Families come from miles around to Atlanta Swim Academy, known for its very patient and highly experienced instructors. The Academy offers swimming instruction, either in classes, private, or semi-private lessons, for children ages ten months and up in its indoor pools. Lessons cover everything from the basics - paddle movements, blowing bubbles, and holding on to the edge unassisted - to competitive strokes, survival skills/rescue techniques, endurance swimming, and boating safety. Stroke clinics are offered weekly to help students work on a particular kick or stroke; check at the front desk for the current schedule and registration.

Club H2O Kids Camp runs in summer and during school holidays. In addition to swimming, the schedule includes movie time, quiet time, and arts & craft projects. Campers are provided with snacks and drinks; lunch must be sent daily. Children must be potty trained in order to participate. Flexible scheduling is available; reserve early to ensure a space. Call for current tuition pricing.

Advanced swimmers can learn skills and techniques needed to become a lifeguard. The class fees include manuals, pocket mask, and first aid supplies.

Call the Academy to schedule a swimming party to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions. Party packages start at $150 including pool time and access to one of four party rooms.

Atlanta Swim Academy has a retail store on premises, with a large inventory of Crocs, goggles, wetsuits and floats. And a Lego table in the play area keeps little ones busy during class registration or shopping!

Bright Horizons has over 600 child care centers with locations in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The center accepts children from six weeks to 12 years old.

The Early Childhood Program uses a curriculum, The World At Their Fingertips, which encourages parents, teachers, and children to take advantage of the world outside their center and to be part of their communities.

Programs for school age children include a summer camp, back-up care, and care during school vactions.

The Chattahoochee Nature Center is a private non-profit natural science center with 127 acres of trails, native plants, animals - including beavers and raptors.

The CNC offers regular educational programs as well as family-centered events. This is a popular destination for field trips and enrichment for students about their natural world, emphasizing wildlife and plants that are native to Georgia.

Hikes along the two miles of woodland trails and 1/2 mile of marsh boardwalks offer a glimpse into nature along one of Georgia's largest natural resources. Visitors can see five different wetlands found in Georgia, birds of prey aviaries, and a Discovery Center, housing reptiles, small mammals, and creatures from Georgia. The beaver exhibit gives an up close look at non-releasable animals.

Children ages six and older (and their families) can sign up for the Center's canoe trips, offered seasonally on Saturdays and Sundays. The two-hour educational adventure costs $25 for members, and $30 for non-members.

Camp Kingfisher, the winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best Day Camp for Big Kids in the metro area, is
offered for children in kindergarten through seventh grade, and is one of the most popular summer and school break day camp programs outside the Perimeter. Space fills quickly, because it combines strong environmental education programs with fun recreational activities like nature hikes, live animal demonstrations, arts and crafts, games, canoeing, swimming, and special guest presentations. Extended care is available, and registration can be done online.

Picnic areas are available on a first-come basis, but you must bring your own picnic. Snacks and beverages are available in the Nature Store.

The Center offers Wild Birthday Parties on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with live animal encounters - snake, box turtle, owl, gopher tortoise, or opossum. A variety of party options and prices are available and typically the cost covers 12 children and four adults and is designed for children ages four to 10. Age appropriate, nature themed party favors are supplied.

Memberships begin at $30 for individuals and $50 for families.

Pets are not allowed.

Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Circus Camp is a day camp experience designed to introduce children to circus, performing, and visual arts in a safe and noncompetitive environment. Camp is open to kids age 5 and older. Any level of physical development and skill is welcomed.

As a member of the AYCO (American Youth Circus Organization), USAG (United States of America Gymnastics) and ISERA (International Special Events & Recreation Association), we provide campers with the opportunity to learn something new and exciting every day, while developing their unique skills.

Circus Camp is a day camp experience designed to introduce children to circus, performing, and visual arts in a safe and noncompetitive environment. Camp is open to kids age 5 and older. Any level of physical development and skill is welcomed.

