Performers from Sol Children Theatre Troupe.

Now that we’re into back-to-school mode – well, once this rain clears! -  it’s time to start scheduling those extra-curricular activities, as well.

Fall is a busy season to sign up for sports and year-round activities and clubs.

If you are looking for some new interests for your kids, here is a sampling of the options you can still get into this season:

Sports

Soccer season is coming soon. The deadline for registering with the Soccer Association of Boca Raton is Sept. 15. Practices are one night a week with a weekend game. For ages 4 to 18. Registration is $120 a player, including uniform (but not cleats).  Register online at www.sabrsoccer.net.

There are still spaces available for East Boca Tackle football cheerleading. Registration continues until Sept. 1 for girls age 6-12. Practice two nights a week, plus one or two games a week. $175 includes uniforms.

The United States Cheerleading Association offers several cheerleading programs at the Sugar Sand Park Field House, starting in September. Get the details in The Recreator.

Performing arts

Several local drama programs are registering students for fall. Sol Children Theatre Troupe is a nonprofit organization that offers weekly classes in improv, acting, musical theater and more for ages 5 to 12 and older. Last call for registration is Sept. 21. Course descriptions at solchildren.org.

The nonprofit Sunflower Creative Arts is revamping and adding some new drama programs, beginning this week. There are classes for ages 4-6, 7-10, 10-14, and an improv class for ages 13-18. Sunflower is also adding a theater class for kids on the autism spectrum, age 7-10. Get details at sunflowercreativearts.org. (More on other new Sunflower programs below).

Showtime Performing Arts Theatre offers group classes in theater (as well as voice, dance and some musical instruments) for ages 4-adult, starting this week. The first show of the season will be Mary Poppins. Get details and register at showtimeboca.com.

Mommy & Me

The city offers several classes for parents with their babies and toddlers, which will be starting again in the next few weeks. Get the details in The Recreator.

Sunflower Creative Arts is expanding its Little Sprouts Mommy & Me class (for toddlers 18 months to 3 years with an adult) to include Saturdays – great for working parents. And it’s starting a new class called Sunflower Babies for infants up to 8 months with an adult.  Get times and other details at the Sunflower website.

BocaParent Guru contributor Karen Deerwester is the Mommy & Me director at B’nai Torah Congregation, where classes begin in September. There is still space available for all ages. Get the info at the B’nai Torah website.

Service

Sunflower will also resume its Roots & Shoots chapter this fall. Membership is free. Roots & Shoots is an international service organization for kids. Sunflower offers it for two age groups: 5-9 and 10-16. Members do local service projects that show caring for the environment, animals and people. Registration info at the Sunflower website.  You can read about some of the group’s past activities in the BocaParent blog.

LEARN MORE

Find many, many more options for classes and activities for all ages offered by the city, parks and libraries in the latest edition of The Recreator..

Just remember: Don’t overdo it. Kids need down time, too. And so does the mom taxi.

- CHARLENE PACENTI

If you’re staying in town for the holidays and need to find something for the kids to do, or need child care while you work, there are some great camps offered during the break, from basketball to gymnastics to drama.

Many of the programs also offer some flexibility, whether you need them for the whole break, or just a day or two.

Here are some ideas:

Boca Hoops: The recreational basketball league’s Holiday Mini Camp has two sessions for girls and boys age 7-15: Dec. 27-30 and Jan. 3-6. Both run 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Olympic Heights Community High School, 20101 Lyons Rd. Call 561-395-7372, ext. 106.

City of Boca Raton: Recreational camp for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade at the Boca Raton Community Center, 150 Crawfod Blvd. Offered Dec. 23; Dec. 26-30; Jan. 2-6; and Jan. 9. $30 a day per child for residents; $43 for non-residents. Call 561-393-7888 to register.

Tennis: Junior Winter Camp for ages 3-16 is offered at two locations.

