Fun’s In For Summer

Summer has officially begun — and New Haven is ready for it, with movies in the park and free basketball lessons and open swims and summer-slump-combatting reading challenges on tap.

Those city-sponsored activities and many more are detailed in an email press release that Mayor Justin Elicker’s office sent out earlier this month following a press conference the mayor and other top city officials held at Lighthouse Point Park.

The press release details a host of recreation activities, including summer camps and ​“family fun days” and police athletic league chess clubs, open to the public this warm-weather season. It also describes academic and free-meal programs available in the months ahead.

Click here to read in detail about those offerings in the mayor’s 2023 Summer Youth Guide. And see below for the press release in full.

Press Release: Summer Fun And Learning In New Haven: Mayor Elicker And City Officials Announce Summer 2023 Activities, Events & Programs

NEW HAVEN, CT – On Friday, June 2, Mayor Justin Elicker, alongside representatives from the New Haven Youth and Recreation Department (YARD), New Haven Department of Parks and Public Works (P&PW), New Haven Public Schools (NHPS), New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) and New Haven Police Activity League (PAL) announced dozens of fun and enriching summer activities, events and programs for New Haven’s children, youth and families. The press announcement took place at Lighthouse Point Park, the site of one of the City’s upcoming summer camps and one of New Haven’s busiest parks, providing residents with access to the beach, a splash pad, a playground, carousel rides and other outdoor recreational activities. 

“New Haven is a great place to live all year round, but the summer is always a special season for children, youth and families. The City of New Haven will soon be bursting with fun and enriching activities for children and youth of all ages, interests and abilities across every neighborhood of the Elm City, and my family and I can’t wait!” said Mayor Justin Elicker. ​“Our children and youth deserve every opportunity to thrive, both inside and outside of the classroom, and we’re committed to providing families with high-quality programs that spark joy and unleash learning for our young people. It’s going to be a great summer of fun and learning in New Haven.”

The New Haven Youth and Recreation Department, other city departments and local non-profit organizations are offering a wide variety of summer activities and programs across the City, many of which are listed in the newly released Mayor’s 2023 Summer Youth Guide, a comprehensive 70-plus page booklet and helpful resource for parents and caregivers, which is now available online at newhavenct.gov/2023YouthSummerGuide.

“We have something fun for everyone this summer, and we encourage New Haven’s children, youth and families to take advantage of all the wonderful activities and programs happening across the city and to create new memories together this summer,” said Dr. Gwendolyn B. Williams, Executive Director of New Haven’s Youth and Recreation Department. ​“There are so many exciting events happening, residents won’t be able to fit it all in!”

RECREATION ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS

There are dozens of recreational activities and programs offered by the Youth and Recreation Department and Parks & Public Works Department, including the following:

• Movies in the Park on Fridays at sunset, rotating to different city parks beginning on July 7^th;

• Family Fun Days on Wednesday afternoons between 2:30 and 5:30 pm beginning on July 12^th, rotating to different city parks offering free food, games, activities, bouncy houses, lives DJs and more;

• The Summer Fun Bus will make daily visits to different neighborhood locations across the city between 4 and 8 pm beginning on June 26^th, providing arts, crafts, games and other activities;

• Skills in the Park basketball lessons on Saturday mornings between 9:30 am to 2 pm, rotating to different city parks beginning June 3^rd;

• Weekly Summer Camps run weekdays from June 26^th to August 11st at selected locations and offer a variety of daily activities and different themes;

• Splash Pads at 16 locations officially open on the last day of school and are programed for activation from 10 am to sundown. The splash pad at Lighthouse Point Park is currently fully operational on the weekends and will be operational daily when school ends;

• Open Swim sessions at Hillhouse High School and Hill Regional Career High School are available during the weekdays from 5 to 7 pm and on the weekends from 11 am — 3 pm from June 26^th to August 4^th.

The full schedule and specific locations for all these items as well as other recurring and special programming can also be found in the Mayor’s 2023 Summer Youth Guide, YARD’s website (newhavenct.gov/youth) or by calling 203 – 946-7582. In addition, if a child or parent requires a disability-related accommodation to participate in the City’s programs, it can be requested through the Youth and Recreation Department.

The New Haven Police Activity League (PAL) also offers several summer activities and programs, including:

• PAL Summer Camp is a 5‑week, full-day program that runs from July 5^th to August 4^th for children ages 8 to 11 years old. At the camp, kids enjoy athletic activities such as basketball and swimming, arts and crafts activities, enrichment activities, field trips, and special events like First Responders Day. (Note: Currently all PAL camp slots are full, but wait list applications are being accepted.)

