Parents in the St. Malo and Otterburne areas looking for flexible, affordable summer activities for their children have a new option this year — pop-up party day camps hosted by Rat River Recreation Commission.
The camps run every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., starting in early July and continuing until the end of August. Programs are held at the curling club in Otterburne and at St. Malo School.
Weekly themes keep things fresh
Kristine Braun, Recreation and Wellness Facilitator for the Rat River Recreation Commission, says each week brings a new theme.
“We have a science day where the kids will be able to do some fun experiments,” Braun says. “We also have a Disney Day theme, a water day, Olympics, Halloween in August, Adventure Day, a Hawaiian day, and some special guests coming in.”
The program is designed to be both engaging and convenient. Kids can attend one or multiple days based on their family’s summer plans, and parents are free to drop off their children for the day.
“It’s very flexible for parents. If you are looking for something for your kids to keep busy with in the summer, we’ve got you covered,” says Braun.
Supported by summer staff and sponsors
The day camps are led by two summer students who help develop the weekly themes and assist in running the activities.
“We’re very grateful for our summer students,” Braun says. “They come up with some really great ideas and help us to run our programming.”
While some kids may feel shy at first, Braun says staff are well-prepared to help them feel comfortable and get involved.
“Once they start engaging in the activities, they have fun and they forget that their parents have even dropped them off,” she says.
Affordable programming thanks to local support
Thanks to sponsorship from The Village Connection, the camps are available at a reduced rate.
“It is $20 per day,” Braun explains. “We’re very excited to be able to offer them again, and we’re thankful to our sponsor for helping keep it affordable.”
For more information or to register, families can call or text 204-712-7773 or email info@ratriverrecreation.com.