The city of Carbondale is well supplied with many open spaces, including seven parks. Summer holiday activities in Carbondale's parks include the Summer Daze Camp for kids between 6 and 12 years of age. During these camps, kids enjoy activities like swimming, skateboarding, field trips and dancing, in addition to arts, crafts and theater workshops. Kids attending must bring swimwear, towels, sunscreen, bug repellant, a water bottle and packed lunch. At the time of publication, camps are open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; babysitting services before and after these hours are available. Details of locations, dates and fees vary and are available in a weekly newsletter for parents, available from the Carbondale Park Summer Daze Camp website.
Southern Illinois University's Recreation Center on East Grand Avenue offers a wide variety of sports activity programs for kids, and facilities for swimming, tennis, bowling, basketball and rock climbing. Full or half-day fitness, play and craft programs are available for kids between 3 and 12 years old. During the summer holidays, kids can attend activity camps with basketball, kickball, soccer, swimming and fitness themes. The center also contains two swimming pools with supervised family swimming sessions.
During chilly spells in the Midwestern climate of Carbondale, kids can participate in indoor activities at Southern Illinois University's Science Center, located at University Mall on East Main Street. The Science Center offers interactive science exhibits for kids and summer camp programs featuring gardening, ecology and recycling. Year-round activities are also available for kids from ages 3 to 13, including special programs and events.
During the hot summers, families with kids find relief in the cool lakes and at sandy beaches near Carbondale. Kids enjoy activities such as swimming, sand castle building, canoeing, rafting, picnicking and playing with their pets at locations like Crab Orchard Lake and the Campus Beach at Southern Illinois University. At the time of publication, the Campus Beach opens daily from noon to 4 p.m., starting on Memorial Day.
