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Kids Need To Play!
www.piercecountywa.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2021
Summer camp financial assistance program Kids Need to Play! announced
Pierce County Parks has created a program named Kids Need to Play! (KNP!) funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funding allocations to provide discounts for kids’ summer camps and programs. Several public and private recreation providers are collaborating on the initiative to bring kids accessible opportunities to learn, create, explore and compete.
While remaining safety-conscious, many camps and programs for preschool (ages 3-4) and school-age (ages 5-18) kids will be deeply discounted at 60-90% off for all youth this summer across Pierce County. The discount will be automatically applied at time of registration. Participating camps will include the Kids Need to Play! symbol.
Lakewood Parks, Metro Parks Tacoma, Pen Met Parks, Puyallup Parks and the Town of Steilacoom have partnered with Pierce County Parks to offer this opportunity. Participant discounts will not affect the quality, allotted time or format of programming offerings. Camp providers will still receive the revenue they require to produce safe, high-quality camps through ARPA resources.
The goal of this program is to ensure that kids can return to camp this summer and benefit from the enrichment of camp activities and safe social interactions. For this reason, discounts are going directly to the families at the time of registration with no wait, coupon or reimbursement needed. If a family has already registered for a camp that is participating in the KNP! program, they can request a refund and re-enrollment by June 28 to take advantage of the discounted price.
Over 15,000 youth are expected to benefit from $1.5 million in funding available this summer. There is no limit to the number of KNP! camps or experiences a family can sign up for from June 28–Sept. 3 in Pierce County. However, each camp is subject to the capacity specified by the camp provider.
For more information on the Kids Need to Play! promotion, visit www.piercecountywa.gov/play.
Families inquiring about participation may contact Pierce County Parks and Recreation representative Emily Smith at 253-798-4199.
youth camps
Bricks 4 Kidz® - Coding & Video Game Design Camp
Bring LEGO® Bricks to life with Coding! Each day we will either create a program that works with robotic components or create a video game. This exciting camp is comprised of different skill levels featuring MIT’s easy to learn Scratch programming language plus age-appropriate LEGO® WeDo 2.0 Mindstorms EV3 robotics technology. Learn to build and computer program a robotic device, incorporating LEGO® bricks, motors, and sensors, and program a video game featuring a virtual LEGO® Model. All campers make and take home a custom mini-figure and photo collage of the week’s experience. Please bring a snack and water bottle. For an all-day option see “Bricks 4 Kidz All Day Camp”. Activity # Ages Date Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16149 7-14 July 12 - 16 Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 12 pm $210 June 28 Meridian Habitat Park
Bricks 4 Kidz® - Game On
For kids today, it’s all about the world of online video games and apps! In this interactive summer camp, campers will use LEGO® Bricks to create an build different characters from their favorite video games. Themes such as Super Mario Bros, Roblox, Beyblades, Pokemon, and Minecraft come to life through the use of our robots, mosaics, and 3D art, all made out of LEGO® Bricks. Don’t forget classic Nintendo and SEGA themes such as Zelda, Duck Hunt, Pacman, and Sonic the Hedgehog! Each day will be a new adventure as the virtual and LEGO® worlds combine! All campers make and take home a custom mini-figure and photo collage of the week’s experience. Please bring a snack and water bottle. For an all-day option, see “Bricks 4 Kidz All Day Camp”. Activity # Ages Date Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16150 6-12 July 12 - 16 Mon - Fri 1:00 - 4 pm $210 June 28 Meridian Habitat Park
Bricks 4 Kidz® - All Day Camp at Meridian
