After picking up my second set of books from the Edmonds library since they opened for socially distanced hold pickups and returns (still a thrill), I saw campers and staff at the Edmonds Boys are Girls Club in their camp t-shirts hanging out on the basketball court next to the building. The club has been offering camp at their Civic Field location since June 1 and has options through the end of summer. For more information on camp at the Edmonds location, you can find information and registration HERE. The Alderwood Boys and Girls Club also has camps available and you can find information and registration HERE. For all Boys and Girls Club information, you can visit BGCA.org.

In Edmonds, Lynnwood, and Mountlake Terrace, registration is open for a ton of camp options, many in-person, for when the county enters Phase 3. Before we get to those camps, I wanted to add one local, but virtual camp. South County Fire is offering a FREE virtual camp, July 13th -17th. They are offering “several fun safety activities for kids and the whole family.” For more information and registration you can visit. SouthSnoFire.org/FireCamp.

The Edmonds Center for the Arts has reimagined the way their camps will look this year. They decided to shift their full-day, in person camps to an alternate model that includes 2 to 3 hours of in-person instruction held outdoors with one camp that will be only virtual. Camps that are in-person are limited to groups with a capacity of 10 people, which includes the instructors, per WA State Dept. of Health guidelines.

CROW: Caws & Effect Camp for campers ages 8 to 12 is one of the ECA’s offerings. This camp is scheduled for July 13 -17, with an alternate date of Aug. 10-14 if needed.

In a new partnership with the University of Washington Bothell, ECA presents a STEAM-focused week of crows! Learn how crows and ravens communicate using tools to gather food, create crow-inspired artwork, and discover their meanings in cultures from around the globe. * This camp is limited to a capacity of 10 people (including instructors), per WA State Dept. of Health guidelines. In person from 9am to 12:15 with virtual afternoon instruction.

The week of July 20-24, ECA is offering Intergenerational Choir Camp for those ages 8 and up. This camp is fully virtual, though they plan on offering two optional in-person meetings for the youth participants. Join Silver Kite Community Arts and Edmonds School District choir teacher Alicia Hickman for ECA’s intergenerational summer camp! Throughout the week, young people and adults will learn classic songs, connect across generations, and share their voices in a virtual celebration of song.

Taiko Summer camp, for drummers ages 6 to 11, will be held on Aug. 3-7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — in person from 9 a.m. to noon and then independent and virtual activities in the afternoon. “Taiko drumming is the combination of music, art, exercise, and entertainment!” On top of the physical and musical engagement, campers will “learn creative expression, self-confidence, and cooperation” and also “expand global thinking and cultural competency skills.”

For more information on camp registration and the safety protocols concerning COVID-19, you can visit EdmondsCenterfortheArts.org.

Registration is open now for Edmonds Summer camps and programs. There are camps scheduled to run between July 6 and Aug. 28. There are virtual options as well as indoor and outdoor in-person camps, which will run if Snohomish County moves into Phase 3. The city says that “nearly all the popular summer youth camps will be back,” this includes indoor camps like gymnastics, art, acting, robotics, Lego and more at the Frances Anderson Center, outdoor programs including Skyhawks Sports camps and Steele Soccer Camp at local playfields, Discovery camps at City Park, the Salish Science Camp at the Willow Creek Salmon & Watershed Education Center among others.” Each program will have nine students and one instructor, and have activities prepared to encourage social distancing. All city staff will be wearing face covering, and youth are encouraged to wear face coverings as well.

Todd Cort, Recreation Supervisor said of the virtual offerings, “Along with Skyhawks, we have Yoga with Kerry, Mad Science Camps, Writing Classes/Camps, Art Camps and soon we will have Kidz Love Soccer Classes.” To find more information on the camps you can head to EdmondsWa.gov or RecZone.org, or you can also contact them at 425-771-0230.

I called the Lynnwood Recreation Center this week and found out that next week, the city’s Kamp Kookamonga, held at Lynndale Park, has 20 open spots for the youth program, but that the rest of the summer is booked up — I always suggest getting on their waitlist. I was also told that the Junior Counselor program has some space throughout the summer. We have really enjoyed both programs and have always appreciated their attention to detail on a regular basis and also in times of extra need, in my case bad weather and smoke from local fires. Teen Adventure Camp Outdoors, otherwise known as TACO, is not being held this year.

Registration for their summer activities, which you can find listed in their Recreation Guide, is open. There are options offered for preschool to teenage campers, with T-Ball, Tae Kwon Do, and Skyhawks for sports options and Dance, Adult and Teen Guitar, and Digital Music Creation for the arts. The camps are subject to Snohomish County entering Phase 3. You can register for camp or classes online or over the phone at 425-670-5732.

Mountlake Terrace’s Summer Day Camp will start on Monday, June 29 for a large age range of campers and counselors in training. Each week of camp held at the Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion will have a different theme. The Recreation and Parks director said that campers will be wearing masks indoors and outdoors when they can’t physically distance. He also said that while aquatic camps and swim team are canceled for the summer, the city will attempt some dance and sports camps when the county is more fully open in Phase 3. I found the information on the camp on page 13 of the digital version of The Craze, which you can find HERE. For further information you can head to CityofMLT.com.

While looking around Mountlake Terrace’s social media, I found out that there is an 18 hole Disc Golf course at Terrace Creek Park, otherwise known as Candy Cane Park, in Mountlake Terrace. The Disc Golf course (disc = any kind of Frisbee) “winds its way through Terrace Creek Park and boasts challenging play that can be enjoyed by the whole family.” The sport is played and scored like golf, the winner has made the fewest throws to finish the course. According to the city, “the hole can be one of several targets; the most common being the Pole Hole, which is an elevated metal basket.” For more information and a map of the course, you can visit CityofMLT.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.