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Kid
stuff
Discovery
Museum
Museum
of Natural History
McCormick
Observatory
The
Village Playhouse
Putt Putt
Golf Course
Charlottesville's
Fun Park
Charlottesville
Ice Park
Jefferson-Madison
Regional Library
C'Ville
Coffee
Keglers
Bowling Lanes
UVA
sports, various locations
Frontier
Culture Museum
Mini
Train for the kiddies
Maymont
Various
craft studios Bored no more! Our town's child's play
BY LINDA KOBERT
FAMILY@READTHEHOOK.COM
My
kids seem to think play is what life if all about. If it’s not fun,
they don’t want to be bothered. Lucky for me we live in
Charlottesville, where, “Mom, I’m bored!” only means it’s time to move
on to the next adventure.
For finding fun things for
playful families to do, the local public services may be the best-kept
secret around. Both the City of Charlottesville (970-3260) and
Albemarle County (296-5844) have Parks and Recreation Departments with
a broad array of classes, sports, activities, events, and facilities
that can keep kids busy all year round.
They each host a
full schedule of seasonal activities for fun-lovers of all ages. Those
on their toes can learn ballet, practice karate, or go roller-skating,
for example. Nimble fingers have the chance to learn to knit or
crochet, throw pots, or work with wood. The city also gives team
players the chance to play and build skills in a variety of sports
including basketball, tennis, golf, and softball.
The
city’s McIntire Skate Park (244-0166), also run by Parks and Rec, gives
freewheelers a safe place to test their limits. This venue accommodates
bikes, boards, and blades, as well as roller hockey and ultimate
soccer. Parents may be happy to know that those who ride must wear
helmets and elbow- and kneepads, and an attendant is always present.
When
it’s warm outside, both departments give families the chance to dive
into the cool of a pool of one sort or another. City parks’ pool
possibilities include McIntire (wading only), Washington, and Meade
Parks, as well as indoor facilities at Crow and Smith Recreation
Centers. In the County, Mint Springs, Chris Green, and Walnut Creek
Lakes offer sandy beaches and guarded fresh water swimming from
Memorial Day through Labor Day.
When wandering is what we
want to do, there are so many places where we can find adventure
winding through both urban and rural areas. A number of City parks,
including Greenleaf, Greenbrier, McIntire, Riverview, and Pen Parks,
provide paths through the pines and hardwoods. Several of these
woodland ways are links in the Rivanna Trail system, a 20-mile footpath
managed by the non-profit Rivanna Trails Foundation (923-9022), that
circumnavigates the city following the Rivanna River and its
tributaries. County parks offer 28.5 miles of trails that can be used
for walking, running, and hiking, including those at Mint Springs and
Walnut Creek Parks. Walnut Creek offers the added adventure of trails
that allow mountain biking, too.
The City and County
have also joined forces to provide some of the wildest woodland wanders
around. Managed by the Ivy Creek Foundation (973-7772), Ivy Creek and
Ragged Mountain Natural Areas provide very different adventures for
nature lovers. Ivy Creek offers lots of variety with 11 different
trails that traipse through wetlands, woodlands, meadows, and
mountains. Ragged Mountain’s seven miles are much more rugged in loops
around reservoirs that can take two or three hours to hike start to
finish. Wee ones can also deepen their appreciation of wild places with
classes and special events at Ivy Creek Natural Area.
With
so many playful opportunities all around us—and so many of them offered
as a free or low-cost public service—maybe play is what life’s all
about.
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Virginia
Discovery Museum-
East end of the Downtown Mall- A hands-on, interactive children's
museum for kids ages 1-13 featuring 12 permanent exhibits, a brand new
carousel, rotating exhibits in the Discovery Corner, and changing Back
Gallery exhibits. Other ongoing programs include Magic School Bus and
Poetry Clubs, Toddler Times, Storybook Dance and drop-in art projects.
Tues-Sat 10am-5pm. Sun 1-5. $4 all ages except <1 free; or $60
annually for a family or the $100 explorer membership, which gets you
into 140 different kids museums worldwide. 977-1025
The
Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center - In Darden Towe
Park, Rt. 20 north- This hands-on facility
commemorates the hometown origins of Lewis and Clark's
westward journey. While the museum buildings have yet to go
up, there's still a lot of activity going on giving kids
young and old the chance to experience the excitement of the
expedition. On display are full-size replicas of a keelboat,
pirogues, and dugout canoes-- water craft used on the
first leg of the expedition-- all constructed at the
site by young volunteers using hand tools and historic
techniques. Saturdays May through
October 10am-1pm. Free. 979-2425.
McCormick
Observatory - McCormick Road at the top of
Observatory Hill- UVA's astronomy department opens the dome
at the observatory and allows visitors to step up to three
research telescopes for awesome views of the heavens.
Department staff and graduate students answer questions and
narrate a slide show. First and third Friday nights (weather
permitting) 9-11pm DST. 7-9pm EST. Free. 924-7494
Putt
Putt Golf Course -
1525 E. Rio Road- Legendary miniature golf, with two 18-hole courses
suitable for even the smallest golfers. A hole-in-one still wins a
discounted game. Open daily March 1 - November 30, 10am-10pm weekdays,
10am-11pm, depending on weather. $6 per person. 973-5509
ACAC Adventure Central-
With a three-pool water park complete with slides, fountains and a huge
floating crocodile, classrooms, indoor playstructures, tennis courts,
and a new $2.2 million arena for indoor sports, Adventure Central is
home to a summer camp, an after-school program, birthday parties, and
now the Charlottesville Day School. 978-7529
Charlottesville
Ice Park - See our more extensive listing in
the Sports & Recreation
secton.
