As the leaves start hinting at a color change, the City of Reno gears up its Sierra Kids Program by rolling out registration for its annual Fall Camps, set to run October 6–10, as parents and kids alike shimmy into autumn’s academic embrace. Those looking to secure a spot for their progeny are encouraged to act fast and navigate the online sign-ups or go old school and swing by the Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center to register in person. After all, spots are about as abundant as a desert oasis, and with registration closing once full, there’s particular urgency to jump on board.
New this season are camps designed to intrigue every eager young mind – whether they’re the future builders at the Bricks & Bots Engineering Camp or the budding athletes at the specially formulated Sports Camp. The former stands out with a promise to tuck in some serious STEM action into the busy hands of 7-12 year olds gripping LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential robotics kits. It’s not all about building lifeless lumps of plastic, though. The kids will breathe code into their creations, ending the week with an exhibit that’ll surely be buzz-worthy. The latter, meanwhile, is a concoction of activity and spirited team play, claiming to infuse confidence and teamwork into restless limbs through basketball, soccer, flag football, and an ensemble of sports classics for those aged 4 all the way to 12, according to the city’s announcement.
Diversity runs wild in the Fall Camps as each offering comes with its own flavor. The traditional camp remains the bread and butter of the program, delivering a wholesome mix of games, crafts, and field trips suited for the 5-12 year age group. But let’s peel back layers on the specifics of the trendy new additions, shall we? The Bricks & Bots camp touts a “weeklong experience” where the little engineers will conjure up everything from snowmobiles to amusement park rides, all topped with their own coding expertise. As for the multi-sport camp, it’s an incubator for sportsmanship that’s available in two sizes – Junior for the teeny pre-K to kindergarten contingent and Youth for the ones slightly taller than a fire hydrant all the way to those on the verge of tween-dom…