LOCAL

Need summer plans in Stockton? Here's how to keep the kids busy

Hannah Workman
The Record

The days are getting hotter and longer.

Your children are stuck at home begging you for snacks and something to do.

School's officially out for summer and you need some activities to keep them busy without sticking an iPad in front of them?

We have you covered.

Here are some summer programs for kids in Stockton.

City of Stockton Community Services Summer Day Camp

(5/28/22) Eight-year-old Anthony Jimenez plays in the cool spray of the interactive fountain on it's opening day at the Weber Point Events Center in downtown Stockton on Saturday, May 29, 2022. The fountain and park will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. trough Sept. 5 unless Weber Point is hosting a special event. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD

The city's parks and recreation department is offering day camps for children ages 5 through 12 during summer break. Children will be able to participate in activities like STEM projects, drawing and painting, water play, and scavenger hunts.

Day camps are being hosted until July 28th at the following community centers:

  • Seifert Community Center, 128 W. Benjamin Holt Drive, (209) 937-5508
  • Stribley Community Center, 1760 E. Sonora Ave., (209) 937-7351
  • Arnold Rue Community Center, 5758 Lorraine Ave., (209) 937-7350
  • Van Buskirk Community Center, 734 Houston Ave., (209) 937-7358

Parents and guardians must complete a registration form prior to the camp week they wish to send their child to.

The camp weeks and themes are:

  • June 12-June 16, "Weird Science"
  • June 19-June 23, "H2Whoah"
  • June 26-June 30, "Superheroes"
  • July 3-July 7, "Let's Celebrate"
  • July 10-July 14, "Let the Games Begin"
  • July 17-July 21, "To Infinity and Beyond"
  • July 24-July 28, "Bummer, It's the End of Summer"

Full-day camps are ran from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and will cost parents $80 per week. Scholarships covering 25% of the cost are available. Those who are interested are asked to contact their local community center for more information.

Kids S.T.E.M. Summer Camp

Registration is now open for The Table Community Foundation's Kids S.T.E.M. Summer Camp, but spaces are limited so parents should act fast.

The camp is open from June 12 until July 14 to boys and girls who are in first through eighth grade. Campgoers will get to participate in fun and enriching activities like lego coding, gardening, arts and crafts, and more.

For about $10 daily, kids can attend the camp — held at the Merlo Community Center — Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Extended hours from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. are also offered free of charge.

To register, click here. For more information, email Zakiyyah Stubbs at stubbs@thetablecf.org or call (510) 676-5174.

YMCA of San Joaquin County Summer Day Camp

You don't have to dress like the Village People to get into the Y.

While the first four weeks of the YMCA's summer day camps are already full, there is still time to register for weeks five and beyond.

At the start of each day, children will be dropped off at Lincoln High School. There they will participate in activities facilitated by YMCA staff like arts and crafts, games, and swimming for those who want to be in the water.

At a cost of $200 per week, full-day camps run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a $10 participant fee for registration in each camp week.

Here are the available camp weeks:

  • July 3-7, "Safari Season"
  • July 10-14, "Lost in Space"
  • July 17-21, "Around the World in Five Days"
  • July 24-28, "Wild, Wild West"

Click here to register or call (209) 472-9622 for more information about summer programing at the Y.

Summer reading programs

Library assistant Amy Taylor reads a book during preschool storytime at the Chavez Central Library in downtown Stockton on Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023. The library has been awarded a $10 million grant from the California State Library.

The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library is starting its annual summer reading program this month.

Children, and even adults, will be rewarded for their efforts to read. To participate, simply go to the nearest library and pick up a reading log. Once the reading log is complete, turn it in and receive a free book (kids ages 0-12) or a reading light (teens and adults).

Those who submit their reading logs will also be entered into a raffle for more prizes.

Does your child need extra help with reading? Volunteers at the Weston Ranch Branch Library can help.

Children who are reading below grade level and entering first, second, or third grade are encouraged to join the "Book Buddies" program. They will have one-on-one support or participate in group sessions to help them develop the skills they need.

Meetings will take place 2 to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, to July 19. For best results, library staff say children should attend all sessions.

Ultra Friday Nights

Through July 28, all four community centers (Seifert, Stribley, Arnold Rue and Van Buskirk) will have extended hours as part of "Ultra Friday Nights."

The centers will be open until 11 p.m. every Friday, giving children and teens a safe place to hang out with friends, shoot some hoops, and play video games.

Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian 18 years or older. Proof of age may be requested.

Pacific Summer High School Institute

Students participate in the esports program at University of the Pacific's Summer High School Institute.

Want your high schooler to get a taste of the college life? Look no further than University of the Pacific's Summer High School Institute — a two-week residential program held June 20-July 1.

Stockton Unified students can attend the program free of charge, said Brian Biedermann, the district's director of Educational Services. The Board of Trustees approved funding to pay for 1,000 8-11th graders to attend the two-week program, and there's still openings. Interested parents can contact any school site for more information.

"If any student is still interested in attending, we can definitely sign them up," Biedermann said. "We have everything you can think of, we have our Spanish translators there, we have special ed assist ... it's an amazing opportunity."

Students will get "the full Pacific experience" — living in a dorm on campus, exploring potential career paths, and taking hands-on courses in arts and humanities, health and science, engineering and technology, business and society, and athletics.

Courses offered during the summer institute include:

Arts and Humanities

  • 2D Art Studio
  • Band
  • Ceramics Studio
  • Choir
  • Creating Media
  • Creative Writing and Storytelling
  • Jazz
  • Musical Theatre Workshop and Showcase
  • Piano
  • Spanish for the Health Professionals

Health and Science

  • Biology of Cities
  • Exploring the Human Body
  • Future Dentists
  • Future Pharmacists
  • Medical Microbiology Experience

Engineering and Technology

  • Advanced Coding
  • Drone Flying
  • Entrepreneurship and Technology Design
  • Innovating with Purpose
  • Wearable Technology and Bio-Signals

Business and Society

  • Business Skills Bootcamp
  • Competitive Debate
  • eSports
  • Investing in Stocks
  • Lawyers and the Rule of Law
  • Mission Possible: Design Your Perfect School
  • Sports Analytics
  • Taking Control of Your Financial Future

Athletics

  • Baseball Skills and Tactics
  • Basketball Skills Academy
  • Soccer Skills and Tactics
  • Tennis Skills and Tactics
  • Water Polo Skills and Tactics

Tuition is $3,300 — other local school districts may have funding opportunities — and covers academic programs, housing, food (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks), and evening and weekend activities on the Stockton campus.

Questions? Email director Balint Sztaray at pacifichsinstitute@pacific.edu or call (209) 932-3263.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. To support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.