Old
Michie Theatre - 221 E. Water St.- Inspiring
students with the joy of live theatre and puppetry arts is
the mission of this educational and performance venue for
kids. Classes, workshops, summer camps, along with public
performances of children's plays and puppet shows. Kids can even audition and make their stage debut. See
website for performance schedule. 977-3690
Kegler's
Bowling Lanes - 2000 Seminole Trail- There
are lots of family perks at this bowling alley, including
bumpers available on all lanes to help little bowlers keep
the ball out of the gutter, a newly refurbished arcade room,
seven billiard tables, and a snack bar. Mon, Wed noon-11pm; Tues, Thurs
9am-11pm, Fri noon-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 11am-11pm. Fees: Mon-Fri
adults, $4 before 5pm, after 5pm and all weekend $6.Shoe rental is $4.73, $3.63 for
kids before 5pm. 978-3999
UVA
sports, various locations - Football,
basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and lots of other competitive
sports are very accessible for families at the university.
Sports fans can find some sort of game or match several
times a week during the school year and even some during the
summer. Kids up to 8th grade can sign up for Cavalier
Kids Club for $35 a season and get free admission to six
sports, freebies, and meet and greet opportunities. Check
the website for schedules. Call the UVA ticket office for
information, ticket prices, and Kids Club sign up:
924-8821.
-->>For more, check our
Sports
and Recreation section.
Science Museum of
Virginia - 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond-
Hands-on and interactive exhibits make science fun for the
whole family. Exciting rotating exhibits and an engaging
array of permanent displays, IMAX movies, planetarium shows,
special events, and lots more. Check website for hours and
admission fees. 800-659-1727
Children's Museum of
Richmond - 2626 W. Broad St., Richmond- An
award-winning place for kids ages 12 and under to learn
while they play. Lots of active, hands-on, entertaining
displays; rotating exhibits; and special events and
programs. Check website for hours and admission fees.
804-474-2667
Frontier
Culture Museum - Rt. 250 west in Staunton or
exit 222 from I-81- A unique experiential museum portraying
the historical context of our immigrant ancestors with
authentic 17th, 18th, and 19th century working farms and
costumed interpreters from Germany, Northern Ireland,
England, and the Shenandoah Valley. Daily: 9am-5pm.Winter
hours: Dec. 1 - mid-March; 10am-4pm. Adult $10,
children 6-12 $6, under 6 free. 540-332-7850
Fruit fun - Three of the closest to town are
Carter
Mountain Orchard (977-1833) next to Michie Tavern, which offers apples,
peaches, and stunning mountain-top views in the summer, Chiles Peach Orchard near Crozet which also grows blackberries, apples and melons, and
fall and The Berry Patch (963-0659) which has
blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries in the
spring.
The
Gypsy Express - You think Charlottesville's
got trains? Our Valley neighbor, Staunton, is train
central-- at least for the kiddies. Not only can you ride an
Amtrak over to Staunton, but once you're there you'll find a
miniature train in Gypsy Hill Park. The mini-train was
revived by a nonprofit a few summers ago after several years
of flooding and track problems that kept it out of service.
Volunteers now operate it on weekends during warm months.
The train loops around a narrow-gauge track complete with
two bridges and two tunnels. Can you scream? "You're
supposed to; otherwise the engineer goes to sleep," says the
nonprofit's president, John Zinn. It's $1 a ride, which
consists of four loops-- "unless they lose count," notes
Zinn, "and then you get five." And if your tots get bored
riding the rails, they'll perk up when you whip out a loaf
of bread and stroll over to the adjacent duck pond. Sat
12pm-6pm, Sun 1pm-5pm. 540-885-0513
Youth
organizations
Boys
and Girls Club- The
goal here is to help youth from all backgrounds (with a special concern
for youth from disadvantaged circumstances) develop qualities and
skills needed to become responsible citizens and leaders. Trained
staff provide programs that enhance character and self esteem, are
educational and fun, and contribute to the development of youth by
allowing the member to realize and reach their full potential." With
locations at 383 Hickory St., 1000 Cherry Ave. and at Jack Jouett
Middle School, it's for children ages 6-18. $10 per academic school
year or $25 summer fee. Their administrative office is located at 108
5th St. on Downtown Mall. 977-2001
Boy
Scouts- Part of the Boy Scouts of America and
Stonewall Jackson Area Council, the Monticello District
includes
troops all over Charlottesville as well as Albemarle, Orange, Madison,
Fluvanna, and Greene Counties. Open to all boys ages 11-18. Info: moticello763@hotmail.com or avenue.org/mont-bsa/info.htm.
Cub
Scouts- It
all starts right here for the young scout. The Monticello District is
home to 33 different packs in Charlottesville, Albemarle and surounding counties. monticello763@hotmail.com or
avenue.org/mont-bsa/info.htm.
Girl
Scouts- Unlike
Boy Scouts who help old ladies across the street and get to dance
around campfires at their Order of the Arrow induction, Girl Scouts "inspires
girls ages 5-17 with the highest ideals of character, conduct,
patriotism and service so that they may become happy and
resourceful citizens." 296-5156 or 296-5157.
Hoof-N-Woof 4-H Club- Horse
ownership not required. The 30-year-old program meets
the second Thursday of every month at 7pm throughout the school year emphasizing
horse education. Open to ages
9-19. Info: Bertha Durbin, 973-8755.
Young Women Leaders Program- For
middle school-aged girls. 924-8979
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