• PAL Chess Club occurs every Tuesday from 4:30 — 6:30 pm for children and youth ages 8 to 17 at 200 Wintergreen Avenue in the PAL room. No experience is necessary — this activity is geared towards beginners and those looking to learn the game of chess.

• PAL Kids Martial Arts classes are available for children and youth ages 8 to 17 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and aim to provide participants with the lifelong gifts of discipline, confidence and self-defense as well as helping them become strong, fit and safe. 

Sergeant Ronald Ferrante, Director of the New Haven PAL, said ​“At New Haven PAL, we’re committed to building strong relationships between officers and our community through our programs. Our summer camp, chess club, martial arts, basketball clinic, flag football and other activities help bridge the gap between law enforcement and our community while providing lifelong memories and experiences for the kids we serve. We’re proud to be a part of a community that values the importance of positive relationships between police and the people we protect and serve.”

Residents can learn more and register for New Haven PAL activities at www.newhavenpal.com or by calling 203 – 675-6776.

ACADEMIC, TUTORING AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS

There are several academic and tutoring programs that are being offered alongside outdoor learning and enrichment activities by New Haven Public Schools, the New Haven Free Public Library, and non-profit organizations involved in the New Haven Tutoring Initiative.

New Haven Public Schools is offering its Summer of Fun programming from June 28 to July 28 on a staggered schedule between 8 am and 2 pm, depending on grade level and location. Students will be engaged in reading, writing, science and outdoor learning each day. Enrichment activities will include kayaking, hiking, arts and crafts and theater. The program is available to children from grade pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Information is available on the NHPS website: nhps.net.

“Learning doesn’t take a vacation. We use this time of year for fun, exciting and challenging learning opportunities that meet the diverse needs and interests of our students and families,” stated New Haven Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Keisha Redd-Hannans. ​“Our fun kicks off at this weekend’s second annual S.T.R.E.A.M. Carnival featuring robotics, bomba drumming, virtual reality, a petting zoo and much more. Summer camp activities include social justice, sports, and camping, and more!”

The New Haven Tutoring Initiative, a new joint initiative by the City of New Haven, the United Way of Greater New Haven, New Haven Reads, LEAP and NHPS, will be providing weekly literacy and math summer tutoring to students in grades 1 to 5. Tutoring will be offered or embedded in existing summer programs at several New Haven non-profits across the City, including New Haven Reads, LEAP, Boys & Girls Club, Horizons, Inspired Communities, New Haven Counts and New Hytes. Interested families as well as those looking to tutor students, donate books or volunteer at family literacy events can do so at newhavenct.gov/tutoring.

This coming week the New Haven Free Public Library is kicking off many of their summer of reading and learning activities, including the following:

• 2023 Summer Learning Program: Children and teens can sign up and take the challenge to read for 20 minutes each day between June 10th and August 26th and ​“Find Your Voice” this summer through reading. Participants will explore new books, attend exciting programs and earn prizes as they make their way through their reading game board towards the finish line. Visit your local library during kick-off week (June 5th — June 10^th) to sign up for a library card, get a reading log and join NHFPL for fun stories, activities and more. All ages are welcome. Learn more at nhfpl.org/children/ymreadingprograms/

• READy for the Grade: A NewAlliance Foundation reading support program to prevent the summer slide, is back for another summer at the NHFPL. Families with children between the ages of 5 and 8 are encouraged to sign-up for NHFPL’s tutoring program to help stop summer learning loss by working with educators in small, focused reading groups and family literacy nights to level up their reading skills. Registration is free and currently open at the Wilson and Stetson branches.

Other recurring and special programming at all branches can be found at NHFPL’s website (nhfpl.org) and social media pages (@NHFPL) on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

“We are excited to invite children, teens and families to explore, create and learn with us at the New Haven Free Public Library this summer. Find your Voice through reading and join our summer learning challenge to read 20 minutes each day. Summer reading is an opportunity to actively engage in your child’s reading journey,” said Incoming City Librarian Maria Bernhey. ​“NHFPL programs play a vital role in preventing summer learning loss, promoting literacy, encouraging academic success and fostering a love for reading. Visit your local branch to sign-up for summer learning, discover a new author, attend a program, meet your amazing local library staff, and make family reading an adventure this summer!” 

OTHER PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

Free summer meals for kids and teens are available throughout the summer at many New Haven Public Schools and other community sites. All locations can be found at CTSummerMeals.org or by calling 211.

Youth@Work summer employment opportunities begin July 5^th for New Haven Public School youth ages 14 – 21, and provide young people with workplace exposure, mentoring and school and community-based enrichment activities. Learn more at newhavenct.gov/youth.

Summer programming from many other local organizations is also included in the Mayor’s 2023 Summer Youth Guide, which can be accessed online at newhavenct.gov/2023summeryouthguide.