Youth Programs

STORYWALK

Location: Downtown Park                                                                                                                                                                                    Sponsored by: Christiansburg Library and Christiansburg Recreation Department                                                                 Additional Information: This is a nationally known program that promotes reading and exercise in the outdoors for children.  A new book is put in the story boards each month. Come exercise, read and enjoy the fun!  

BEGINNING BATON 

Additional Information: Learn to twirl! Children will be taught the correct way to carry their baton and basic beginning twirls: such as the figure 8, flats, front hand spin, the salute, at attention and at ease. This is a great way to begin preparing for Flag Corp and Baton in middle and high school. Please bring a baton, the instructor has a limited amount.                    Minimum: 4 Maximum: 8

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE EXPLORE  

Eligibility: Ages 6-8   Location: Christiansburg Recreation Center – Classroom I                                                                         Additional Information: Today more than ever, children ages 6-8 years old need STEM, hands-on and problem solving learning. Students will focus on the fundamentals of engineering as they explore real-world problems, learn to design, build and code their own solutions. Each student will have their own box of assorted Lego bricks, a WeDo 2.0 kit and a programming tablet to avoid sharing of equipment. Safe distancing and disinfecting procedures will be followed. If COVID mandates allow, the 8 weeks will end with a Show-Me-event for parents and optional participation in a community Expo with other FLL Explore teams.    Minimum: 4          Maximum: 6

YOUTH GYMNASTICS

*For information regarding classes and inclement weather, please contact VA Techniques at (540)381-5151 or visit their website at www.vatechniques.com

KINDER KANGAROOS           

Eligibility: Girls and Boys Ages 5 and in Kindergarten  Location: Virginia Techniques Gymnastics 1550 Roanoke Street, Suite C, Christiansburg  Additional Information: No Virginia Techniques membership fee required. Children should wear comfortable clothing, bare feet, no jewelry, and long hair should be pulled back. Class Description: Basic coordination, balance, strength, pattern recognition, and locomotor skills. These skills encourage development of fine and gross motor skills, core strength, reading, writing, and preschool readiness. Social skills and interaction are also encouraged through group games.

LEAPING LIZARDS GYMNASTICS          

Eligibility: Girls and Boys Ages 6 and up- 1st - 3rd grade Location: Virginia Techniques Gymnastics 1550 Roanoke Street, Suite C, Christiansburg  Additional Information: No Virginia Techniques membership fee required. Children should wear comfortable clothing, bare feet, no jewelry, and long hair should be pulled back. Class Description: Basic through intermediate gymnastics skills, coordination, agility, and balance are the main components of this class. Also expect increased self-esteem, confidence building and working through fears. An emphasis of developing strong and flexible bodies will be through repetitions of chin ups, rope climbs, splits, standing bridges, handstands and cartwheels. Students in this class will spend time perfecting their basic skills while learning safe progressions into more intermediate skills. All students will grow at their individual pace with encouragement and positive reinforcement.

KARTWHEELING KOALAS GYMNASTICS           

Eligibility: Girls 4th - 5th grade  Location: Virginia Techniques Gymnastics 1550 Roanoke Street, Suite C, Christiansburg  Additional Information: No Virginia Techniques membership fee required. Children should wear comfortable clothing, bare feet, no jewelry, and long hair should be pulled back. Class Description: Basic through intermediate gymnastics skills, coordination, agility, and balance are the main components of this class. Also expect increased self-esteem, confidence building and working through fears. An emphasis of developing strong and flexible bodies will be through repetitions of chin ups, rope climbs, splits, standing bridges, handstands and cartwheels. Students in this class will spend time perfecting their basic skills while learning safe progressions into more intermediate skills. All students will grow at their individual pace with encouragement and positive reinforcement.  

