Devin Delia, 3, loves playing on the cushioned play area at the Bonita Springs Recreational Center.
He likes to hide in between the cushions and roll around inside the cushioned cylinders as his grandma, Diana, watches.
Diana Delia brings Devin to the Pee Wee Parents Club gatherings inside the gym at the recreational center every week to play with kids from as far as San Carlos Park.
“Just the interaction with the other children is good and it’s good because he entertains himself,” said Diana Delia, of Bonita Springs. She pays just $3 a class.
His energy sometimes gets the best of Delia but his time with other kids has helped Devin come out of his shell.
“When he first started, he didn’t talk to the other kids and now he is going and going,” she said.
Kathy Dillon is the senior recreation specialist at the center and structures the class for kids as young as 18 months to 5 years old.
“Parents love it and their kids look forward to coming every week. It’s the parents that like the arts and crafts more than the kids,” Dillon said.
During the two-hour classes, Dillon teaches values like sharing and encourages kids to play with one another.
The center provides play equipment including a cushioned play area, a steel drum, a rubber bounce ball and a miniature grocery cart with plastic food.
“It’s wonderful to meet a bunch of new kid every year and make friends with them and their parents” Dillon said. “Sharing is a big (lesson). They learn how to patient too.”
Although the kids are there to meet each other, many of the parents find themselves discussing schooling and anecdotes about their children.
“It’s good to come and see the parents and we bring them every week because it’s a great little program where (kids) can run for an hour and then do arts and crafts projects,” said Sandy Rehard, of San Carlos Park.
She enjoys the crafts but it’s the fact that the kids get tired that is at the top of her list of reasons to make the drive to Bonita Springs.
“Naps are coming ... naps are coming,” Rehard said as the kids ran around and played. “It’s the highlight of their week.”
Because pre-school children are so young, there aren’t many programs for them and it’s hard for parents to keep them in the house all the time.
“It’s a shame because after summer, it’s like these little guys fall off the face of the earth. There isn’t anything else for them (to do),” Diana Delia said. “Cathy does some nice things with them and just because summer comes doesn’t mean (kids) don’t want to have fun.”
Although Dillon is aware that there isn’t anywhere to take younger kids, the center doesn’t offer sessions during the summer because the facility hosts summer camps for older kids.
The younger ones return at the start of the new school year.
“A lot of kids don’t get the chance to to go to preschool so this gives them a chance to interact with other kids and work on their attention,” Dillon said. “We do simple crafts and things but during the summer we just can’t do it.”
At their last gathering, Dillon threw an end of the year bash for the kids which included a water balloon fight, bubbles, food and a splash in the sprinklers.
“We try to come every week but we aren’t good with mornings because she doesn’t go to school yet. But it’s nice when we do come,” said Addie Costello, 31, of Bonita Springs. She spent time talking to another parent about whether to put her daughter in school early or wait until next year.
Her 4-year-old daughter Mackenzie likes to come and make friends but jumping in the sprinklers wasn’t Mackenzie’s idea of fun.
She spent the morning hours eating and making bubbles.
“She likes to do the crafts ... she isn’t one to be getting dirty but it’s still fun,” Costello said.
No comments:
Post a Comment