We’ve all been here, It’s day two of Summer and the kids are already saying “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do”. Today I had a blast chatting with two very special guests, my boys Alex and Ryan. They shared their thoughts of what it’s like to be a kid in the Summer in the 425, and all the fun things you can do.
Summer vacation isn’t what it used to be with playing outside until it got dark. There’s so many more options now, from Summer camps, sports, hiking, and more.
Alex kicked off his Summer playing a lot of baseball with his team the Northwest Naturals. He even had the opportunity to travel to Kentucky where they played against several leagues from all over, and took home the championship title! Playing all over has given Alex a great sense of the different types of fields and one of his favorites in the 425 is Marymoor Park.
In Summers past, Alex has participated in some great camps, but this year he got to be on the other side of it, as a Counselor In Training (CIT) for The Boys and Girls Club in Kirkland. The Boys and Girls Clubs offers programs to inspire and enable young people, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. Being a CIT, as Alex said, he was “the side potato to the counselor steak”. He helped the counselors organize group activities like baseball, soccer, basketball, and his favorite – dodgeball.
Ryan also finished his baseball season and started his busy Summer of camps with an awesome golf camp at The University Of Washington. They teach you how to improve your driving and putting, and also they also play at two courses, including Washington National.
Next up was basketball at the Hoops 4 Life, camp in Bellevue, where you learn to improve your game, and play against other teams. Hoops 4 Life is not only learning new basketball skills they teach skills for life, where Ryan learned that “not everything needs to be rewarded in life, and do things because it’s the right thing to do not because you want an award”. How great is that!
With a passion for technology Ryan had a blast at his ID Tech Camp, where they offer over 50 cutting-edge courses. From coding and game development to robotics and design. Ryan took the film making course where he was able to learn how to create and build his own Youtube channel, make movies, and edit videos.
His last, and favorite camp, was on Orcas Island at Camp Orkila run by the YMCA . They promote healthy living and fostering social responsibility. This week long sleep away camp is spent teaching the kids life lessons, hiking, zip lining, camping skills, and more. As much as Ryan loved all of the great activities his favorite was swamp ball! At age 11 and 12 you are now an official ‘Lizard Head’, and able to play a dodge ball like game, in the swamp. I have to say I’m happy someone else got to clean up the mess on this one!
So next Summer be prepared to fill your kids Summer days with sports, and camps they’ll love making memories for years to come. Mark your calendar for registration as most camps start filling up in February. If your kids aren’t the camp type take them on some local hikes, two of our favorites are Poo Poo Point in Issaquah, and Rattlesnake Ridge in North Bend. Either way getting out and doing something is the best way to spend the Summer!
Cheers,
Nicole