Vacation week options still out there for Dot parents

The February school vacation week is upon us, but there are still plenty of free or affordably priced options for working parents who can’t break away for a week of fun with the kids.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester on Deer Street will host a vacation week camp for children ages 5-12. The program will run Tuesday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at a cost of $125 per child. Children can enjoy a variety of activities including arts and crafts, cooking, sports activities, swimming, dramatic play, and indoor and outdoor fun. Breakfast, lunch and snack are included. Contact Mary Kinsella at 617-288-7120 for more information.

The Clubs, with facilities in Savin Hill and Columbia Point, will also offer their usual lineup for members next week, although it will be closed for the Monday holiday. Mike Joyce, vice president of programming, said the Keystone Club, a teen leadership program, will run Cradles to Crayons and a cultural fair for members on Feb. 25.

The Lower Mills Campus of Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy is also holding a week-long day program that will specialize in musical, artistic, or theatrical activities. Children can participate in a range of programs that include music theory, violin, percussion, voice-chorus, clay portraits, and drama.

The program will run the whole week— including Presidents Day— from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at a cost of $300. On the last day, the camp will stage a performance for the children to display what they have learned. Call  Mary Swanton at 617-265-0019 for more details.

The Salvation Army’s Kroc Center on Dudley Street  is offering its Kroc Enrichment Week, which provides various activities and exhibits from Feb. 20 to Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children from ages 6 to 14 can engage in a range of programs including Discovery of the Arts, Aquatic Exploration, Academic and Life Skills, and Fun, Fitness Activities.

Welcome Desk Associate Arielle Stivey said children will be provided with breakfast, lunch, and a snack. The cost is $85 for members and $125 for non-members.

There are also several free, family-oriented events planned by the Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department over the break.

For the fifth year, the BCYF has organized the “Boston R.O.C.K. IT!!!” event, which encourages families to start planning early for summer programs and camps for their children. It will be held at Emmanuel College’s Yawkey Center gymnasium on Feb. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children will have the opportunity to participate in interactive games while parents will receive resource bags with flyers and brochures about BCYF community center camps.

Meagan Seaman, community learning initiative coordinator at BCYF, said this event is the first opportunity to promote summer citywide and will have a “pep rally” feel.

“Research says that kids involved in summer programs return to school better prepared to learn,” she said. “This will be a really fun event for families with performances and games where we will be pulling kids from the audience.”

The Boston Parks and Recreation Department will host its second Winter Festival at the Franklin Park Golf Course Clubhouse on Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival includes a range of activities such as weather-permitted sledding, arts and crafts, games, face painting, and a demonstration by the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit.

“It is the first year we’re having the Rangers horse demonstration, which is something special for the older children,” said Jacquelyn Goddard of the Park and Recreation Department. “This event is a great success since a lot of families are looking for activities, especially free ones.”

The Boston Public Library branches will also be hosting events during the vacation week. The Mattapan Branch is offering a Family Movie Night honoring Black History Month. They will be screening The Wiz on Feb. 21 at 5:30 p.m. On Feb. 23 at 1 p.m., the Lower Mills Branch will be holding a Wii games tournament.

For a full list of events and to find activities at your local community center, visit cityofboston.gov/bcyf.


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