As a member of the AYCO (American Youth Circus Organization), USAG (United States of America Gymnastics) and ISERA (International Special Events & Recreation Association), we provide campers with the opportunity to learn something new and exciting every day, while developing their unique skills.

In a restored 1930s bungalow in downtown Decatur, Color Wheel provides an enriching alternative to after-school care with a full range of educational and cultural arts experience including painting, drawing, sculpture, poetry, music, dance, and drama. Art supplies, homework time and assistance, and snacks are included.

Full-day programs are offered on school holidays, and summer day camps are also available.

Evening classes for older children include guitar, pottery, and drawing.

The Concourse is a popular high-end memberhip-based athletic club that offers youth programs, child care services, and popular holiday and summer camp programs for kids ages 3 to 12.

Dunwoody Park covers 22 acres, including 1.3 miles of trails (wetland, woodland and streamside), display gardens, a picnic meadow, and a shaded playground.

The Nature Center provides a wide range of programs for children and adults, including Animal Encounters, morning and after-school Nature Classes for children ages two to 10, and Holiday and Summer Camps. Some special events include the Butterfly Festival, Enchanted Forest, Cocoa and Candles, Park after Dark, Concert in the Park, and more....

Some permanent exhibits include a composting site, a honeybee observation hive, a pollinator's paradise garden, and a raptor information center. An ever-changing art gallery provides visual expressions of nature.

Family Memberships start at $45/family.

Eagle Creek offers riding lessons in both English and Western disciplines by a CHA certified riding instructor. All ages and skill levels are welcome.

Riding students learn all aspects of horsemanship, from handling the horse on the ground to working with the horse under saddle, as well as horse management (feeding, vet care, etc).

The Center staff also trains and boards horses.

Day camps are held during the summer for children ages six to 16, and week-long spring, fall, and winter camps are available as well.

Johnson Ferry Baptist is one of the largest churches in metro Atlanta, offering no less than five Sunday services (with concurrent Kids' Church programs and babysitting) and a multitude of bible study classes.

A popular preschool, The Wee School, is housed here, and the extensive involvement opportunities for youth include camps, sports, scouting, and choir.

JW Tumbles, a gym for children from four months to age nine, offers classes in tumbling, sports skills, movement, music, and cheer. The gym also offers personal training, open gym, and Kids' Night Out programs.

KNO is offered the first Friday night of each month for kids ages three to nine, who get to participate in a class, enjoy open gym, eat dinner, and watch a G-rated movie. Reservations are required.

Birthday Parties are offered in packages that include games, obstacle courses, swings, slides, and the zip line. Staff members set up the party, greet guests, sing happy birthday, entertain for two hours, and handle clean up. Outdoor parties are available as well, in a number of variations. Call for current pricing.

The MJCCA's main campus, Zaban Park, hosts numerous athletic and educational opportunities for children.

The Weinstein Preschool is on-site and has a very active parents' group. Children from six weeks old through Pre-K are welcome.

MJCCA facilities include The Brill Family Total Health Center, Three Indoor Gymnasiums, Indoor Pool, Two Outdoor Pools, Six Lighted Tennis Courts, Camp Isidore Alterman Day Camp (with more than 80 different camping options), Six Lighted Ballfields, Computer Technology Resource Center, Fine Family Art Gallery, The Sophie Hirsh Srochi Jewish Discovery Museum for children, Morris & Rae Frank Theatre featuring Jewish Theatre of the South, and Cafe Ofi (an AKC-Supervised Dairy Restaurant).

The MJCCA also hosts adults and children's sports' leagues, tennis programs, teen sports, after school classes, vacation and summer day camps, theatre programs and events, pre-and after school care, and babysitting services.

Classes for kids include music lessons, tennis, swimming, gymnastics and karate. The aquatics program is extensive, and includes private, parent/child, and group lessons, and swim teams divided by age and ability. All instructors and coaches follow American Red Cross methods and guidelines. For more information about aquatics, call 770.395.2532.

Afterschool programs include math, science, chess, and art classes. Teens can join Helping Hands, which plans one community-service project each month.