The LEGO® building and fun don’t stop in this all-day BRICKS 4 Kidz camp! In the morning, experience the high-tech Coding & Video Game Design camp and in the afternoon enjoy the exciting Game On Camp building popular video-gamethemed motorized contraptions, brick figures, artistic mosaics, and crafts. Plus ½ hour early drop off, lunch hour, and ½ hour late pick up all included at a discounted price. All campers make and take home a custom mini-figure and photo collage of the week’s experience. Please bring your own lunch, snack and water bottle. Activity # Ages Date Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16151 7-12 July 12 - 16 Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm $350 June 28 Meridian Habitat Park
Bricks 4 Kidz® - Galaxy Far Away Camp (inspired by Star Wars)
Rise like a Skywalker and build with LEGO® Bricks, creating fantasy galactic fighters inspired by Star Wars®. Join us on an adventurous journey through space. We’ll also build NASA’s Redstone Rocket and Gemini Capsule brick models as well as motorized models that represent characters and rebel, empire and first order spacecraft from your favorite popular space movies. Come experience this stellar journey to a galaxy far away! All campers make and take home a custom mini-figure and photo collage of the week’s experience. Please bring a snack and water bottle. For an all-day option, see “Bricks 4 Kidz All Day Camp”. Activity # Ages Date Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16152 6-12 Aug 2 - 6 Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 12 pm $210 July 19 Lakewood Community Center
Bricks 4 Kidz® - Mining & Crafting Camp (inspired by Minecraft)
Experience the world of Minecraft® with LEGO® Bricks in this fun camp! Minecraft is a game about placing blocks to build anything you can imagine. At night monsters come out, make sure to build a shelter before that happens. Kids will start by crafting their shelters and some of the mobs, critters and tools using LEGO Bricks. Campers will face new challenges each day, building models and crafting key elements from the popular Minecraft game. All campers make and take home a custom mini-figure and photo collage of the week’s experience. Please bring a snack and water bottle. For an all-day option, see “Bricks 4 Kidz All Day Camp”. Activity # Ages Date Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16153 6-12 Aug 2 - 6 Mon - Fri 1:00 - 4 pm $210 July 19 Lakewood Community Center
Bricks 4 Kidz® - All Day Camp at Lakewood
The LEGO® building and fun don’t stop in this all-day Bricks 4 Kidz® camp! In the morning, experience the Star Wars-inspired Galaxy Far Away Camp and in the afternoon enjoy the Minecraft-inspired Mining & Crafting Camp, building motorized contraptions, brick figures, artistic mosaics, and crafts. Plus 1/2 hour early drop-off, lunch hour, and 1/2 hour late pick-up all included at a discounted price. All campers make and take home a custom mini-figure and photo collage of the week’s experience. Please bring your own lunch, snack, and water bottle. Activity # Ages Date Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16154 6-12 Aug 2 - 6 Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm $350 July 19 Lakewood Community Center
Skyhawks Basketball Camp
This fun, skill-intensive program is designed for beginning to intermediate players. Using our progression curriculum, we focus on the whole player-teaching sportsmanship and teamwork. Boys and girls will learn the fundamentals of passing, shooting, ball handling, rebounding and defense through skill-based instruction and small-sided scrimmages. All kids will receive a t-shirt and ball. Activity # Age Dates Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16146 7-12 July 19 - 22 Mon - Thurs 1:00 - 4 pm $129 July 5 Lakewood Community Center - Gym
Multi-sport programs are designed to introduce young athletes to a variety of different sports in one setting. Athletes will learn the rules and essential skills of each sport, along with vital life lessons such as sportsmanship and teamwork. All kids will receive a t-shirt and ball. Activity # Age Dates Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16147 7-12 Aug 9 - 12 Mon - Thurs 9 am - 12 pm $129 July 26 Gonyea Playfield
This multi-sport program was developed to give children a positive first step into athletics. Sports are taught in a safe, structed environment filled with encouragement and fun. Through exciting games and activities, campers explore balance, hand/ eye coordination and skill development at their own pace. All kids will receive a t-shirt and ball. Activity # Age Dates Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16148 4-7 Aug 16 - 19 Mon - Thurs 9 am - 12 pm $129 August 2 Gonyea Playfield
