PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With summer right around the corner the city is encouraging families to start planning how they’ll be spending their days.
On Tuesday, Mayor Jim Kenney announced the It's A Summer Thing program, which aims to keep kids safe and off the streets during their time off from school.
Through the program, kids can get involved at summer camps, swim at pools and get free swimming lessons, participate in reading activities at libraries and join in on fun activities and play time on blocks throughout the city thanks to the Playstreets Program.
Bill Salvatore, with the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Center, says this year they will offer more than 6,500 summer camp spaces in about 120 day camps across the city. He added that, while the intention of this program is to keep kids safe, they also want to ensure they are well-fed.
“Playstreets provides free meals for kids during the summer. That means when the school year ends, that free meals don’t end.”
And, for the first time, every summer camp in Philadelphia will have extended care until 6 p.m. for families who need it.
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Kids will also be able to cool down as spray grounds turn on Memorial Day Weekend. They will stay on every day of the week until Labor Day. Pools will open on a rolling basis starting mid June. A list of local pools can be found here.
“These programs and activities should bring a lot of joy and opportunities and social connections for youth and families in Philadelphia,” Kenney said.
More information on programs and activities can be found on their website.