• The Patch Reef Park Tennis Center, 2000 Yamato Rd., offers the program Dec. 26-30 and Jan. 2-6. 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ages 6-16; 9 a.m. to noon for ages 3-5. Call 561-367-7090.
• The Racquet Center, 21626 St. Andrews Blvd., offers Junior Winter Break Camp Dec. 26-30 and Jan. 2-6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for ages 6-16, all levels. Drills, match play, arts & crafts and swim break. Weekly rate: $210 for residents; $262.50 for non-residents. Daiy rate: $55 for residents; $68.75 for non-residents. Pee Wee camp for ages 3-6 runs 9 a.m. to noon same dates. Weekly rate: $135 for residents; $168.75 for non-residents. Daily rate: $35 for residents; $43.75 for non-residents.

YMCA: Its Winter Break Camp at the Peter Blum Family Center, 6631 Palmetto Cir. S., runs Dec. 20-23 and Dec. 27-30. Members $140 for four days or $40 a day; for non-members, $240 for four days or $70 a day.

Rising Stars: Gymnastics Holiday Camp, 1088 S. Rogers Cir., runs Dec.23 and Dec. 26-30; Jan. 2-6 and Jan. 9. Rates for all 12 days: 1/2 day, $300; 3/4 day, $340; full day, $380. Weekly rates: 1/2 day, $130; 3/4 day, $145; full day, $165. Daily rates: 1/2 day, $27; 3/4 day, $33; full day, $38.

Museum of Discovery & Science: Winter break camp for kids 6-12 at the museum, 401 SW Second St. in Fort Lauderdale, includes an IMAX movie.

• Dec. 19-23, campers will explore the science behind each of the museum’s new exhibit halls. Step into a whirling tornado, watch otters at play, and explore the Florida Water Story.

• Dec. 26-30, campers will journey into the science of lines, angles, and high thrill rides through the K’NEX exhibit. Build simple machines and watch them go. Experiment with basic architecture and different building materials. See how roller coasters are designed to make gravity work for them. Then test out these theories on the MaxFlight rollercoaster simulator. Camps run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Before- and after-care available. Rates are  $55 for one day; $90 for two days; $200 for four days; $225 for five days. Call 954-713-0930 to register.

Twisters: Gymnastics Winter Holiday Camp, 3100 NW Boca Raton Blvd, #308, runs Dec. 23 and Dec. 26-30. Winter-themed gymnastics fun, games, movies and arts & crafts. Daily rates: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $47; 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., $67; 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., $77. Weekly rates: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., $187; 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., $267; 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., $297.

Showtime: Campers at this performing arts program will learn songs, scenes and choreography from Footloose. Dec. 26-Jan. 6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Extended day 8 a.m.-6 p.m. available.  Performance on Jan. 6. 561-394-2626. Showtime is at 503 SE Mizner Blvd., Suite 73, Royal Palm Place. www.showtimeboca.com.

If you have other ideas, post in the comments.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This was originally posted on May 2, 2010.

If you’re looking for a fun way to introduce the kids to the theater, check out the shows put on by our local schools.

BocaParent was blown away by the Addison Mizner Drama Club’s run of Seussical Jr. over the weekend (and not just because one of our kids was among the “Jungle Citizens”). The cast of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders from the after-school program put on a sophisticated performance. The lead singers had amazing voices. The grown-ups – director, vocal director, producer and choreographers - did an outstanding job in working with such young actors.

The dozens of little kids in the audience were mesmerized. Our own 6-year-old has not stopped singing since she watched all three performances.

We also heard great things about Boca High’s production of My Fair Lady last month.

 Next on the school drama calendar: Oliver! The Musical runs May 21-23 at Olympic Heights Performing Arts Theater, 20101 Lyons Rd. Tickets are $10-25. Click here to buy them.

And don’t forget about the local kid theaters. The Sol Children Theater Troupe will be performing Through the Looking Glass May 7-22 at its theater, 3333 N. Federal Hwy. Tickets are $8-15. More info on the troupe’s website.