Activities Educate, Entertain Youngsters and Keep Them in Shape
activities, elizabeth city, luanne pendergraft, port discover, recreation, rock-climbing,
How do snowflakes form and why are no two alike?
At Port Discover, children learn that snowflakes form when ice settles on dust and their unique shapes come from the air and temperature conditions right around them.
Learning is fun at the hands-on science museum, which offers dozens of programs for elementary-age youngsters on topics ranging from marine life to rainbows. The museum is just one of many resources for children in Pasquotank and Camden counties to keep young minds engaged and their bodies active.
At Port Discover in downtown Elizabeth City, kids set the pace, but educators are always nearby to offer information about science, says LuAnne Pendergraft, project director.
The center’s high-powered microscopes offer children extreme close-ups of life around them. Young learners also enjoy personal visits with real scientists, who come to the museum to talk on a chosen subject each month.
“We’ve had biology professors come in, and we had second-graders extracting DNA from pea plants,” Pendergraft says. “Pharmacy professors have come to talk about germs and how to stay healthy. It’s a nice opportunity for kids to interact with scientists.”
Another popular stop for young learners is the Museum of the Albemarle, one of three regional branch museums of the North Carolina Museum of History. The 50,000-square-foot building sits on the waterfront in downtown Elizabeth City and interprets the history and culture of the Albemarle region through its collections and galleries, including reconstructed log buildings and a life-size shad boat.
The Star Theater inside Elizabeth City State University’s Planetarium gives visitors a guided tour of the universe, while Clay Gardens pottery studio lets children express themselves through art.
When it’s time to get outside and move, kids have plenty of options here, too. The Pasquotank River region offers numerous ways to have fun in the great outdoors, with fishing, hiking, camping and biking high on the agenda for most young families.
Competition heats up on the athletic fields, where several hundred young athletes participate on teams organized by the Elizabeth City Parks and Recreation Department. The department serves residents of Pasquotank and Camden counties, says director Jim Overman.
“We have year-round tae kwon do classes in the Knobbs Creek Recreation Center, and we have youth baseball, softball and volleyball leagues,” he says.
During the summer, the department offers weekly sports camps, including baseball, tennis and cheering. Soccer teams attract large turnouts in the spring and fall.
The Albemarle Family YMCA also grabs kids’ attention through activities such as swimming lessons, movie nights and fun holiday events.
YMCA facilities include a large gym, rock climbing wall and a swimming pool. Teens have their own special events, such as movie nights on Tuesdays.
“We offer birthday parties here and give parents a night out once a month where they can drop kids off from 6 to 9:30 at night,” says Jennifer Pillsbury, senior program director of the Albemarle Family Y. The kids get to watch a movie and eat popcorn while their folks enjoy more grown-up pursuits – and that keeps everyone happy.
Story by Cristal Cody
Photo by Ian Curcio
