Late winter is the home of kindergarten kick offs, preschool/spring break camp/summer camp registrations, choices for both middle and high school paths, and elective choices for next year. This time of year, parents need to have their heads in present day, spring break, summer, and the next school year to keep up. The stereotype of the over-prepared parent whose child is on a waitlist in utero doesn’t really allow for the reality of the “how are we going to work this out” panic that comes with life and schedule changes and just how early you need to make decisions on all these things!

It’s definitely time to sign up for spring break camps, which we have in Edmonds and Lynnwood, plus I have the dates for when summer camp registration opens in Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood. I’m also excited to share a newly announced option at Meadowdale Preschool through the City of Edmonds, which runs September- June.

Let’s start with Meadowdale Preschool. My oldest attended this Pre-K program and while we weren’t able to make the schedule work for our youngest, it was my favorite preschool experience. They are now offering an afternoon option — the morning class is Monday-Thursday from 8:45 to 11:45 a.m. and the afternoon class is Monday-Thursday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Meadowdale Preschool is for potty-trained students who have turned 4 by Aug. 31 of that school year.

Their goal is to “create a fun, caring, secure and positive learning environment for your child.” What that meant for the two years that we were there (the age requirements were different almost 10 years ago) was learning through the “daily structure and creative activities” they list on their website. It was such a nice mix of the preschool experience I had with the literacy building that is more common today. My son figured out how to pedal a tricycle, tried new foods, learned how to sit at a lunch table with other kids, and he and I made friends we still have now, including Michele Parker, preschool director/teacher.

When I reached out to Mrs. Parker about the afternoon addition, she not only shared her excitement but also shared a picture of an Edmonds police officer running around with her students, reminding me of the informative yet fun fire safety day they had with local firefighters when my son attended. Registration is open for Meadowdale Preschool and as of my last phone call to them, there are spots open for both time slots. Fore more information, you can visit MeadowdalePreschool.EdmondsWa.gov and if you have questions or are interested in a tour, you can contact Michele Parker at 425-745-5055 or meadowdalepreschool@edmondswa.gov.

Spring Break Discovery Days runs April 1-5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Frances Anderson Center for campers ages 6 to 12. These ranger-naturalist-led camps have been a big hit for our family as kids can “explore these environments through games, crafts, and hands on investigation.” Each day, campers get to walk to a local park to investigate a different ecosystem as they “discover what the earth is made of and how our environments have formed around it from our forests to the ocean and everything in between.” Kids need to bring a lunch, and in our experience, some back up clothes though they aren’t listed in the description. For more information on Spring Break Discovery Days you can call Edmonds Parks and Recreation at 425-771-0230 or visit RecZone.org.

Lynnwood Parks and Recreation has a spring break camp from April 1-5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., held at Cedar Valley Elementary Gym. This year’s spring break camp has a tropical theme, and they invite you to join them as “we travel deep into the jungle for crafts, games, swimming and field trips.” We have done years and years of summer camps through the City of Lynnwood and I am always impressed at the level of planning and procedure they have. There are crafts, trips, games, and a song for any and every location. For more information, you can visit PlayLynnwood.com.

Summer camp registration for the City of Edmonds opened on March 1. While The Craze isn’t out yet and EdmondsCamps.com hasn’t added the brochure online, RecZone.org has all of the summer camp offerings available for registration. Beach Camp has been available for awhile, but the other camps — art, science, nature, LEGO, STEM and more — were all available for registration as of the 1st. I am one of those people who went through them first thing and I have to admit, already signed up my youngest for one of them that was adding kids fast! I do like to look for the brochure and always find comfort in getting The Craze in the mail.  For more information on any City of Edmonds Summer Camps, you can contact Edmonds Parks and Recreation at 425-771-0230.

Mountlake Terrace will open registration for their camps on March 4, with more information at MLTRec.com. While we haven’t done any camps in MLT, I know they are known for their swim and dance programs and it looks like they will have camps for both this summer. They also offer a day camp, which offers a wide variety of age groups — kids ages 3 to 5, 1st and 2nd graders, and 3rd through 6th graders. For more information on camps in Mountlake Terrace, you can reach the Recreation Pavilion at 425-776-9173.

The City of Lynnwood opens their summer camp registration on March 8. Kamp Kookamonga, a day camp held at Lynndale Park for 6 to 12 year old campers and 8th through 12th grade Junior Counselors, is very popular. Every year, I know someone who wanted a certain week or weeks and waited too long. Kamp Kook offers before- and after-care and runs a pretty tight ship when it comes to fun and safety, in our experience.

Another option for older kids is T.A.C.O. camp (Teen Adventure Camp Outdoors) for 7th through 10 graders. This camp, which is three days a week instead of the five days of Kamp Kook, offers action-packed field trips each day. They take hikes at Franklin Falls, go tubing in Leavenworth, or head to downtown for MoPop or a Mariners game. For questions and more information, you can contact them at 425-670-5732 or online at PlayLynnwood.com.

– By Jennifer Marx

Jen Marx, an Edmonds mom of two boys, is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time.