The tightrope walk between worrying about summer too early and missing out on camps has long been a huge source of anxiety for us. I don’t want to give anyone the ol’ “wait, did I miss a deadline?” stomach drop, but also, stuff fills up! I figure since we’re registering for first semester 23-24 classes in the Edmonds School District, we can talk about some summer options for child care and entertainment. For all involved, let’s start with some upcoming options first.

For high schoolers interested in taking a new approach with their education, Scriber Lake High School will be hosting a virtual information night March 8 at 7 p.m. Scriber Lake, located in Edmonds, is geared toward students who benefit from more one-on-one attention, are looking for a fresh start or are having difficulty in their current school setting. Those interested in applying must first attend one of these events and the school will have additional options on May 3, June 7 and Aug. 16. You can find registration HERE and more information about the school at slhs.edmonds.wednet.edu/.

The Edmonds Boys and Girls Club has opened registration for its spring sports, which include soccer, flag football and volleyball. My youngest did lacrosse and track with them and it was such a wonderful, low- pressure and high-enjoyment time for him. When I headed to BGCSC.org/Edmonds and clicked on Sports, I saw that they are offering a free flag football clinic Sunday, March 12 at Archbishop Murphy High School for players 5 and over. Practices for these sports start on March 27 and games on April 15, and registration closes next week. While we’re talking about the Boys and Girls Club, they are also offering Summer 3-on-3 basketball and, of course, summer child,care. I know of two teenagers who worked with the campers this past year and really enjoyed the experience! For more information on any of these options you can visit BGCSC.org/Edmonds or call 425-774-0630.

The Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA) never disappoints on unique summer camp offerings. This year they are hosting a Dungeons & Dragons camp for those 12 to 16. The week of July 17, campers will “dive deep into learning how to play Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), a role-playing game where kids take part in creating their own dynamic stories and characters.” While working on skills like “empathy, teamwork, and storytelling,” campers can act out their adventures in a performance at the end of the week.

ECA is also offering Crow Camp again! I would absolutely love to go to this camp myself, which is the same response I have when I see it each year! The week of July 31, campers ages 7 to 12 can head to Kruckeberg Botanic Garden in Shoreline to “learn about nature, express themselves through art projects and be guided through reflective practices.” While learning how crows and ravens communicate, campers will “create crow-inspired artwork, and discover these birds’ meanings in cultures from around the globe!” To register for either of these camps, visit EdmondsCenterfortheArts.org.

Edmonds College has opened early bird registration for its Summer 2023 STEM Youth Camps. They have partnered with Black Rocket to offer on-campus STEM camps for kids ages 8-11 or 11-15. They are now offering a full-day option that includes a free lunch for campers who take a morning and afternoon class in the same week. What is great about the Edmonds College options is that there are subjects you don’t see everywhere. Kids can do digital music creation, coding with Minecraft and Roblox, and other programming options. Edmonds College says that its virtual camp registration options are forthcoming. For more information and early bird registration, you can visit Edmonds.edu.

One of my favorite memories of my oldest being a toddler was taking him to Day Out with Thomas at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie. Another part of that memory is how the tickets tend to sell out. For the first three weekends in July, you can take a train ride with Thomas while exploring the activities and posing for pictures with Sir Topham Hatt. Of course, the price is also hard to forget as it’s $24 to $28 depending on the participant’s age and the gift shop is hard to resist. You do get to take a ride on the train and familiar voices come through the speakers, and I have a lot of cute pictures. Plus, it is a beautiful drive over there and the scenery is wonderful. For more information and to buy your tickets, you can visit Thomas.TrainMuseum.org

— By Jennifer Marx

Jen Marx, an Edmonds mom of two boys, is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time.