Keeping Up With The Kids

Quirky Crafts for Teens
Tweens and teens are invited to attend Quirky Crafters on Wednesday, May 22, 4 to 5pm, at the Elsie Quirk Library, 100 W. Dearborn Street. You will learn to how to use patterns to make cool designs using Perler beads and use heat to fuse them into place. No strings necessary. No registration is needed for Basic Perler Bead Crafting. For questions, call 941•861•1110. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Elsie Quirk Library.

North Port Kids to Parks Day
Join North Port Parks & Recreation for “Kids to Parks Day”. Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 25 and come explore the parks in North Port with three exciting activities at three different parks throughout the day. All ages are welcome! Start your morning with tennis and donuts at Highland Ridge Park (6225 Kenwood Dr.) from 8-9:30am. Next, head to LaBrea Park (6430 LaBrea St.) to shoot hoops and play games such as Knockout and Around the World from 10-11:30am. Finally, experience “Try Archery” at the George Mullen Activity Center (1602 Kramer Way) from 2-4:30pm. “We’re offering a variety of activities so everyone can join in, whether it’s one or all three” said Blake Via, Recreation Specialist. “Kids to Parks Day is a nationwide celebration of outdoor play for all ages.” For more information about this event, contact Parks & Recreation at 941•429•PARK (7275) or visit NorthPortFL.gov/ Kids-to-Parks-Day.

Step right up and join the excitement when Creative Liberties Art Studios present a circus themed day of art for the May Family Art Day on Saturday, May 25, 9:30am to noon, at the gallery located at 927 N. Lime Avenue, Sarasota. Artist Shelley Kishpaugh will lead families in a circus-themed art project during this free family-friendly event. Also featured will be a stilt walker, face painter, balloon artist, cotton candy and other goodies. This event is open to all ages & skills levels. All supplies provided. For more information, visit creativeliberties.net or call 941-799-6634. Pictured here is stilt walker KC Allen who will be part of the Circus Art Day.

Make a Friendship Bracelet
Make a friendship bracelet during Quirky Crafts on Tuesday, May 28, 4 to 5pm, at the Elsie Quirk Library, 100 W. Dearborn Street. This free program is open to all tweens and teens. Bring your creativity and make a braided or beaded friendship bracelet. No registration needed. Sponsored by the Friends of Elsie Quirk Library. For questions, call 941•861•1110.

Kids Summer Beach Runs
Sarasota County is once again offering Kids’ Summer Beach Runs at Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road in Sarasota, and North Brohard Park, 1400 S. Harbor Drive in Venice. The race is free to kids, ages one to 17, and kids receive a participation ribbon at each run. Registration begins at 5:30pm with the runs starting at 6:30pm. Complete four runs and earn a free custom T-shirt. Siesta Key Beach Runs are on Tuesdays, June 4 through July 30, 5:30 to 7pm. North Brohard Park runs are Wednesdays, June 5 through July 31, 5:30 to 7pm,. No runs the week of July 4th. For more information, call 941•861•7275.

SCUBA Vacation Bible School
Kids from ages four through those leaving grade five are invited to Gulf Cove United Methodist Church where they will go deep into an amazing undersea adventure and experience the ever-flowing, never-ending love of God. Bible school will be held Monday through Friday, June 10-14, 5:30 to 8:30pm, at the church located at 1100 S. McCall Road, Port Charlotte (in the Gulf Cove area). After the opening ceremony, VBS kids (and their families if they choose to) will receive a free, kid-friendly dinner. Then kids will be immersed in the Word and discover what Living Water is really all about. Learn more and register online at gulfcovechurch.com or call Dana at 941-979-9927. Please register by Friday, June 6th. For questions, call 941-697-1747.

Father’s Day Delights
Charlotte County Community Services invites kids and their father figure to celebrate together on Saturday, June 15, 5 to 7pm, at Centennial Park Rec Center, 1185 Centennial Blvd, Port Charlotte. Participants will have the opportunity to decorate cupcakes and create a craft for their parent. Each family will receive four cupcakes to decorate, and each child will be provided a craft; all supplies will be provided. Registration is required as supplies are limited; both programs are $10 per family. Register by Monday, June 3rd at tinyurl.com/FathersDayDelights or call 941•613•3230. 

Eco-Friendly Adventures with a Library Card
Sarasota County library card holders can now embark on exciting eco-friendly adventures with family-fun backpack kits created by UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County. Learn about sustainable practices and how to make a positive impact on the community through these kits. Kit themes are “Explore Your World”, “Family Green Living” and “Insect Investigator”. There is no charge to check out a kit with your library card. The Elsie Quirk Library is located at 100 W. Dearborn Street. To learn more, visit tiny.cc/ufsaraext_kits or call 311.

Nature Summer Camps
Are you looking for a fun way for your kids to learn about nature and science over summer break? Kids, age eight to twelve, are invited to attend Summer Camp at Cedar Point Environmental Center, 2300 Placida Road. This camp is perfect for kids interested in ecology, outdoor adventures and summer fun. Camp hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 3pm. Each week’s session offers a different theme. June 3-7: “Treasure Island”- embark on a treasure hunt to unravel buried fossils, dinosaur bones, seashells and ancient artifacts. June 10-14: “Eagle Heights” - learn to look at the world from a bird’s eye view and follow the fundamentals of birding, space exploration and science innovations. June 17-21: “Everglades Survivors” - adopt hunter & gatherer earth skills such as fire building, shelter building and identifying edible native plants in Florida. June 24-28: “Dive into the Deep”. Explore the underwater world of Charlotte Harbor by wading, fishing, swimming and more. Program fee is $195 per child per week. Note: lunch is not included. Pre-care & post-care is available for $10 per hour. You can register at checflorida.org/camps2024. For more information, call 941•475•0769 or email [email protected].

Teen Classes at The Ringling
The Ringling is offering teen concentration classes this summer at the Ringling College of Art & Design, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Classes run weekly, June 10 through August 1 from 9am to 3pm. Class offerings include “Create a Virtual Reality Game”, Drawing, Character Design/Concept Art, Illustration, Printmaking, Glass Hot Shop, Storyboarding and Introduction to Animation. Enrollment is open to students ages 13-18 and 2024 high school graduates. Class sessions are $395 early registration through Monday, May 27th, then increase to $445. For complete class schedule and registration, go to ringling.edu/hsteens. For questions, call 941•351•5100.

Breaker Rock Beach VBS
At St. Francis of Assisi Church, children in grades K to 6 (2024/25 school year) can plunge into VBS fun at Breaker Rock Beach Vacation Bible School Monday through Friday, June 24-28, 9am to noon. Each day will be a new adventure as kids discover that God’s truth never changes, how much they need Jesus, & how much Jesus loves them. Kids will meet new friends, do fun activities, act in skits, sing great songs, make crafts, play games, eat snacks, and more! VBS is open for any child in the community. Register in the church office at 5265 Placida Road or contact Jim Brantner at 941•697•4899.

Local Flagler College Graduate
Flagler College celebrated the academic and personal accomplishments of more than 500 graduates in the Class of 2024 with a Commencement Ceremony at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on Sunday, May 5th. Among the graduates is Megan Carley of Englewood who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Congratulations, Megan!

The information presented in this column is as accurate as possible at the time of publication. For confirmation and additional details, please contact the provided numbers.