Paddle and Play

Parent-Child Programs

Summer

FAMILY OPEN SWIM

Infants-Adults

Family Open Swim is a great time for all ages to enjoy the pool - from infants to teenagers to adults! We have diving board, youth water slide, basketball hoops, various pool toys and floats, life jackets, puddle jumpers, infant floats + more. Come join the fun! 

drawing birds in nature

14 Yr Olds-Adults

Perfect for nature and/or art enthusiasts! This class will guide you through the techniques needed to capture the elegance and detail of birds, while also getting to enjoy all the benefits of nature. We’ll cover basic bird identification characteristics and then develop our drawing techniques as we sketch birds using photographs and real-life observation. Bring binoculars (not required, but helpful), drawing supplies (paper, clipboard, journal, pencil, pen, coloring tools, etc.) and an easy-to-carry folding chair. The path is accessible for wheelchairs and participants will have the option to sit in one place or meander. All artistic and bird watching skill levels are welcome!

  • Register Here
  • Cost: $25r/$40nr
  • Instructor: Ria VanderKlok
  • Date: Fri, May 23
  • Time: 9:00am-11:00am
  • Location: Upper Macatawa Natural Area (1300 84th Ave, Zeeland - 84th Ave Entrance)

PARENT-CHILD SWIM LESSONS

6-Months-3 Yr Olds (With Guardian)

Learning how to swim can save your child’s life! Join us to start the process of getting your child comfortable in the water. This is an water adjustment class designed to enhance motor coordination, social skills, water adaptation, and safety. Parents and children enjoy time together in the water while basic water skills are introduced.

  • Register Here
  • Swim Lesson FAQ's
  • Instructor-Swimmer Ratio: 6-1 
  • June 9-25: Mon & Wed | 6:30pm-7:00pm | $73r/$88nr
  • July 7-23: Mon & Wed | 6:30pm-7:00pm | $73r/$88nr

islandmon steam-quest family night out

All Ages

Join us for a mini-monstrous journey into the Challenge Island wild! Our adventurous family STEAM teams are on a quest to catch, collect and train all of the island's mini-monsters. You’ll visit gyms, earn badges, go on treasure hunts and even engage in a battle or two. With the help of their Islandmon allies, STEAMaroo and her baby STEAMpuff, our STEAM teams will tackle an island-full of engineering challenges as you evolve into true STEAM Champions.  Ready? Let's go!

  • Register Here
  • Cost: $79r/$94nr (per family)
  • Registration Deadline: Tue, June 3 (or when full)
  • Instructors: Rachel Franklin & Challenge Island Staff
  • Date: Tue, June 10
  • Time: 5:30pm-8:30pm

  • Location: Cityside MS - ELA Room

cornhole tournaments (adult, high school, parent-child)

18 Yr Olds+

Grab a partner and join us for an exciting series of Cornhole Tournaments this summer! We're offering new options this year to suit all ages: Adults-Only Tournament, High School Tournament and a Parent-Child Tournament. All tournaments are round-robin style and will be held outdoors on Main Street during the City of Zeeland’s “Music on Main” event. Each team will compete against every other team once. The team with the best win-loss record at the end of the tournament will win a trophy and gift card. Sign up as a team and get ready for some fun competition!

  • Register Here
  • Cost: $33r/$48nr per team
  • Adults-Only Tournament (18 Yrs+): Thur, June 12 | 6pm-8pm
  • High School Tournament (9th-12th Gr): Thur, June 19 | 6pm-8pm
  • Parent-Child Tournament (5th-8th Gr & Guardian): Thur, Aug 7 | 6pm-8pm
  • Adults-Only Tournament (18 Yrs +): Thur, Aug 21 | 6pm-8pm
  • Location: Main Street between Church St & Elm St

botanical sketching in nature

14 Yr Olds-Adults

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural world through our Botanical Sketching in Nature program! Perfect for artists and nature enthusiasts alike, this program combines field exploration with hands-on sketching. Participants will learn to observe and capture the intricate details of plants, flowers, and trees using a few fundamental sketching techniques. Whether you want to enhance your art skills or simply enjoy a peaceful outdoor activity, this program is for you! Please bring binoculars and/or a magnifying glass (not required, but helpful), drawing supplies (paper, clipboard, journal, pencil, pen, coloring tools, etc.) and an easy-to-carry folding chair. The path is accessible for wheelchairs and participants will have the option to sit in one place or meander. All artistic and natural experience levels are welcome. 

  • Register Here
  • Cost: $25r/$40nr
  • Instructor: Ria VanderKlok
  • Date: Fri, June 13
  • Time: 5:30pm-8:00pm
  • Location: Upper Macatawa Natural Area (1300 84th Ave, Zeeland - 84th Ave Entrance)

watercolor in nature

14 Yr Olds-Adults

Join us to explore nature’s beauty while learning the techniques of watercolor painting! We will take to the trail and paint what we see as we go. Participants will learn a few field sketching and watercolor techniques to help get what you notice onto your paper as we look closely, ask questions, and develop our skill of observing the world around us. All supplies will be provided and participants will go home with a watercolor journal, watercolor field kit, and water brush. The path is accessible for wheelchairs and participants will have the option to sit in one place or meander. 

  • Register Here
  • Cost: $75r/$90nr
  • Instructor: Ria VanderKlok
  • Date: Fri, July 11
  • Time: 5:30pm-8:00pm
  • Location: Upper Macatawa Natural Area (1300 84th Ave, Zeeland - 84th Ave Entrance)