• Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center. - Where can your child creek stomp, play mud gau gau, or conquer high wires? The Nebraska 4-H Camps provide the ultimate camping experience for ALL youth ages of 5-19. With locations at Halsey, Gretna and Alma, there are over 40 day and overnight camp sessions & trips this summer! With a variety of lengths, interest areas, locations and prices, 4-H Camp fits perfectly with your child's summer activities. Why should your child attend 4-H Camp? 4-H Camps are open to everyone – even those not in 4-H. A stay at a 4-H Camp will create positive memories that last a lifetime. They want youth to leave their camp better equipped to make healthy, positive and informed decisions. The University of Nebraska – Extension, through its 4-H Youth Development Program, has been operating 4-H Camps for over 40 years. All staff members are trained and certified by Extension. Specializing in leadership development, team building and natural resources, their staff will give your child an experience that will motivate and help them to grow in responsibility, teamwork and leadership. Get more information or register on-line at 4h.unl.edu. or call 402-332-4496.

• Prairie Life Fitness Center - Prairie Life Fitness Center offers camps for kids of all ages, all summer long! They have sports camps such as basketball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, cheerleading and many more. They have outdoor activities such as running, and "Super Fun Wednesday" theme camps to explore your child's creative side. This summer Prairie Life Fitness Center, at 132nd & Center, will celebrate the grand opening of their two new outdoor swimming pools, complete with zero entry kids pool, splashing water buckets and tube water slides. This location has also added a new youth gym, complete with kids climbing wall and youth dance studio. PLC offers short-term summer memberships for three and four months. Prairie Life is the place for you and your child this summer! Call membership services for a tour today. 132nd & Center. Call 402-691-8546, or 84th & Q - 402-537-0430.

• Kids 4 Jesus - Kids 4 Jesus is a Christian Childcare abounding in God's love and grace. The Schoolage Summer Camp is centered around giving the children a wide variety of interesting, exciting and educational experiences within a structured and pleasing environment. Children are taught God's love and appropriate social skills in the everyday activities of life. These fun activities include swimming, bowling, the library, Bible Time, arts & crafts and club time. This summer, the K4J Summer Camp is excited to also take part in the City of Omaha Parks & Rec Program, SunDawgs. This program, offered at Walnut Grove park, will give the children a chance to develop friendships with other youth in the area through large group games and exciting field trips such as a Royals game, Carnival, Papio Fun Park, the Henry Doorly Zoo and much more. K4J is located at 15770 Q Street. Phone Number: 895-2193.

• The Goddard School - Children don't stop learning just because it's summer! Look for a program that provides a positive learning environment. At The Goddard School®, located in Omaha, the summer is packed with safe and exciting opportunities for young Œcampers' in a "Let's Go Exploring" adventure! Children visit exciting places each week from the ŒBright Lights of the Big City,' to ŒSandy Beaches,' to the North Pole. They'll even hop on a ŒColor Train and board a rocket to a Œ3-2-1 Blast off.' The Goddard Summer Program is filled with enriching activities that nurture each child's self-confidence and provide a summer of fun! Teachers should be a part of the learning continuum, even in the summer. At Goddard, classrooms are arranged in learning centers to allow children the freedom to choose daily interests independently, and this holds true in the summer too! Parents also have to look beyond the summer program. Goddard has a comprehensive corporate Quality Assurance Review that enhances their program year round. In addition to maintaining state regulations, Goddard Schools must also meet the stringent standards of Goddard QA. Summer programs generally begin registration in late January, and near full enrollment by the beginning of April. To learn more about The Goddard School®, located in Omaha, please visit online at www.goddardschool.com or call 402-891-4897and ask for School owner, Keri Larson.

