Sign Language And Music Included At Park & Rec—

Parks And Recreation Programming Enters The Kitchen

By Kendra Bobowick

Fruit smoothies, tortillas and black beans, pita pizzas, and deviled eggs are on the menu of programs in Parks and Recreation’s Fall Preview.

“We’re looking to give them something new,” Recreation Supervisor RoseAnn Reggiano said. She anticipates that the upcoming preview will be available by September 8. She intends to offer new programming, and also to reach a broader age range from preschool to high school. This year’s preview has programs designed for ages as young as 8 months, and as mature as high school aged students.

Guitar lessons present a new avenue of instruction.

“I am excited about this, I think a lot of people have always wanted to try it,” she said.

 “We have always reached the young students, we’re trying to get more involved in grades five and six and the high school too — they’re the hardest age group to hit,” she said.

This year’s programming touts guitar and percussion lessons, arranged through Creative Music of Brookfield.

Leaving the instruments for a different set of utensils, some new programming will include cooking, and appeal to younger children.

Parents & Me cooking classes for 3- to 5-year-olds welcome parents to come in with their child and prepare snacks.

“I thought this would be interesting,” Ms Reggiano said. Cheesy snack faces, cinnamon bread, and scrambled eggs await participants.

“I am trying to get more preschool programming — people are always asking what I have for the 3-year-olds.

Going over what she described as the “basics” for first- through fourth-, and fifth- through eighth-grade students, Ms Reggiano said, “First grade might do apple and carrot dip, or fruit smoothies.”

Other finger foods on the list of appetizers are tortillas and black beans, pita pizzas, deviled eggs, and pudding.

The array of musical notes and kitchen aromas have entered the Parks and Recreation Department’s programming through a response to evaluations distributed to residents, and through comparing programs with neighboring towns, Ms Reggiano explained.

Also making the list of programming is a unique form of communication.

“I am excited about this one,” Ms Reggiano said, referring to a sign-language course offered to parents and children still too young to speak.

The course is open to parents with a child between 8 and 18 months old, and teaches communication with a child through signing, she said.

The Parks and Recreation Department will also be making better use of its Teen Center facility on Church Hill Road, satisfying a request they have received. Birthday parties are a priority this year.

For a fee of $125 and advanced notice, the center is reserved for a birthday celebration and can be booked for any night.

“We did have people thinking they would like their birthday parties here,” she said. Ms Reggiano notes the upside to scheduling parties, explaining, “This way we can open the doors during the week, which we never did before.”

Accommodating roughly 100 people, the Teen Center offers a pool table, foosball, video games, a stereo system, ping-pong, air hockey, and television.

“It’s like a big playroom,” Ms Reggiano said. She requires reservations in order to coordinate party dates with other scheduled activities, such as band night, at the center.

She encourages residents to visit the Parks and Recreation website at www.newtown-ct.gov and select the recreation link.

The site should announce programming early in September.

“I think we hit a lot of interest areas — jumping rope is coming back, yoga, horseback, you name it and we’ve got it,” Ms Reggiano said.