For many years, the Weehawken Recreation department has offered a wide variety of activities and programs for everyone from the ages of 6 through 66.
However, when it came to having events and programs for kids younger than 6, there was something lacking.
“I have to be the first to admit,” Weehawken Recreation Director Chuck Barone said. “We never had anything for kids ages 3 through 5. Everything in the program started with 6-year-olds. However, people kept asking why we didn’t have anything for the younger kids, so I did some research and figured we could give it a shot.”
Barone noticed that the Hoboken YMCA had programs for smaller youngsters and decided to follow their lead. “I was thinking about what to do for the younger kids, saw the program at the Y and decided to give it a try.”
So two weeks ago, Barone started two new programs for the toddlers of the township, an Art Play program, where kids create arts and crafts under the watchful eyes of their parents, as well as Toddler Gymnastics, where the youngsters are taught the basic fundamentals in gymnastics.
Both programs are held at Roosevelt School, with the Art Play program running from 9 to 10 a.m. and the Toddler Gymnastics going from 10:15-11 a.m.
“The Art Play program is based on the ‘Mommy & Me’ program, where the parent and the child work together on arts and crafts,” Barone said. “It’s important that the parents are involved at that early age. The Toddler Gymnastics teaches the kid simple tumbling and rolling, as well as exercises and stretching.”
When Barone instituted the program, he didn’t know what to expect in terms of a turnout. However, the program has been very successful, with some 25 kids participating in the Art Play and some 30 youngsters participating in the gymnastics.
“I really didn’t expect that big of a turnout,” Barone said. “It was great to see such a large number of kids. Some of the kids go from the one program to the other.”
Like the majority of programs offered by the Weehawken Department of Recreation, there is no charge for Weehawken residents.
Because of the ages of the children, Barone said that it is essential that parents remain involved. There are certified gymnastic instructors from the Kennedy School in Jersey City that provide the lessons, but the parents must remain with their children at all times.
“It’s been such a success that I had to go out and purchase 12 more mats, because we had so many kids,” Barone said. “We had only about eight to start.”
The Art Play and Toddler Gymnastics are only two of the new programs that the Weehawken Recreation Department has started this fall.
Another new program is golf lessons for adults, taught by the coaches of the Weehawken High School golf team, Carnig Nersessian and Bob Zucconi. They give free lessons at Edgewater Golf Center on Tuesday nights between 7 and 9 p.m. Nearly 30 Weehawken residents have signed up for the lessons.
There are new classes for infant and child cardio pulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid that are being taught by the Weehawken Volunteer First Aid Squad.