• Mad Science - Summer Science FunShops. Various locations are offered throughout the metro area. 402-934-3311. Visit www.madscience.org/omaha for more details. Kick off a sensational summer of fun with imaginative hands-on learning indoors and outdoors. Children will learn how to talk with numbers, just like computers; they will discover how science helps us protect our planet. There will be a hands-on outdoor chemistry lab. Kids will explore how Newton helps us learn why we move the way we do, and hw to improve the sports we play. In a walk on the wild side, owls, birds and bugs will be investigated. Children will run through an obstacle course and use teamwork to show how useful simple machines can be. Kids will discover how astronauts live and work in space; they'll be engineers, build bridges and learn about structures. There are over 27 Summer Science FunShop topics to choose from! This year Mad Science is adding several partnered camps - half day of science and half day of art!

• Joyful Sounds - Imagine whirling, creating, storytelling and singing. Nowhere else is learning this much fun! No other experience offers more ways for young children to grow than Kindermusik®. Joyful Sounds, Inc., in Papillion, offers age appropriate music camps for children ages newborn-7 years. Some camps require adult participation. Camps are available during June and July. New camps this year include Sign and Sing, Five sessions of learning beginning sign language to aid you in communication with your young child. Also new this year is a Family Time class. Check out their website for exact programs and times - www.joyfulsoundsinc.com. Joyful Sounds also offers Blast-Off with Piano camps for beginning students ages 7-12. Call today for more information. Joyful Sounds Inc. 592-6906.

• King of Kings Lutheran Church - Their Preschool and Mom's Day Out programs offer a variety of summer activities for children. Mom's Day Out is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. during June and July. Children will enjoy centers, music, story time, art, indoor and outdoor free play. Mom's Day out is for children ages 6 months through 5 years of age. Preschool offers three weeks of summer camps for children ages 3-5. Camps include, "The Red, White and Blue," "The Greatest Show On Earth," "Bubble Factory," "Aloha, Hawaii!," "Zoofari," "Fun in Mexico." Camps will be Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon, with an option to do Mom's Day out in the afternoon. Preschool camps are filled with creative art, songs, dance and active learning. For more information, you may call the King of Kings Early Childhood Office, 333-6464, ext. 9085.

• Hummel Park Day Camp -This is an outdoor recreation and education program for youth who have completed second grade through eighth grade during the current school year. The program runs for eight separate weeks during June, July and early August. New campers come each week and spend Monday through Friday taking a variety of fun hikes, learning and participating in archery, arts and crafts, nature, swimming at a local City Water Park, outdoor cooking, camp singing and much more! The campers are divided into tribes, based on age and grade. There are twelve tribes with two Camp Counselors assigned to each tribe. The daily schedule includes Monday through Thursday, 8:30a.m. to 3:45 p.m., and Friday 12:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The fee is $80 which includes meals and transportation from and to a neighborhood participating school. Visit www.ci.omaha.ne.us/parks (go to Hummel Park Day Camp) or call Carol Hodges at 402-444-5931.

• Girl Scouts -Explore. That's what Omaha area Girl Scouts plan to do this summer. Girl Scouts gives girls confidence to explore new ideas, skills and talents. At the Girl Scouts – Great Plains Council's summer camps, your daughter will explore everything from art to power tools, to hiking, to swimming, to rock climbing, to engineering, to cartooning and more! Whether your daughter's style is more computers than camping, or if she wants to connect with the great outdoors, Girl Scouts has a camp perfect for her. In Girl Scouting, every girl has the opportunity to find something she really loves, and can continue at every stage of her life. Introduce Girl Scouting to your daughter! Open to all girls and young women in first through twelfth grades, Girl Scouts summer camps unlock a world of exciting adventures. To receive the Girl Scouts – Great Plains Council's Summer Camp Book, call (402) 558-8189, ext. 201, or visit www.gpgirlscouts.org.

• Learning Rx Brain Boot Camp - Summer time is for improving skills in baseball, swimming, or soccerä.but what about improving your brain! LearningRx Brain Boot Camp is the answer. At LearningRx Brain Boot Camp, students will learn how to pump-up brain skills that may become stagnant by playing brain games and challenging themselves to improve their thinking capabilities by boosting processing speed which affects gathering and understanding information and attention skills which boost performance. Other skills include memory skills, comprehension, logic, planning, reasoning, and visual processing. Classes will be small and grouped by age. Cost $165.00 for each session. June camps - elementary age - 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. June 19-23 and for older students - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. June 26-30. July camps - elementary age - 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. July 10-14 and for older students - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. July 17-21.