Birthday party options include pool parties, available during public swim hours. A party includes 45 minutes of swim activities and 45 minutes full use of the picnic area. Call 770.395.2511 for more information.

Nellya Fencers develops competitive fencers, and in the past 12 years has coached fencers who have won medals in international as well national events, and represented the US on Pan American, World Championship, and Olympic teams. The studio offers classes and camps throughout the year; check the website for the current schedule and pricing.

Founding coach Arkady Burdan is considered to be one of the best fencing coaches in the world. In 2002, he was named US Fencing's Elite Coach of the Year.

In classes grouped by age and ability, Peachtree Gymnastics & More offers gymnastics, cheer, tumbling, karate, ballet, hip hop and tap dance instruction in a non-competitive atmosphere.

Parent participation is required in toddler classes, and parent observation is encouraged in classes for older kids. An end-of-year recital for all classes showcases what kids have learned, and parents are also invited for observation weeks at the end of each session. Popular with the teen set is a hip hop class, and the three-10 year old group likes the flexibility of a dance/gymnastics combo class that lets kids explore various forms of activitity.

Birthday Parties: Offered for kids turning four - 10 years old, parties include an hour of gymnastics, tumbling, or cheer activities, followed by cake and presents. Parents provide refreshments, invitations, paper goods, and goody bags. Available Sat-Sun 1pm-2:30pm or 3pm-4:30pm.

In classes grouped by age and ability, Peachtree Gymnastics & More offers gymnastics, cheer, tumbling, karate, ballet, hip hop and tap dance instruction in a non-competitive atmosphere.

Parent participation is required in toddler classes, and parent observation is encouraged in classes for older kids. An end-of-year recital for all classes showcases what kids have learned, and parents are also invited for observation weeks at the end of each session. Popular with the teen set is a hip hop class, and the three-10 year old group likes the flexibility of a dance/gymnastics combo class that lets kids explore various forms of activitity.

Birthday Parties: Offered for kids turning four - 10 years old, parties include an hour of gymnastics, tumbling, or cheer activities, followed by cake and presents. Parents provide refreshments, invitations, paper goods, and goody bags. Available Sat-Sun 1pm-2:30pm or 3pm-4:30pm.

Everything about Planet Me oozes fun, from the colorful displays of unique giftware and toys for kids, to the party space in back, to the sparkly bathroom (yes, even the potty is decorated!)

The store carries brands like Webkinz, Ugly dolls, david & goliath, Bunjeez, and fun interactive goodies like a candy stick maker, and a Glam Girl station that allows customers to mix colors, scents, and glitter to make special lotions or lip glosses.

There is plenty for grown ups to peruse and buy, too, so little ones can occupy themselves with art projects in an activity nook. And no matter whether gifts are for grown ups or kids, the gift wrap is always free.

The shop plans and hosts custom birthday parties based on the age and interests of the birthday child. Themed packages are available, too, with ideas that serve both boys and girls, such as the chef's celebration, in which children decorate a chef's hat and apron, and then create edible art like candy sushi and miniature cookie hamburgers. Guests decorate individual mini birthday cakes and select items for their goodie bags from the store's ample supply of small toys. Prices range from $12.99 to $23 per child, depending on theme. Most parties run two hours - call the store to discuss theme ideas.

Planet Me also hosts workshops and day camp programs for school holidays.

What began as a mother's quest to entertain her young children and their friends evolved into Preschool Adventures, a program that encourages local children, accompanied by their adult caregivers, to explore the people and places in their neighborhood. During the summer months, weeklong blocks of themed adventures give children behind-the-scenes glimpses and interactive, hands-on tours of places like grocery stores, fire stations, ice cream parlors, pizzerias, car washes, animal hospitals, and more. Each tour is hosted by a Preschool Adventures guide, and most sessions fill quickly.

Programs are offered in several metro-area locations including East Cobb/Marietta, Roswell, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs/Dunwoody, Smyrna/Vinings, and Kennesaw.

