Start Kiddin’ Around

Ready to kick off its second season, Kiddin’ Around is a summerlong activity program designed to get kids and their families movin’ in the great outdoors.

Much like a summer reading program, kids can earn participation points that add up to fitness-themed prize incentives, such as swim passes, and will culminate with a drawing for larger prizes at the end of the summer.

The program kicks off May 1 with Family Field Day at Sarg Hubbard Park. Other activities planned throughout the summer include tennis lessons, community gardening, using a GPS device to explore the Greenway and martial arts night.

“We’re hoping kids will try different activities that they’ve never had the opportunity to do,” says program coordinator Leslie Hatton.

Kiddin’ Around is a collaboration of many local organizations, including the Yakima Greenway, Yakima City Parks & Recreation and Cowiche Canyon Conservancy. Activities are designed to be free or low-cost to families.

Participants can register at Family Field Day or any other event, or stop by the Yakima Greenway office at Sarg Hubbard Park.

Here’s the lineup for May:

FAMILY FIELD DAY | 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 1. This free event promotes good nutrition, exercise and family fun. Activities include an obstacle course, jump rope, soccer, kayaking, hula hoops and “an unbelievable game of tag.” Sponsored by the Yakima Greenway Foundation, CWU Dietetic Interns and FitKids USA. Held at Sarg Hubbard Park (next to eastside WalMart), 111 S. 18th St., Yakima; 453-8280.

KIDS’ FISH-IN | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 8. Kids ages 5-14 can learn to fish and keep their catch at this trout-stocked event, which replaces Fishing Kids. Cost is $5 per kid and includes a rod and reel. Participants are assigned a 30-minute slot at the Sarg Hubbard Park Reflection Pond. Hosted by Go Play Outside Alliance of Washington. Limited to 800 kids; deadline to register is April 30. Download a registration form at gopaw.org or yakimagreenway.org or call 453-8280.

HIKIN’ AROUND | 9 a.m. Saturday, May 15. Bring hiking shoes and water for a gentle hike through Cowiche Canyon. Free; stroller accessible. Meet at the Weikel Road parking lot; find directions at cowichecanyon.org. Hosted by Cowiche Canyon Conservancy. To register, call 453-8280.

FITNESS FOR KIDS MARATHON | 6 p.m. Friday, May 21. Participants run or walk 25 miles on their own, with adult supervision, then join others to run or walk the last 1.2-mile leg of the marathon on May 21. School Mileage Club laps count towards the first 25 miles. Cost is $5, which includes a T-shirt, finisher ribbon and other prizes. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. Run/walk starts at 6 p.m. Meets at Sarg Hubbard Park. Hosted by Yakima Hard Core Runners Club, HCRunners.org.

GOLFIN’ AROUND | 1 p.m. Sunday, May 23. Youth ages 5-14 can start learning to golf at this free event hosted by The First Tee of Yakima and Yakima Parks & Recreation. Equipment is provided. Pre-registration is required; call 949-6349 by May 17. Meets at Fisher Park Golf Course, 823 S. 40th Ave., Yakima. For information, go to thefirstteeyakima.org.

JUNIOR GAP2GAP RELAY | 6-11 a.m. Saturday, June 5. Kids ages 6-14 can test their endurance and skill in this 21th annual youth relay on the Yakima Greenway. (Gap2Gap, the grown-up counterpart, marks its 26th anniversary this year.) In 2009, 431 youth competed in this bike, run, in-line skate, kayaking and obstacle course challenge. Just for fun, there’s also a best T-shirt competition. Juniors may compete as individuals or teams. The fee is $15; register by May 26 at yakimagreenway.org or call 453-8280.