Well another school year has come and gone! It’s a time of year anticipated by students and teachers alike, (although most students don’t realize that we teachers look forward to it as much as they do)! Maybe it’s better to keep them in the dark on that account. The arrival of summer can be a mixed blessing for many parents however. While most of them look forward to spending more time with the kids, keeping them busy during the summer months can be a source of concern. With this in mind I thought I’d offer a few random suggestions for vacation activities to look into this season.

Dave Fowler is a personal trainer and fitness guru extraordinaire. As the summer heats up and East Texans take to the water, Dave offers swimming instructions to anyone interested in becoming a stronger swimmer. His usual “classroom” is the pool at Tyler Tennis and Swim from the hours of eight am to noon, but he gladly works with clients based their own availability. He has even held adult classes as late as nine o’clock at night. Dave has also been known to make house calls for those who prefer the comfort and privacy of their own pools. For those looking for a cool activity or just another outlet for exercise Coach Fowler offers a terrific opportunity. Dave can be reached by calling (903)520-9646.

Many area churches offer summer activities for Tyler youngsters including Vacation Bible School programs. Christ Church in Tyler is offer a program entitled “The High Seas Expedition.” The theme is “Explore the Mighty love of God!” The children hear Bible stories, participate in small group learning, paint, and do various crafts which teach Biblical lessons. The VBS runs from July fifth, through the ninth. For more information contact Christ Episcopal Church at (903)597-9854, or see their website at www.christchurchtyler.org/SerengetiTrek.htm.

For parents with school age children and busy summer schedules, Tyler Christian Preschool offers a summer daycare term. The children spend their summer days on field trips, doing arts and crafts, and learning about faith and family. This school is a wonderful, environment with caring teachers where school age students will learn and grow throughout the summer months. The children will have a tremendous time there! I can speak from personal experience as my son loves this school! For more information see their website at www.tylercp.com. Readers can also look for the title “Tyler Christian Preschool,” elsewhere on this site.

For those parents interested in more of a family “Stay-cation” experience, there is always the more traditional route. As a sports fan, taking my little guy to his first Texas Rangers game, ranked up there with his first communion. Although the drive to Arlington seemed longer than I remembered the experience was well worth the effort. Making the journey to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is also an exciting way to stay cool, but if parents are in the market for something closer to home, consider Splash Kingdom in Canton. The lower prices and closer proximity to Tyler may be a worthy trade off for a smaller park. (For more info on Splash Kingdom, see the recent article on this site entitled “Splash Kingdom Water Park gets you fun in the sun.”) Also visit their website at www.splashkingdomwaterpark.com.

There are certainly many more options for summer activities, but these are a few of my favs. Check back with tylertxdirectory.com for more options as they unfold this season.