Parents Get a (Spring) Break

Although Arlington County Schools are closed for spring break April 18-22, parents can still get a break from the kids through a variety programs offered for school-aged children.

“We start advertising our spring break programs around Christmas,” said Susan Kalish, director of marketing and communications, Parks and Recreation at Arlington County.  “Many of the camps are probably sold out. But there are a variety of spring break programs available.”

Whether your child enjoys dancing, playing sports or observing creepy crawlers, there are programs for all interests and ages.  Arlington provides programs at community and recreation centers and also have programs operated by third parties who lease space from the city.  

The third-party programs are mostly theme-oriented and similar to summer camps.  These include a Virginia Youth Baseball Club camp for ages 7 to 12.  The All-American Sports camp for ages 5 to 12,  runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School.  Other sports camps include football, martial arts, soccer and basketball.

If you have special needs children, there is also a camp for individuals with disabilities at the Madison Center and is held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  In this camp the participants choose activities ranging from sensory and auditory to expressive arts and sports.

To register online and see a full list of third party camps with details, click here. 

“Even if all the camps are filled up, we have drop in sports programs at our community centers,” Kalish said. 

Drop-in programs operate out of the county's community centers.  Call to get a list of times and programs.  

Arlington also has teen programs available at most community centers,  where teens can hang out and play table tennis and other sports. Bored teens can check out what other Arlington teens are doing at the innovative Teen Portal. Run and updated by teens, this site offers an events calendar and other items of interest to teens, like meet-up times at the Kettler Iceplex. Teens can contribute to the site with their own blog. 

If you have a child who loves the outdoors, Arlington’s Nature Centers offer spring break programs. Arlington operates three Nature Centers, Gulf Branch, 3608 N. Military Road; Long Branch, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road and Potomac Overlook, 2845 N. Marcey Road. These centers specialize in hands-on learning and offer programs on natural and cultural history topics.  The program, First Child in the Woods, for ages 6 to 10, meets from 9 a.m. to noon daily during spring break.  Along with being able to explore the woods, kids get to enjoy crafts and hands-on encounters with animals.

And don't forget the Arlington libraries.

For a full list of spring break camps, click here.