Sports A Rama offers basic and advanced training for improved speed, agility and power in all aspects of sports.

The center offers programs by Velocity Sports Performance, designed to establish a child's foundation for improved performance, injury prevention, and the long-term enjoyment of sports participation. All progams are conducted by highly-trained and certified coaches.

Little Sluggers League, for players ages four and five, features two one-hour sessions per week, a monthly tournament, team party, team shirt, and award for each child. Hitting, fielding, catching, throwing, and base-running are emphasized, as are rules, sportsmanship, and the sheer fun of baseball. The cost is $75 per player; pre-registration is required.

Camps and clinics feature professional instructors working in low student-to-instructor ratio groups and are designed to help young ballplayers fine tune and develop new skills.

Private lessons are available by appointment only. Prices range from $44 per half hour to $528 for 16 half hour lessons.

An onsite video arcade includes air hockey, basketball, and other games.

Assorted birthday party packages are available. Contact Sports A Rama for details.

Sports A Rama offers basic and advanced training for improved speed, agility and power in all aspects of sports.

The center offers programs by Velocity Sports Performance, designed to establish a child's foundation for improved performance, injury prevention, and the long-term enjoyment of sports participation. All progams are conducted by highly-trained and certified coaches.

Little Sluggers League, for players ages four and five, features two one-hour sessions per week, a monthly tournament, team party, team shirt, and award for each child. Hitting, fielding, catching, throwing, and base-running are emphasized, as are rules, sportsmanship, and the sheer fun of baseball. The cost is $75 per player; pre-registration is required.

Camps and clinics feature professional instructors working in low student-to-instructor ratio groups and are designed to help young ballplayers fine tune and develop new skills.

Private lessons are available by appointment only. Prices range from $44 per half hour to $528 for 16 half hour lessons.

An onsite video arcade includes air hockey, basketball, and other games.

Assorted birthday party packages are available. Contact Sports A Rama for details.

Established in 1975, the Spruill Center for the Arts is a private, non-profit organization, whose mission is to foster understanding and appreciation of the visual and performing arts, by offering an extensive and diverse program of classes, a professional artist exhibition series and outreach programs for seniors, youth, and audiences with special needs. Family memberships begin at $60.

The Center offers numerous arts classes, workshops, and clinics for young children and teens.

Summer Visual and Performing Arts Camps are offered May through August, covering numerous aspects of the arts like painting, drawing, paper mache, molding clay, printmaking, collage, and acting, dancing, and singing.

Children, ages five and up, can celebrate birthdays and other special occasions with an Art Party. The child's preferences for medium and theme for the party are the basis for the art project birthday guests create. The Center provides the teacher and the art supplies - parents supply all the edibles. The fee is $150 for 10 children and $15 for each additional child. Please schedule parties at least three to four weeks in advance; the schedule fills quickly. Contact Sandra Bennett at 770.394.3447 ext 226 for more details.

Theatre On Main is home to live stage productions for adults, youth, and children and offers after-school drama classes and summer camps.

Each live stage production offers open auditions for rising stars and seasoned actors of all ages. Shows featuring children take place on Saturdays at 11am and 3pm and offer face painting in the lobby starting thirty minutes before curtain time, in addition to theater games onstage before the show.

Theatre On Main parties include tickets to the play, introduction of the birthday child at the performance, use of the Birthday Party Room before and after the show, face painting before the show, drinks and snacks, and paper goods. The price is $129.50 for up to 10 children and 2 adults; additional children are $12.95 each, and additional adults are $8 each.

TumbleTots is a combination school and play zone, offering preschool, afternoon drop-in playtimes, Parents' Night Out, holiday and summer camps, and birthday parties. The colorful facility features a large indoor playground with climbing and movement equipment, art, music, storytimes, games, and an instructor-child ratio of 1:6.

Birthday Parties: For ages one to seven, TumbleTots provides cake, a craft, facepainting, storytime, gift bags and balloons, drinks, and all paper goods and invitations.

