Seeing as it's summer and you might rather be outside at the pool, we have started offering Parent and Child Aquatics Level 1 & 2 and Preschool Aquatics Level 1 at Oak Knoll Wading Pool on Tuesday nights beginning June 8. These are great for children who are a little skittish about the water because the pool isn't deep.

If indoor lessons are more your thing or your child is a little more advanced, we also offer those classes indoors as well as lessons for levels 1-5 weekday mornings beginning June 7. Our Evening and Saturday lessons will start July 5 and June 26, respectively.

We have also started offering deep-water lessons for more advanced students on Sunday mornings at the Massillon City Pool. Those lessons start on June 6.

You can find information on all of our swim lessons on our web site.

Swim lessons are important and help teach your children water safety and awareness, but nothing compares to being active and playing with them. You'll be able to recognize problems before they start and could end up getting a great workout too!

The NEW Parks & Recreation Blog

Since Kenn has successfully completed his weight loss journey with Get Fit, Stark! and reached his goal weight of 255 lbs, I thought we should reinvent our blog. I had many ideas of what to do in it, but I finally decided to use it as a way to give everyone an inside look at our programs, events and the department as a whole.

Our new blog will include previews and personal experiences of classes and events and even take you through some of what we do to get ready for our events. It will keep you informed and updated on what is going on at the Massillon Parks and Recreation Department. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful. Please feel free to comment and make suggestions for future posts!

Thank you and Enjoy!