9 Fun Programs To Check Out This Fall In Calgary
The leaves (and the commercials on TV) are starting to change, which can mean only one thing: fall is right around the corner. With back to school season sneaking up faster than you can say “Pumpkin Spice Latte”, it’s also time to start thinking about the activities your kiddos might want to try out this fall. Whether your crew is into sports, the arts, literature or leadership, there are plenty of great options available for fall 2019. Spots can fill up quick, so click the registration links sooner rather than later so you don’t miss out!
Sportball
sportball.ca
Ages: 2-8
Cost: $81-214 depending on course and number of classes
Location: Various locations across Calgary
Meeting Times: Vary by class and location
Does your 2-8 year old have a hard time choosing between all of the awesome ball sport programs available this fall? If so, why not try Sportball? Sportball introduces kids to the concepts and skills they’ll need to be successful in eight different ball sports, including baseball, football, basketball, golf, hockey, soccer, tennis and volleyball. In each class, attendees will get a chance to practice skills related to a specific sport, and then will get to test out their new skills in a sport specific game or cooperative game afterwards. There are tons of locations to give Sportball a try all around the city, and it’s the perfect way to introduce your younger kids to a bunch of ball sports to see which ones they like the best!
Calgary Quidditch Club
calgaryquidditch.ca
Ages: 9-15
Cost: $130
Location: West Hillhurst Community Association, 1940 6 Avenue NW
Meeting Times: Tuesdays between 6:00-7:30 pm from September 3 to October 22
As an avid Harry Potter Fan, this is one club I couldn’t leave off of the list! Although it started as a fictional game as part of the fantasy series, Quidditch has become one of the fastest growing sports in the muggle world. The sport, which is a mix of rugby, dodgeball and ultimate frisbee, allows both genders to join a team and have a magical time! Did you know that Quidditch has over 26 teams across the globe which form the International Quidditch Association, which has a World Cup tournament every 2 years? It’s not too late to get involved in this spellbinding sport!
83 Juno Beach Air Cadet Squadron
junobeachsquadron.com
Ages: 12-18
Cost: There is no cost, but parents and cadets are expected to participate in fundraising activities
Location: Shepard Community Hall, 1080 84 Street SE
Meeting Times: Tuesdays from 6:30-9:30 pm
Do you have a 12-18-year-old who is fascinated with the world of aviation and would like to get their pilot’s license for free? Do they have a passion for music and sports and want to learn the value of citizenship and leadership? If so, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets may be the perfect club for them to join this fall. To be eligible, registrants must be a legal resident of Canada with proof of provincial health insurance and must also not belong to another corps or squadron.
Go Performance Fitness Martial Arts
goperformancefitnesslab.ca
Ages: 3+
Cost: Monthly Membership is $99 with no contract – Students can attend as many classes per month as they’d like
Location: 2123 33 Avenue SW
Meeting Times: Classes offered Tuesdays and Thursdays for kids between 3-6 and Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays for kids 6+)
One of my favourite things about hitting the gym at Go Performance Fitness is seeing adorable little martial artists honing in their skills with Sensei Paul. Throughout the week, kids aged 3 and up excitedly kick, punch, and practice their patience and listening skills while learning a mix of Goju- Ryu, Muay Thai & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The unparented class is a perfect opportunity to work on your own fitness goals while your kiddos grow their strength, coordination, balance, flexibility, and endurance while working their way through the belt ranking system. If you’re not sure whether or not Martial Arts is your kid’s thing, rest assured that they’re welcome to try out their first class for free to see if they want to come back for more!
