Friday, July 09, 1999
Kids play, learn in parks
Sessions teach in Middletown
BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MIDDLETOWN — Kids sat on picnic tables this week at Sunset Park, where huge shade trees and a slight breeze kept their minds off the heat and on the white T-shirts they were tie-dying.
Rachael Holaway, 13; Timmy Lindenmuth, 7; and Derek Fugett, 8, finished wrapping rubber bands around their shirts, then carefully dipped the twisted lumps in buckets of blue and fuchsia dye, mixing and blending to get just the right colors. Rita Robbins, recreation specialist, and aides Tasha Walker, 16; Shaun Burton, 16; and Rashaud Pope, 17, hovered nearby, lending a hand as youngsters worked.
They were among dozens of children in the Summer Playground Program, run by Middletown's division of recreation. The children were from Sunset, Sherman and Goldman parks, three of the six parks, where the three-week program will end today. The others are Dixie Heights, Dowling and Michigan.
“We made yellow and blue tie-dyed shirts last year,” said Rachael — who has attended four years — as she spread her shirt out to dry. “I like these better. Yellow's just not my color.”
Down the hill at Sunset Pool, more youngsters, including Jason Shealey, 12, and Jonathan Thomas, 10, enjoyed diving and romping in the pool under the watchful eyes of recreation specialists Pat Robison and Jamil Prier and aides.
Six other parks will have the sessions for children geared toward ages 7-12, from July 12-30, said Abby Ison, Middletown recreation assistant.
The program has been offered at seven parks for more than 30 years, and some former participants are now leaders, Ms. Ison said.
“This year we included 12 parks to reach more children,” Ms. Ison said.
The fun starts at 1 p.m. weekdays. Each day is a new adventure. Activities vary, from swimming, fishing and board games to games that teach team building and problem solving, crafts, coloring contests and various sports. There are also field trips to such places as the library, the city building and police and fire departments.
But along with the fun and games is a learning process.
“They often get a chance to ride the city's mass transit system to see how that works, and they get to see what's offered in the community for little or no fees,” Ms. Ison said.
headIF YOU GO
The next free session of the Middletown Summer Playground Program runs July 12-30 at Gardner, Lefferson, Oakland, Old South, Whitney and Wilson parks.
Parents should take their children ages 7-12 to any park in their neighborhood that is offering the program between 1 and 5 p.m. weekdays and fill out a registration form. The only cost is for a trip to the Newport Aquarium planned for July 30.
To be eligible, youngsters must attend at least 50 percent of the daily activities, get a permission slip from parents, pay a $5 fee if financially able, and be well-behaved in the daily activities.
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