Hello Summer

7 Fun Activity Ideas for Adults and Kids

BY JESSICA FORRESTER

Summer is just around the corner, and it should be a time of relaxing, enjoying family and friends, and trying new activities. Here are seven ideas to consider, whether you’ll be home all summer or have a couple of days to fill here and there.

1. Join an adult athletic league.

Cherokee Recreation & Parks (CRPA) offers a variety of activities each month, and not just for kids! Summer leagues for ages 16-plus begin in June and July. Be sure to register this month if you’re interested in kickball, as registration ends May 21. For more information, email Lakia Langston at ldlangston@cherokeega.com.

• The Summer Kickball League begins June 5 at Twin Creeks Softball Complex in Woodstock. The schedule consists of a sixgame season, Monday and Wednesday nights, with all teams making the playoffs.

• One-Pitch Softball begins June 19 at Hobgood Park in Woodstock. The schedule consists of a six-game season, with the men’s league on Mondays and the coed league on Tuesdays. All teams will make the playoffs.

• Summer Men’s Basketball begins July 10 at 7545 Main St. in Woodstock. The schedule consists of an eight-game season, with A League on Mondays and B League on Tuesdays. All teams will make the playoffs.

• CRPA also will hold Parents Night Out/ Parents Afternoon Out — May 12 and 16, June 16 and 30, and July 14 and 28 — at the Aquatic Center in Canton. For more details on summer camps, classes, workshops, therapeutic recreation programs, outdoor recreation opportunities and more, visit playcherokee.org.

2. Volunteer at a local nonprofit.

If you’re looking for ways to give back this summer, look no further than the MUST Ministries Summer Lunch program. MUST will continue the time-honored tradition of partnering with churches, schools, corporations and volunteers to feed thousands of kids in the Atlanta metro area, June 1-July 29. The goal is to provide breakfast and lunch to at least 6,000 children for nine weeks. To sign up to volunteer or donate supplies, visit www.mustministries.org/summer-lunch. For more volunteer opportunities in our area, check out www.justserve.org.

3. Have a backyard camping adventure.

If you’re in the mood to go camping, but all the best spots are fully booked, pitch your tent in your backyard. You can take glamping to another level by setting up a projector to watch movies, stringing lights overhead and ordering food from your favorite restaurant for delivery (or raiding your fridge at midnight). Plus, who doesn’t love having their own bathroom just a few steps away … and their bed. I won’t rat you out if you sneak in to sleep in the air conditioning!

4. Spend quality time in our parks.

Cherokee Recreation & Parks offers an activity book to help kids get outside and into nature. The Exploring Through the Parks adventure journal includes pages to complete at seven parks and facilities in our county, with information, activities, scavenger hunts, drawing prompts and more. The 23-page journal gives kids guided activities, sending them around parks on missions. Through the activities, they’ll gain a greater appreciation for the parks in our county and the natural world around us. Print the book at https://bit.ly/41bo2ef, pack a picnic basket and spend the afternoon exploring a local park.

5. Try a new restaurant.

Cherokee County has no shortage of great places to eat. Make a list of restaurants you’ve never tried in Woodstock and Canton, and visit a new one each week. Share some love with our advertisers! Neighborhood favorites include:

• Gyro Aegean Grill, Woodstock

• Dive Southern Coastal Kitchen, Canton

• Susto’s Taco Bar, Woodstock

• Eggs Up Grill, Canton

• MadLife Grill, Woodstock

• 7 Tequilas, Canton and Woodstock

6. Register for a golf tournament.

If running a 5K isn’t your speed, take it slower on a greener course, while still supporting great causes. Riding in a golf cart, or even walking a hilly course, makes it easier to socialize than running on flat ground — at least for me! Round up some friends and register for the Every Link Matters Charity Golf Tournament, May 12, or The Service League’s Golfing Fore the Children Tournament, June 16, both to be held at Fairways of Canton. https://birdease.com/ everylinkmatters; https://serviceleague.net/fundraisers/ golfing-fore-the-children.

7. Explore The Mill on Etowah.

Boasting a variety of retailers and restaurants, the development in downtown Canton has something for everyone. Make sure to browse the booths at Cotton Mill Exchange, which feature a collection of antiques, furniture, jewelry and gifts. Then, head outside for Screen on the Green — a free movie will be playing 7-9 p.m. every Wednesday, June 7-July 26. For more details, visit www.etowahmill.com/events, or keep an eye on our calendars for a list of what’s playing.