Prince William County Parks is offering a range of programs for children on days when schools are closed, including teacher workdays and holidays. These activities are designed to provide supervised care and engaging experiences for kids who would otherwise be without childcare.
At Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center, Camp Chinn provides full-day camps for children ages 6 to 14 on October 13, November 3, and November 4. The camp includes recreational games, outdoor adventures, arts and crafts, STEAM projects, swimming, and other activities. Before and after care options are available for an additional fee. Organizers say the camp gives students opportunities to make new friends and try new experiences in a safe environment.
The center will also host Camp Chinnterfest during winter break on December 22, December 23, December 26, December 29, December 30, and January 2.
The Pat White Center at Ben Lomond offers additional programs during school closures. On September 23, the “Roblox Imaginative Game Design” day camp will teach coding and game development skills using Roblox Studio and Lua programming language. According to organizers: “Roblox, Imaginative Game Design” provides the fundamental coding concepts and techniques to eventually move on to AP Computer Science.” The program is led by CyberTeck Academy.
On October 2, “Yummy Art” invites children ages 5-12 to create art using food materials. This class is instructed by Abrakadoodle and does not use peanuts or peanut oils.
For those interested in cooking skills, “Tween Cuisine” takes place on October 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., focusing on nutrition and safe cooking techniques under the guidance of Prince William 4-H.
Also on October 13 is Chess Camp for ages 6-13 with Silver Knights (formerly Magnus Academy). Organizers note that Silver Knights has taught over 100,000 children including national champions but emphasizes that most participants are beginners seeking a fun introduction to chess. Activities include lessons in rules and tactics as well as playing games against peers.
More information about these offerings can be found in the county’s Leisure magazine covering classes through December or by visiting related resources such as the RecMapper app.