Calgary Children’s Choir
calgarychildrenschoir.com
Ages: 3-23
Cost: $61-$113 per month, depending on group
Location: Crescent Heights Baptist Church, 1212 1 Street NW
Meeting Times: Dependent on the group – Tuesdays and/or Thursdays
The Calgary Children’s Choir offers a variety of programs for kids of different ages. For children between 3 and 4, there’s the “Music Makers” Level I club, which aims to teach little ones a love of music as well as concepts such as rhythm, beat and melody. As kiddos graduate to level II, choral singing skills are added into the mix to prepare them for the junior choir. This is the first level where students will get a chance to perform all the musical selections they’ve practiced. Both Music Makers classes are $61 per month. The Junior Choir ($81 per month) teaches students from Grades 2-4 how to read music, how to follow a conductor, and how to perform in a live concert setting, with three main concerts per year. The Calgary Children’s Choir ($113 per month) welcomes students from Grade 5-9, and the Youth Choir ($113) is offered to students in Grade 10 and beyond. Both of these clubs will participate in three concerts per year, and are eligible to participate in national and international tours.
Programs Offered Through The City of Calgary
calgary.ca
Ages, cost, location and meeting times vary based on course.
The City of Calgary has something for literally everyone this fall! There’s a course for just about every interest you can imagine, including a huge variety of dance classes (Hip-Hop, Ballet, Jazz, Fusion, Tap, Dance from Musicals, Dance for Boys, Preschool Dance, and more), Art (clay, collage, drawing, painting, cartoons and comics, pottery, Claymation and fibre art, to name a few) and, of course, swimming. For martial arts enthusiasts, there’s karate, Tae Kwon Do, kickboxing, Aikido, and Tai Chi. If that’s not enough, maybe your little athlete would like to try Yoga, Pilates, golf, skating, hockey, soccer, gymnastics, rock climbing, floor hockey, badminton, or roller skating! Courses are offered at facility locations across the city, and with such a huge variety of things to try out, the sky’s the limit with fun things to try!
Fine arts, drama and dance Programs at Wildflower Arts Centre
liveandplay.calgary.ca
Ages: All Ages
Cost: Around $100
Location: Wildflower Arts Centre, 3363 Spruce Dr SW, Calgary,
Meeting Times: Dependent on Activity
If you’ve got a youngster with a passion for fine arts, or would like to join in on the fun yourself, Wildflower Arts Centre has a huge variety of courses that will get those creative juices flowing. Hip hop, ballet, drama, cartooning, clay, painting and more await at Wildflower Art Centre, and prices are totally affordable, at around $9 per class! There are courses for your kids to try out independently, and there are even options available for parents and kids to learn and play together.
Gymnastics at Calgary Gymnastics Centre
amilia.com
Ages: All Ages
Cost: Varies based on course
Location: West Location: 179 Canada Olympic Road SW; North Location: 2638 Country Hills Boulevard NE
Meeting Times: Dependent on Activity
For kids who love to flip, twist, jump and climb, gymnastics is the perfect class to sign up for this fall! The Calgary Gymnastics Centre has two locations in the city – one is in the Southwest, and the other is in the Northeast. Courses are available for kids anywhere from 6 months old and up, including parented classes for babies and tots, trampoline and tumbling, introduction to gymnastics, more advanced gymnastics courses, acro skills for dance, and more. One thing to keep in mind is that the Alberta Gymnastics Federation has mandated all gyms to require annual insurance in addition to gym fees, which is $40.
Free Programs through the Calgary Public Library
calgarylibrary.ca
Ages, location and meeting times vary based on course.
Cost: FREE!
The Calgary Public Library offers hundreds of amazing programs to patrons of all ages, and the best part is that they’re all absolutely FREE to anyone who has a Calgary Public Library Card (good news – library cards are also free!)! There are programs for Babies and Toddlers, School-Aged Kids, Teens, Adults, and even programs for the whole family. There are also specialized programs for Newcomers to Calgary, as well as Arts and Culture and Technology-Specific programs. Some programs reoccur weekly and others are one-time events. Whether you’re interested in literacy-related activities, or just about anything STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art or Math) related, the Calgary Public Library has you covered! Registration for Fall Programs opened on August 19th, so visit their website to sign up before your favourite session is full!
What courses are your kids looking forward to trying out this fall? Do you have any that you’d recommend to other parents? Let us know in the comments!
