Kids have plenty of summer options in JDP

Summer means our local children have a lot of free time on their hands until mid-August. Once the school year ends, parents not only have to worry about childcare; they also look for ways to keep their kids entertained and active. Jeff Davis Parish (JDP) actually has a lot of great weekly activities underway for the summer that can help parents and caregivers achieve both of those goals. Since the summer months mean increased costs on food, utilities and other expenses, the local activities available are even more attractive to families since they are either free or incredibly inexpensive.

The first place adults should look for weekly activities are local libraries. The JDP Library in Jennings and its branches in Lake Arthur, Elton and Welsh, as well as the Carnegie Library in Jennings, are hosting summer reading programs for children in grades pre-k and older. The reading programs do more than introduce students to a new story each week; they encourage kids to read by bringing books to life through games and arts and crafts. In addition to the summer reading program, the JDP Library and its branches have a number of live shows scheduled for June and July. Last week, kids had the chance to see a number of Harvey Rabbit and Friends performances and this week are enjoying live performances by local saxophonist Marcus Davis. More activities like these are scheduled throughout the month and some are also taking place at locations in Fenton and Topsy. Each branch of the parish library also has its own activities and entertainment planned, so in addition to follow the main branch’s schedule, adults should also call their local branch and find out what to expect.

No matter where you live in the parish, there are also vacation Bible schools (VBS) planned weekly by a number of denominations and churches. The VBS are all free and welcome kids from pre-k through sixth grades for fellowship, food and fun. A number of local VBS sponsors have also scheduled swimming parties or incorporated waterslides or water games into their schedules to help kids cool off while they have fun.

Don’t forget some of the regular activities the parish offers. The Welsh Museum, Zigler Art Museum and Tupper Museum all offer unique exhibits that appeal to all ages, and the Tupper even has its Telephone Museum and Children’s Museum where kids can learn through hands-on play. We also have a number of beautiful parks where kids can enjoy themselves, and the Jennings City Pool is now open with general swim hours from 2-5 p.m. and the cost is $1.50 per person.

There is always something or some place available for our kids this summer. The Jennings Daily News Community Calendar is a great resource for keeping up with activities taking place across JDP, for kids as well as adults.

So don’t think there’s nothing to do in JDP this summer. Find out what’s going on in your community and get involved!

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Posted by Graphic Designer 2 on Jun 14 2012. Filed under Editorial. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.