• Swimtastic Swim School - Swimtastic Swim School teaches children to swim in a safe, loving environment.  Enjoy lessons once-a-week all year long or their special swim camps during the summer. Private, semi-private and small group lessons are taught year-round by professional teachers who give each child the personal attention they deserve. A comfortable environment with pool water at a warm 90-degrees, a fun palm tree shower and a water slide help children relax and have fun. Choose a class time that fits with your busy schedule. Start learning to swim with Swimtastic today! Call 402-496-SWIM (7946) or email at info@swimtastic.com. Visit them on the web at www.swimtastic.com.

• SOUTHWEST YMCA - Looking for a new adventure every week? Join Summer Fun Club! Register now at the Southwest YMCA for one week or the entire summer, it's your choice. Flexibility is the key to summer child care. Summer Fun Club is the best kept secret in town. There is a different theme every week, swimming twice a week, field trips, park trips and more. They are licensed for children ages 4-12. The Explorers are 4-5 year olds and will have a theme based program every week. The Curious kids are 6-8 year olds and will have a choice of two themes every week. The Adventure kids are 9-12 and have kid choice clubs each day. Every child will be in a group of children the same age, and have the same counselor each week. With an emphasis on character development and family involvement, every child will have a summer they will never forget! Prices are competitive: Member price is $100 per week and non member price is $140 per week.

• It's Yours Pottery - So many choices. . .Which summer camp will work best for your child this year?  It's Yours Pottery offers a great choice for a fun-filled camp experience! CAMP CLAY CREATION is now entering its 2nd year of creative fun! Children age 6 and above are welcome to join the creative adventure. Each week will include a "mud day." Children will mold and work with raw clay, learning some fun techniques along the way. This year they have added glass fusing! What fun you'll have creating sun catchers or night lights! Children will also participate in a team building project working together! Projects completed throughout the week will be ready to take home the last day of camp. Those that require additional glazing and firing by It's Yours, will be available to pick up one week later. It's Yours Pottery offers four day, weekly sessions, along with mini one day sessions June through August. Call 402-330-3470 or visit www.itsyourspottery.com for details.

• Bethany Lutheran Church - A Summer for Kids at Bethany features day camps with hands-on activities which allow children to discover, wonder, and explore. During the summer months, the campus of Bethany Lutheran Church in Elkhorn is an exciting place for 3 years old through the 4th grade to connect, make friends, and experience a Summer in the Son. On three Thursdays in June, preschoolers can pack a lunch and attend Camp Bethany. The camp day includes story time at the "Big Tent", outdoor games, fun crafts, and creative snacks. Elementary children can be a part of Kidz Day Camp on seven Wednesdays. The "Magic of Serving Others" (with a visit by a magician), "Fun in the Sun" (water games and sandcastles), and "Have a Ball Serving!" (bowling) are just a few of the theme days to choose from. Some sessions include off site adventures. The fee for Bethany's 9:00-3:00 day camps is $20 per day per child. "Divin' In – Take a Leap of Faith" is the theme for this year's Very exciting Bible School the week of July 17-21. 4 year olds-2nd grade chose a morning or afternoon session. 3rd and 4th Grade Adventurers go all day, all week long and travel offsite two of the days. Call or go online for more info on VBS. Space is limited, so call 402-289-4440 ext. 220 or 221 or visit www.bethany-lutheran.com.

• Kopecky Montessori Education Centers. - Kopecky Montessori elementary school has planned a fun-filled exciting summer for children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. Kopecky's summer program is located in their beautiful elementary facility located at 913 Leawood Drive, (the junction of 127th and Pacific St.) Kopecky has a large outdoor play area, basketball court, library, music area, computer lab, and spacious classroom spaces. The theme this summer will be "An Adventure Awaits You...As We See The World Around Us." Field trips and guest speakers will include Henry Doorley Zoo, Joslyn Art Museum, Tranquility Park, Neale Woods, Raptor Recovery, and Wild Encounters! Sessions begin Monday, June 5, 2006. Call 402-393-1311 or visit them on the web at www.MontessoriLoveToLearn.com.

