From the strum of ukulele strings to the pop of balls hitting pickleball paddles, the sounds of Camp Villages can be heard throughout the community.
The program gives Villagers and their grandchildren a plethora• •of pastimes to choose from as a way to spend time together during the long days of summer vacation.
This year’s program started June 3 and will last until Aug. 2 with a range of options, from sports to arts and crafts to scavenger hunts.
The Villages Recreation and Parks Department has hosted the intergenerational program since 2000. The summer program takes place over nine weeks each summer. This year, the department has more than 150 activities planned for children ages 3 to 16 years old that are sure to provide lasting memories of time with their family.
Here’s a brief rundown of some activities held during the second week of Camp Villages 2024:
Ukulele
On Tuesday, more than 20 members of the Ukulele Players Club taught Villagers and their grandchildren basic ukulele chords at Lake Miona Recreation. Club members also taught the participants songs to sing while playing the simple chords.
“The ukulele is easy to play,” said Dennis McLean, lead instructor for the class. “With there being four strings and four fingers, it all matches up and makes it easier than other instruments.”• ••McLean said grandparents tell him their grandchildren enjoy the class.
“All of a sudden (the grandchildren) understand, ‘I love making music,’” said McLean, of the Village of Collier. “They realize it’s not hard to do and by the end of the lesson they can play a song.”
Joan Rumsey, of the Village De La Vista, said she sent the list of Camp Villages activities to her granddaughter Aalura Rumsey, who lives in Pennsylvania, and Aalura chose this one.
“We were on it,” Rumsey said. “I made sure to sign up by 8:30 a.m. and still some of the classes were full. The nice thing about this class is that it is indoors.”
During the break, she jokingly asked Aalura if it was time to go out and buy their own ukuleles.
Aalura said she enjoyed the ukulele class so much she took notes while McLean gave lessons to the room.
“It was so much fun,” Aalura said. “I wanted to remember what I was learning.”
Just for Teens: Pickleball
Thursday’s activities included the Just for Teens: Pickleball Clinic, where teenagers learned techniques from expert instructors at Truman Recreation.
Instructor Diane Kreighoff, of the Village of Sanibel, said she has been playing pickleball for 12 years.
“My husband and I have been trained with all the safety and mechanics that you need to play pickleball,” Kreighoff said. “Our goal is to get (grandchildren and grandparents) to play pickleball safely and enjoy themselves.”
Gary Wolfe, of the Village of Sanibel, said he was excited to spend time with his grandson who recently arrived from Las Vegas. Wolfe, who never played pickleball before, said this was a chance to try new things and have a good time doing it.
Frankie Packer, of Venice Beach, said she was excited to learn how to play the game and find a new way to stay active. ••“I didn’t even know about pickleball before today,” said Packer, who is visiting her grand-aunt Danna Bassett, of the Village of Pinellas.
Golf Cart Scavenger Hunt
Thursday also included a Golf Cart Scavenger Hunt event for grandchildren as young as 5 years old, starting from the outdoor pavilion at Bradenton Recreation.
The scavenger hunt sent children and their grandparents to nearby recreation centers to participate in different activities at each location.
Activities included finding the names of eight Minions (from “Despicable Me”) at Captiva Recreation and getting creative with colored sand and a test tube at Bradenton Recreation.
Lucy Constance traveled from Kansas City to spend time with her grandmother Barbara Millard, of the Village of Osceola Hills, and said she enjoys riding in the golf carts.
“I like going to the different recreation centers,” Lucy said.
Millard said seeing grandchildren have fun is the best part of Camp Villages.
“I want them to go back home and bug their parents next year saying, ‘I want to go back there to grandma’s house,’” Millard said, as her granddaughter enthusiastically agreed.
During week three of Camp Villages, families can participate in dragon boat racing, fishing, kickball and more. Register for upcoming events at districtgov.org or by calling 352-753-1716.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
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