Parents are still recovering from Spring Break in Costa Rica. Meanwhile, kids are already looking forward to the next school holiday! Don’t wait for the kids to proclaim “I’m bored” when there are plenty of afterschool and summer camps to keep them busy in the Flamingo and Tamarindo Beach Costa Rica area.
If you are an expat in Costa Rica or moving to Costa Rica with a family, there are several programs for your kids and teenagers no matter what piques their interest. C’mon kids, it's time to find a hobby that doesn’t involve staring at a screen!
Skateboards, Scooters, Rollerblades and BMX
Happy Feet is dedicated to improving access to centers for youth, skateparks, bike paths, and community activities. They have been instrumental in funding and improving the skate park in Villareal and building a new skate park in Playa Grande. Their future plans include rehabilitating the skate park in Brasilito and creating a bike path from Playa Grande to Tamarindo Beach.
Happy Feet hosts camps and classes at the skate parks in Villareal and Playa Grande. There are afterschool classes and free bussing two days a week. Happy Feet strives to be an all-inclusive club, providing sponsorship for low-income children. They even provide games to help youth practice second language skills every Monday afternoon in Villareal. This is an ideal opportunity for both locals looking to learn English and expats in Costa Rica looking to learn Spanish. Friday is for the females and encourages girls and women to skateboard.
Happy Feet is not just for skateboarders! Rollerblades, scooters, and BMX are welcome at the parks, too. They even host art classes in mediums such as spray paint graffiti art and recently held an acrobatic workshop.
Sailing Lessons
Sailing lessons is an exciting prospect for anyone moving to Costa Rica with a family! The Costa Rica Sailing Center in Potrero offers youth sailing programs for beginners to intermediate students. There are monthly membership prices and individual classes as low as $15.
Even if you're not a member of the sailing club you can get a Fleeting Membership to enjoy a free intro to sailing, free kayak and SUP rentals, and 50 percent off of boat rentals and snorkel gear. There is also an upcoming summer camp currently taking registration.
Swimming Lessons
Vamos Youth gives life-saving water safety education and training to area youth. This is very important for families living in or moving to Costa Rica beaches. They are hosting their next round of kids swimming lessons in May and June in Tamarindo. There are group classes available for ages 2 to 12 in the nine-week program.
For those moving to Costa Rica with a family of competitive swimmers, your training can continue. The Fins Club offers training and competitive swimming for adults and youth.
Music and Theatre Classes
Good Vibes Rock School has a variety of classes, camps, workshops, and activities that take place year-round and for all ages. They can be found in the Centro Comercial Paseo del Mar in Huacas.
Singling lessons and instrument classes for guitar, ukelele, drums, piano, and violin are available for all ages. These can be taken individually or in a group.
The Rock School offers Music Stimulation as an introduction to music through games for 2 to 3-year-olds. Music Experimentation is like a tour through all the musical instrument families so kids aged 4 to 7 can find what they like.
They also regularly put on instrument workshops, musical theatre productions, song composition, and a band program called Rock School. There are also choir groups for both kids and grown-ups, in case mom and dad want to get in on the musical fun.
Beachnuts Theatre Company in Tamarindo Beach provides professional theatrical instruction and helps build your child’s confidence. Kids will get 28 weeks of acting training, voice lessons, and dance instruction when they participate in one of the Beachnuts’ musicals.
Martial Arts
Hero Academy offers Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes for adults and youth in Tamarindo Costa Rica. Classes emphasize grappling using locks, chokes, and holds. Tiny Ninjas teaches the fundamental movements of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to kids aged 3 to 10.
The school runs Hero Kids, which has a mission to offer local kids an opportunity to participate in Jiu-Jitsu and other sports programs free of charge. So far over 1,000 kids have received full scholarships to train in this martial arts program. This is funded through various retreats and workshops.
Other After School Programs
There's a new afterschool program at the beach for children aged 3 to 8. Ali’s Treehouse incorporates games, arts and crafts, and even homework help at Tamarindo Beach from 2:30 to 6:30 pm during weekdays. This bilingual program is a great chance for Costa Rica expats looking to integrate their children into the local community.
A new after-school boardgame club is taking place every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30 pm in Potrero Beach on the second floor of the brewery. The supervised game time is for ages 10 and up and costs just $5. You can RSVP at (506) 8525-1088.
The Surf Shack Restaurant in Tamarindo has a big playground, zipline, and rock-climbing wall that is sure to fill some hours after school.
Milestones Montessori Education and Programming is hosting “Flex Fridays” activities each Friday. Weekly themed activities such as healthy cooking, yoga, and carpentry will take place throughout May and June from 9 am to 3 pm for ages 4 to 12. Register at (506) 8697-8639.
Coming Soon
The Tamarindo Children’s Community Library is fundraising to bring access to free bilingual books and programs for the children of Tamarindo and the surrounding communities. Their goal is to be open Tuesday to Sunday from 8 am to 10 pm upon opening. The library project can be funded on their GoFundMe page.
With an abundance of fresh air, sunshine, and fun activities for kids, there are more than enough reasons to live and move to Costa Rica with a family. Check out the relocation services we offer with our sister company Costa Concierge if you are interested in making the move to Costa Rica.
Blog by: Jennifer LaCharite – Costa Consultants, International
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