TUMBLING AND TRAMPOLINE BEGINNER            

Eligibility: Girls and Boys 1st grade and up   Location: Virginia Techniques Gymnastics 1550 Roanoke Street, Suite C, Christiansburg  Additional Information: No Virginia Techniques membership fee required. Children should wear comfortable clothing, bare feet, no jewelry, and long hair should be pulled back. Class Description: This class is designed to help any child learn how to flip! From boys to girls, cheerleaders to dancers, or just anyone who likes to go upside down, tumbling specific classes use aids such as skill cushions, incline mats, back handspring trainers, spring floors, trampolines, and foam pits. Children will focus on core body strength, coordination, flexibility, and body awareness to safely accelerate learning time. Experienced spotters are available to help athletes maintain, develop, and improve handspring and aerial skills. 

GYMNASTRIX             

Eligibility: Boys ages 6 - 8   Location: Virginia Techniques Gymnastics 1550 Roanoke Street, Suite C, Christiansburg               Additional Information: No Virginia Techniques membership fee required. Children should wear comfortable clothing, bare feet, no jewelry, and long hair should be pulled back. Class Description: This class is a boy's beginner gymnastic class. Class will include a variety of activities from: tumbling, bars, vault and strength and conditioning. 

TEEN FIRE ACADEMY  

Eligibility: Christiansburg High School Students currently in grades 9-12                                                                                       Date: Summer 2022                                                                                                                                                                        Location: Christiansburg Fire Department                                                                                                                                                Co-Sponsored by: Christiansburg Fire Department and Christiansburg Recreation Department                                           Maximum: 15                                                                                                                                                                           Additional Information: Teen candidates will be selected to attend the Teen Fire Academy. To receive information and to be placed on the potential candidate list, please call Pam at the Recreation Department at (540) 382-2349 or email  ppeyton@christiansburg.org. Participants are subject to background screening and approval.  

MERIT BADGE SUMMER PROGRAMS

The following activities are available for boys/girls ages 10-17 interested in improving their health, learning new skills and expanding their work.  This is also an introduction to Scouting and starting a journey of earning badge requirements while having fun!  Once a Scout submits a “blue card” (provided in each class) to the troop leader, their troop will purchase and award the badge.

 **Non-Boy Scouts (boys and girls) are also welcome to sign up and learn new skills and topics through these programs as well as experience a part of the Scouting program.

*Participants must wear masks during class.

COMMUNICATION              

The ways that we communicate help our ideas grow and relationships stay strong. Learn the many methods of communication, the etiquette and steps in getting your message clearly shared. In-class project will include making a commercial, teaching a skill, making introductions, writing a letter to the editor and a 5-minute speech. This is an Eagle-required Merit Badge.  Location: Recreation Center – Classroom 1     Minimum: 3          Maximum: 6

FIRST AID               

Caring for injured or ill persons until they can receive professional medical care is an important skill for every youth.   Learn the steps to recognize life-threatening conditions, how to prepare a first aid kit, use an AED and more.    This is an Eagle-required Merit Badge.  Location: Recreation Center – Classroom 1     Minimum: 3          Maximum: 6

EMERGENCY PREPARDNESS                

Test your planning skills in the face of unexpected disasters. After all, it is best to be prepared for anything! Being aware of your surroundings and practicing drills can be beneficial to your safety and others.  This is an Eagle-required Merit Badge. Location: Recreation Center – Classroom 1     Minimum: 3          Maximum: 6

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE                 

Youth need to see their impact on the environment around them and how to learn to live sustainably. Learn about ecology, pollution, endangered species, invasive species, pollination while working on a project that will make a positive effect on the environment. This is an Eagle-Required Merit Badge.  Location: Recreation Center – Classroom 1     Minimum: 3          Maximum: 6

COOKING                  

To stay active, young people need to eat healthy. Techniques on planning, shopping and cooking meals will be taught along with an opportunity to cook lunch and prepare a meal for an afternoon hike (COVID-mandates and weather permitting.) This is an Eagle-required merit badge.   This is a partial merit badge with more home, campout and hike meals that need to be planned, shopped, prepared and evaluated on your own time. This is an Eagle-Required Merit Badge.  Location: Recreation Center – Classroom 1     Minimum: 3          Maximum: 6