No Free Camp For Me?

Recently I posted about some great opportunities for Glendale residents to send their kids to a free summer arts camp. After that post, I received this email from Melissa:

I have been in Phoenix for a year now and don't know anyone. I honestly hate it here.There is so much crime in my complex; my kids stroller got stolen, I think my neighbors are dealing out of their apartment and the music here is so loud. Rental prices are so high and traffic is horrible. My kids have nothing to do here. I went on the site about the free daycamp but I couldn't find anything for their age group. I was looking for something for my almost 3 year old. Do you know of anything?

I'm sorry you’re having an unpleasant time. Just like every other major city in the country, there are nice parts and there are crummy parts of town. I hope you can work on moving to a better complex sometime soon.

I'm always a bit taken aback when people say there is nothing for children to do here. With some exceptions, I'm sure, there are the same things to do here that there are in other cities.

I doubt there are really many camps, per se, for the under 3-year-old crowd -- they just aren't ready to concentrate on anything for a few hours at a time. Still, there are free things you can do with your child. First of all, all the libraries around town have great programs for kids including a story time, and some involve crafts and themes. The added benefit is that he or she can develop a love of reading, and that can only help down the road. Keep in mind that these aren’t free day care services, in that you can’t just drop off your toddler and leave. You’d have to be there with the child. During summer evenings, several communities have free concerts. You might enjoy those also!

If you have a Lakeshore Learning near you, they have free workshops for kids 3 and up on Saturdays. When your little one has that 3rd birthday, you could check those out.

I would contact the recreation department of the city in which you live. Many of them have swimming available for the little ones. There are other recreational and educational programs as well, and some of the cities and towns in Greater Phoenix will work with you to help you apply for a waiver or reduction of fees if that's a problem right now. It is worth a call to ask. Pretty soon various parks in the Valley will open up their splash pads and you can take your child there for some free fun.

If you live near one of the indoor malls, check and see if they have a toddler play area or carousel. Several of the malls do, and they are free. For instance, Chandler Fashion Center has one, as does Fiesta Mall. I believe that Superstition Springs Mall in Mesa and Paradise Valley Mall both have one. Arrowhead Towne Center in Glendale has one. Basically, I’d advise you to just call the malls closest to you and ask. Check the festival calendar for any local free events. Although there aren't too many in the summer, there are free celebrations all over town for the 4th of July.

I'd encourage you to read, either online or in the library, Raising Arizona Kids magazine. Other good online resources for you are Today's Arizona Mama and Go City Kids. Maybe you can also get some tips on finding a small playgroup for your child. At the same time, you'd benefit by being able to talk to the other Moms.

I hope these ideas were useful to you, and that life treats you a little better going forward.