CRANFORD, NJ — Winter break will be here soon. Keep your children engaged and active, while learning with youth programs offered at the Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Ave.
Mad Science brings its fun, diverse and super science-themed camps to Cranford. Mad Science offers Birds & Beasts, Junior Engineers and Shutterbugs for youth in kindergarten through grade six.
Birds & Beasts digs into the habitat of owls, birds and insects. Where do owls live and what do they eat? How do some bugs walk on water? How do ants collect all their food? These questions and more will be answered with a walk on the wild side of things to explore; owls, birds and all kinds of bugs. This program runs on Monday, Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon. The fee is $75 for residents and $100 for non-residents.
Junior Engineers will learn all the aspects of shapes. Check out shapes and why they are so strong! Investigate arches and geodesic domes. Discover why an egg’s shape is so strong and how you can find this shape in buildings. Test loads and build some bridges when you put on an engineer’s hat and learn about structures. This program is on Friday, Dec. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon. The fee is $75 for residents and $100 for non-residents.
Shutterbugs is a hands-on program where we explore photography. How does a camera work? What does a lens do? How do our eyes work? How did the idea of motion pictures start and how did early filmmakers figure out how to make images move? All these questions and more will be answered. It is on Monday, Dec. 30, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Winter basketball is here and Coach Fire will improve on your athlete’s skills while learning the fundamentals of basketball, including ball handling, dribbling drills, lectures, games and contests. Fire’s 1 Day Basketball Clinic is for ages 4 through 13 and is on Dec. 23 and 27, from 9 to 11 a.m. The fee is $35 each day for residents and non-residents. Clinic Director Bob Firestone is the former head basketball coach at St. Mary’s High School in Elizabeth. Coach Firestone has had the privilege of coaching in the first Girl’s McDonald’s Basketball Classic at Madison Square Garden. Coach Fire was inducted into the Elizabeth Hall of Fame and the Linden Hall of Fame. Bring your own basketball and water bottle.
Built By Me STEM Learning is offering three days of youth programs for kids in grades one through five. LEGO Robotics and Coding – Science Adventure Workshop is on Monday, Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon. LEGO Robotics and Coding-Space Adventure Workshop is on Friday, Dec. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon. LEGO Robotics and Coding – Sports Adventure Workshop is on Monday, Dec. 30, from 9 a.m. to noon. The fee for each program is $85 for residents or $115 for non-residents.
Are you looking for a full day program during the week of Dec. 23? “Kiddies Kaleidoscope” for youth in kindergarten through grade five is available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 23 to 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kiddies Kaleidoscope is a STEAM-based class with hands-on activities featuring experiments, curated books and art. Children bring home a handmade project most days. The fee for the full four days is $285 for residents and $300 for non-residents.
Sign up online at Community Pass: register.communitypass.net/Cranford or in person. Visit the Cranford Recreation and Parks Department website at cranfordrecreation.org. The Cranford Community Center is located at 220 Walnut Ave in Cranford. For more information, you can also email at [email protected] or call 908-709-7283.