ST. LOUIS — Summer is now in full swing and while it's a fun time for kids, it can be stressful for working parents.
Thankfully, several programs across St. Louis city and county are affordable and accessible to families.
These summer camps are vital for parents who want to make sure their kids are staying busy in a positive way because the long break brings its own set of challenges, including potential learning loss and kids getting caught up in the wrong crowd.
"When they have something to do in the summertime, they don't lose all of the education that they've learned throughout the year," Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis Vice President of Communications and Marketing Deneen Busby said.
"If you give them a positive place to put energy, they will put it there," Commissioner of Recreation for City of St. Louis Parks and Recreation Juakena Callion said.
Busby said summer camps are a great way to ensure your kids are staying safe and still learning this summer. There are plenty of choices on both sides of the river.
"It gives them something to do first of all, and their parents somewhere for them to go that they know is safe," she said.
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis has clubs all across the area hosting camps this summer. The nonprofit is hosting programs for kids ages 6 to 18 years old from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 10 to Aug. 2, Busby said.
"We do structured programming, field trips ... depending on the site, there are various activities," she said.
Busby said the nonprofit's stage is set to welcome teens and kids giving them everything from recreation to music studios.
"They're grouped with their own age group, where they can have a great time while they're learning during the summer," she said.
You can register for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis summer camp here.
You also don't have to go far to find this in the city. Callion said all seven St. Louis City Recreation Centers are filled with kids from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for their free summer programs.
"There's swimming, and there is kickball and arts and crafts, and then, we're just doing games, anything to keep the kids safe," she said.
You can register for St. Louis City summer camps here.
Just last year, the city extended the rec center weekend hours, after nearly a dozen teens were shot downtown.
This year, Callion said those longer hours are back, and the city is partnering with vendors to offer activities each week.
"Just giving them something that they want to do, so we asked the teens, 'What it is that you want to do?' They really wanted the teen parties and just somewhere safe where they could go and just have a great time and know that they can dance and enjoy themselves," she said.
Callion said the city hopes by doing this, every kid and teen can enjoy all the things summer brings in a positive way.
"All these different things give them somewhere to come and put their outlet," she said.
The extended recreation hours for teens are happening at the Tandy Recreation Center in North City and the Cherokee Recreation Center in South City. It starts on June 14 to Aug. 24 and the two centers will be open from 8 p.m. to midnight every Friday and Saturday. The last weekend of June, July and August will also feature teen parties. The schedule for the extended hours and teen parties will be posted monthly here.
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is also hosting free summer camps for kids in kindergarten to 8th grade from June 10 to July 26.
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