• Beads etc. - At beads etc. they love kids! Year round they offer "Kids Projects" that can be used as "Mom & Me Time". They offer time for you to bring in your child and work on a project together. Kids projects include a bracelet for $3, an ankle bracelet for $5 or a necklace for $7. This is great for mom, dad, grandparents, older siblings, even aunts! Please call ahead when planning your "Mom & Me Time" to make sure there isn't an event scheduled. Beads etc. will be offering special kids classes throughout the summer which include macramé items,  friendship bracelets, safety bracelets and lots more. Visit their website at www.beadsetcomaha.com to see the class schedule or stop in the store at 17306 Lakeside Hills Plaza. Beads etc also offers: birthday parties, retail beads & supplies, jewelry repair, Girl Scout classes, and private parties.

 • My Gym Summer Day Camp - Summer day camp is offered to children ages 3-9 who are potty-trained. They provide a half day of hands on gymnastics, arts & crafts, storytime, music, dance, sports, and much more! Their experienced staff will creatively guide your child in a variety of activities each day, including a full hour of their super My Gym class. The skills and games your child will be participating in will help enhance physical growth, and give them a sense of accomplishment. The camp takes place in a safe and caring environment. Their number one goal is your child's enjoyment! Camp is held June - August. Call for details 402-758-9558.

• American Legacy Complex - Do your children want to learn more about horses? Registrations are now being accepted for Horsemanship Camp at American Legacy. Camps are offered for one week sessions. Camps are offered for children ages 5-7 (first time camp experience) and for ages 7-12. Your children will enjoy the country while learning how to ride and enjoy horses. They will even make new friends! For a registration form or more information call 402-468-4588 or visit www.amleg.com.

• Kitty Lee Dance - Kitty Lee Dance offers a dance camp July 24-28 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The camp is offered to children ages 5-12, boys as well as girls. The days are filled with a variety of activities. They work on dance skills and basics, as well as routines in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acrobats, Hip Hop, and Pom. They also have art projects and dance-oriented movie times. This provides a child who is not already a student at Kitty Lee the unique opportunity to try out the studio and meet new friends to prepare them for the fall programs. On the last day, they have a camp show. The children perform for their parents and show them all they have learned during the week. The camp is fun and filled with activity! The cost is $90 for the week. Call 402-493-6525.

• Lauritzen Gardens- Lauritzen Gardens is gearing up for a fun-filled summer of great day caps for kids! In its third season, Summer Garden Adventures is a series of day-long programs that explore various garden topics and include fun activities and take-home projects. From Roots and Boots to Garden Chefs, this summer's camps cover an exciting array of gardening, botanical art, and nature topics and are packed with fun activities! Summer Garden Adventures meets on Wednesdays or Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., every other week from June 14 to August 10. Wednesday camps are designed for children ages 6 to 8, and Thursday programs include activities for children ages 9 to 12. Children may participate in just one or all camps. If you're looking for a whole week of garden fun, Camp Green Thumb is for you! Every day of this week long day-camp, which runs July 31 through August 4, will focus on a different aspect of gardening. Each camper will become a garden expert by the end of the week, and even earn the "green thumb" award! For more details or to register, contact the education department at (402) 346-4002 ext. 261.

• Whole Foods Market -Whole Foods Market, located at 10020 Regency Circle at Dodge and Regency Parkway, offers cooking camps during school breaks for ages 6 and up. Children in all age groups are introduced to the tasty world of nutrition, food and cooking in fun, creative and age-appropriate ways. From reading recipes and measuring ingredients to food safety, kitchen hygiene and menu preparation, they cover it all. And the best part of learning to cook is eating your creations, which you'll do, too! Studies show that children who have an active part in preparing their meals are more likely to try new foods and make healthier food choices. Class times and prices vary each month and are divided by age group. Call (402) 393-1200 or visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com for more information.


Happy Parenting and Happy Camping!