Just as new life bursts forth in spring, we too are emerging from a long, dark winter into the sunshine and warmth of community togetherness.
At this time last year, we were under lockdown. This spring just feels different as new hope gives rise to families being able to play together again and go on little adventures.
Batavia Road Rally – Walking Edition
History fascinates me and I love to explore. If there’s a chance for fun and adventure, that cinches it for me. That’s what is so intriguing about the walking edition of the Batavia Road Rally. Teams can work their ways through Batavia by following a set of clues, hints and activities on April 24.
As a newbie to Batavia, I hear that competition is strong, and some of the clues are real stumpers. Do you know who first settled in Batavia? Or how many working quarries were in “Rock City” in 1860? I sure didn’t. That just goes to show it never hurts to brush up a little on your Batavia history and community knowledge because that might give your team the edge it needs to take home a prize.
Yes, there are prizes. The team spirit award, as well as first- through third-place awards, will be bestowed on winning teams, but isn’t it really the bragging rights that serve as a bonus “prize?” Check-in begins at 12:30 p.m., and this event is sure to test a group’s communication and teamwork skills, making it a cool team-building exercise for area businesses, too.
The event is slated for 1 to 4 p.m., beginning at the Peg Bond Center, 151 N. Island Ave. Expect to walk about 3 miles.
Kids’ Club
The past year has been super stressful for parents and their little ones. They want to be safe, but feel lonely and frustrated, and just overloaded. I can hear a friend of mine saying, her voice filled with exasperation, that she “just wants five minutes of peace.”
Done. The Kids’ Club before- and after-school care program is back, thanks to Batavia Public School District 101 resuming full, in-person learning. During this program, children can receive homework help, show their creative streak with arts and crafts, try out fun science experiments and play together on playgrounds. Parents will have time to work from home, hunt for a job or run errands. Or, just a couple of hours of peace.
Kids’ Club is available from April 12 through May 7, and from May 10 through May 27.
Playground pop-up info session and scavenger hunt
A cool scavenger hunt with the kiddos, or as a couple, always sounds like a fun way to play outside as an adult. And playing together is at the heart of this dual-purpose scavenger hunt and focus group-like input session designed for families to bridge the generation gaps.
Volunteers from the Batavia Parks Foundation and Encore Batavia are hosting a pop-up scavenger hunt and information-gathering event from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 18, to gain neighborhood insight into the development of intergenerational playgrounds at Hawk’s Bluff Park, 950 Twin Elms Lane and Laurelwood Park, 800 N. River St.
Individuals and family teams will receive a map of each park with clues to the locations where bricks are hidden. Each brick will reveal a letter in the mystery word and answers can be turned in for treats. Yes, adults can snag a treat! Even better, everyone may share their thoughts on amenities they would like to see when these intergenerational playgrounds are created.