Medalta is among local organizations preparing a slate of day camps for kids should teachers go on strike as expected on Monday.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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As Alberta teachers are set to strike starting Monday, several businesses in Medicine Hat are offering daytime programs for children. Medalta, the Whiskey District and the Esplanade are all putting on programming to tide over families affected by the strike.
Medalta will host a full-day camp featuring scavenger hunts, science experiments, outdoor play and, of course, hands-on clay creations. The camp is catered toward children aged 5-12 and will run from Oct. 6-17.
Places are limited and registration is available online.
The Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre will also be offering art-based entertainment for kids out of the classroom, hosting pop-up art days from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Children will be able to experiment with different materials and explore new techniques in choice-based arts and crafts activities. Registration fees will include materials and registration is also available online.
The Whiskey District will host a Kids Cooking Camp for children aged 10-12, Tuesday through Friday.
Mornings will begin with rock-climbing at the neighbouring Badlands Training Centre. Then, children will head next door to step into the kitchen. The camp will teach children to prepare wholesome meals from scratch using approachable cooking techniques.
The camp is running from 9 a.m. to noon each day, and will cost $30 per child per day, including gym activities, rock climbing fees and food costs.
Spots can be reserved by phone at 587-289-2523.
All camps will be closed for Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 16, should the strike continue.
The flexible programs will be available as necessary, and if circumstances with the strike change, registrations will be refunded.
The Medicine Hat Public Library reminds families that children are not allowed to be left unattended at the library and encourages parents to explore these day camp options. Library policy does however allow a caregiver as young as 13 to accompany a younger child.
The library also directs parents looking to mitigate learning loss to check out the resources they offer. Solaro, a program that allows students in Grades 3-12 to access the Alberta curriculum and test their knowledge through quizzes, is available online through the library webpage.
The province is also offering some supports for families and students, including a free education toolkit and funding support up to $150 a week per student to subsidize additional childcare costs.