Summer Cool Camp - ice skating/hockey, broomball, and ice bumper cars
Join your friends for a fun week on the ice! Includes t-shirt, skate rental, on-ice skill instruction, introduction to hockey, broomball, office classes, supervised practice time, on-ice games, and ICE BUMPER CARS! Campers arrive daily to the Alder room and start with some off-ice stretching before getting ready for a fun on-ice experience, All-sport helmets are recommended. Masks and gloves are required. All participants must be picked up no later than 30 minutes after camp ends or may be subject to additional fees. Activity # Levels Age Dates Days Times Fee Reg Deadline Location 16407 Beg 1 - Beta 7-12 Aug 2 - 6 Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 12 pm $129 June 30 Sprinker Recreation Center - Ice Arena
Tiny Tykes is a new and exciting program focusing on the development of children ages 3-5 years old. Our soccer experts and child development professionals have designed an innovative curriculum that introduces the young soccer starts to the basic skills needed in soccer as well as developing their motor, social and psychological skills. Our international and locally based soccer staff are experts at working with young children and will combine soccer with fun games, stories and activities that keep your children entertained and enthused to return the next week. All campers will receive a soccer ball and tshirt. Activity # Age Dates Days Times Fee Registration Deadline Location 16197 July 5 - 9 16201 3-5 July 12 - 16 Mon - Fri 8:00 - 9 am $116 June 21 June 28 Frontier Park Heritage Recreation Center
16205 Aug 2 - 6 July 19 Sprinker Recreation Center
Challenger International Soccer Camps
Join the Challenger Sports International Coaching teams for an exciting and fun packed week of soccer this year right here in Pacifica! Explore the cultures, games and activities of the world’s top soccer playing nations through Challengers unique curriculum and highly energetic coaches. Players will learn tricks, skills and tactics throughout the week and showcase their skills in our ever popular Camp World Cup! Campers need to provide their own sack lunch for full day camp. All campers will receive a soccer ball and tshirt. Activity # Age Dates Days Session Times Fee Registration Deadline Location
16194 8-14 16195 6-14 16196 6-14 16198 8-14 16199 6-14 16200 6-14 16202 8-14 16203 6-14 16204 6-14 July 5 - 9 Mon - Fri
July 12 - 16 Mon - Fri
Aug 2 - 6 Mon - Fri Full Day 9:00 am - 4 pm $260 Morning 9:00 am - 12 pm $200 Afternoon 1:00 - 4 pm $200 Full Day 9:00 am - 4 pm $260 Morning 9:00 am - 12 pm $200 Afternoon 1:00 - 4 pm $200 Full Day 9:00 am - 4 pm $260 Morning 9:00 am - 12 pm $200 Afternoon 1:00 4 pm $200 June 21
June 28
July 19 Frontier Park
Heritage Recreation Center
Sprinker Recreation Center
Steel Soccer Camps
Every Steel Soccer camp has a mission to put Kids First in a healthy, fun and safe environment. Our goal is to teach the game and much more! Backed by our unique coaching system we have hundreds of camp options that will inspire & challenge each participant to improve their skills and learn valuable life lessons through soccer. Activity # Ages Date Day Times Fee Location
16143 July 5 - 9
Half Day: 9 am - 12 pm $160 16142 16145 5-15 July 5 - 9 Aug 2 - 6 Mon-Fri Full Day: 9 am - 3 pm Half Day: 9 am - 12 pm $260 $160 16144 Aug 2 - 6 Full Day: 9 am - 3 pm $260 Chambers Creek Regional Park - Playfields
Summer Science SeaCamp
Hosted by Foss Waterway Seaport and Pierce County Parks this camp offers a chance to explore the natural world and bring science to life. Campers will become junior naturalists, learning about our local marine life and native plants. Together, we’ll explore the forests and beaches of our local parks with time to draw in nature journals, build forts, visit tidepools and spend a day exploring Commencement Bay on-board our research vessel. SeaCamp encourages a personal connection with the outdoors. Come prepared to get wet and dirty in closed toed shoes. Campers will need to bring a backpack containing a change of clothes, a lunch, water bottle, sunscreen, a swimsuit, and a towel. Lifejackets will be provided. Transportation is not provided, campers are dropped off and picked up by parents at the field sites listed below. Activity # Ages Date Day Times Fee Location
16193 9-12 July 12 - 16 Mon/Tues Wed/Thurs Friday 9 am - 3:30 pm $175
Titlow Park - Meeting Point TBA Point Defiance Park - Meeting Point TBA Foss Waterway Seaport, 705 Dock St, Tacoma 98402
