by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
For most kids December 21st is an important day on their calendars and not because Christmas is right around the corner. You see, winter break begins that fateful Thursday and that means no more teachers, homework or pop quizzes for two and a half glorious weeks. It also means parents will be looking for ways to keep their children out of trouble and entertained. Luckily there are tons of winter camps in and around the Jacksonville area in every possible price range. Here’s a listing of just a few of the many you have to choose from:
ArtLife Studios in Atlantic Beach will be hosting their first Holiday ArtCamp. Kids will be able to enjoy a movie, learn some movie trivia, participate in acting and improv games and hear about making films directly from movie professionals. Children should bring their own lunch.
Date: December 27-29 and January 3-5
Time: 10am-noon (ages 5-7), noon-3pm (ages 7-12)
Cost: $20/day (discounts available for ArtLife Studios members)
Contact: (904) 247-8337
The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach is offering kids a chance to really celebrate the season with their fun art projects like building edible sculptures and creating New Years noise makers to mark the new year. Each day will feature a different project and children should bring their own bag lunch.
Date: December 18-24, 26-29
Time: 9am-11:30am (ages 4-5), 9am-2pm (ages 6-10)
Cost: $35/day non-members, $25/day members (ages 4-5), $45/day non-members, $35/day members (ages 6-10)
Contact: (904) 280-0614
Baseball Heaven, northeast Florida’s largest dedicated batting cage facility, will be hosting a very special hitting camp with Ivan Cruz, a former ballplayer with 14 years of professional experience with the Yankees, the Pittsburg Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals. Children ages 8-14 are welcome.
Date: December 26-29 and January 2-5
Time: 8:30am-12:30pm
Cost: $175 (includes lunch)
Contact: (904) 744-8707
Skatelab Indoor Skatepark and Museum will be hosting their yearly winter camp right after Christmas. The two-hour long camps will include skate instruction by Skatelab staff and daily activates like toboggan races and dodge ball. Admission includes breakfast and admission of the week after camp has concluded. This extreme event is for kids 6 and up.
Date: December 26-29 and January 2-5
Time: 8am-10am
Cost: $80/weekContact: (904) 249-2529
EcoEd Resources Science Center in Mandarin will give children a chance to learn about a variety of different sciences over the course of their vacation. Younger kids will get to study the human body, wildlife and the weather while older children can explore ancient cultures, learn about forensics and discover the wonders of outerspace.
Date: December 22 (ages 6-12), December 26-29 (ages 6-8), and January 2-5 (ages 9+)
Time: Two sessions each day: 8am-12noon or 12noon-4pm
Cost: $18 per session (except for “Space Frontiers” which is $34 for 1st session, $18 for second)
Contact: (904) 268-0610
Campers will have a great time learning about science all around them at the MOSH. Each day will feature a new topic ranging from the astonishing to the gross. Kids will get to study weather, time and the icky science of their own bodies. These fun days at the museum are for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. Snacks will be provided but campers need to bring a bag lunch.
Date: December 27-29 and January 3-5
Time: 9am-3:30pm
Cost: All six days is $180 for members, $160 for non-members. Daily rate $35 for non-members, $30 for members.
Contact: (904) 396-6674
Children ages 6-12 are invited to attend this city-wide event which will feature arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor sports and games. Space is limited and registration is required. Parents are asked to provide their children with a bagged lunch, snacks and drinks for the day.
Date: January 2-5
Time: 9am-4pm
Cost: Free (extended day is available at no extra charge)
Contact: The community center nearest you. For a list of participating centers visit the city’s website at www.coj.net and select the office of parks and recreation from the pull down menu.
The Jacksonville Zoo’s Education Department invites children ages 6-11 to attend their unforgettable holiday camp. Each day kids can get up-close and personal with some amazing animals, enjoy a look at zoo life behind-the-scenes and create beautiful works of art. Each day includes a variety of fun activities, a train ride, lunch and afternoon snacks.
Date: December 18-22 and January 2-5
Time: 9am-3pm
Cost: Members: $40/day for 1 or 2 days, $35/day for 3 or more days. Non-members: $45/day for 1 or 2 days, $40/day for 3 or more days.
Contact: (904) 757-4463
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