Parents' Night Out: Every Saturday, children ages two to seven can enjoy the indoor playground, crafts, stories, and music while parents enjoy an evening alone. Advance reservations are required.

Afternoon Drop-In: For ages two to five, parents can shop or run errands while children enjoy the facility and programming for an hourly fee.

Preschool: For ages two to four, the preschool program incorporates fun themes, music, art, stories, creative movement, games, and free play.

TumbleBus Station is a non-competitive gym and party facility for kids up to age 12. The Station offers fun and fitness classes, tumbling and gymnastics classes, parents night out programs, holiday day camps, and summer camps.

Specializing in hip improvisational comedy and quirky original plays, the Whole World Improv Theatre has been selling out its audience-participation shows several days a week since opening its midtown doors in 1994. Improv shows are fresh and fast-paced, with more emphasis on the acting, character and atmosphere than on cheap laughs and thrills.

After cultivating a huge following with adults, the staff turned its attention to the kids of their die-hard fans. The Youth and Teen Programs were created out of the desire to give kids a safe, creative, fun and inspiring artistic home.

Classes: For kids ages 11-17, classes are designed to provide greater understanding of the importance of physical and mental stage presence, to nurture and build confidence, while celebrating diversity, individuality, and creativity. Eighteen-week sessions are comprised of three levels of acting and improv skills. The cost is $360.

Kids Shows: Graduates of WWT Youth & Teen Improv Acting Program (by invitation only) form WWT'S Performance Ready Group. This group performs a show appropriate for the whole family.

Summer Camp: Open to all children eight-13 years of age (seven-year-olds considered on an individual basis)the WWT Improv Summer Camp is a week-long session in which students learn, and actively participate in, Whole World's philosophy of theatre and acting. That is: being focused and present on stage through self awareness and trust; inspiration from partners; and the elimination of fear through the "no judgment" method practiced by Whole World's instructors, students, and performers alike.

Each day includes relaxation and focus exercises; connection exercises, and scene and character study. Later in the week, students learn and practice improvisational games. On the last day of camp, parents are invited to watch a graduation Improv Show. Cost per weekly session is $190 per child, with a maxiumum of 18 children in each weekly camp session. Children should bring a sack lunch each day.

You Gotta Have Art offers art classes, dance classes, workshops, parties, and art camps for ages pre-school through adult, in mediums including drawing, watercolor, oil, acrylic, pastel, cartooning, clay (hand building and wheel), Chinese brush painting, jewelry, and dance.

Check the website for a current schedule.

Young Chefs Academy is a cooking school created just for kids! Children learn cooking and baking techniques, proper food handling, food preparation, and presentation, kitchen safety, table setting, manners, and more. The Academy offers a variety of hands-on cooking classes, including mini-camps and field trips.

The atmosphere is kid-friendly, with colorful cabinets, counters, cutting boards, and bathrooms (to encourage cleanliness!) inviting even the youngest kids to get busy in the kitchen. Parents are welcome to stay and observe, and even taste the end product of their children's efforts.

Instructors follow concise, clever lesson plans and have to know the two C's: cooking, and children - and be good with both. During classes, kids are encouraged to ask questions, express their likes and dislikes, and get confident about cooking skills. Each session's recipes are provided to students, with places to make comments on the back (what they might change next time, how highly they rate the taste) and those who sign up for a class series get their own recipe binder, chefs hat and apron to continue their gastronomic explorations at home.

Birthday parties are one and a half hours long, and guests participate in real hands-on cooking activities. There are two birthday packages to choose from; contact the Academy to determine offerings and current pricing.

Camp-Can-I-Cook is offered every summer at select YCA locations, for young chefs ages five through 15. Mini-holiday and school break camps are also offered.

A retail section in the location offers chef accessories, t-shirts, and cooking-themed gifts to go along with gift certificates, which are available for purchase and are location-specific.

Young Chefs Academy is a cooking school created just for kids! Children learn cooking and baking techniques, proper food handling, food preparation, and presentation, kitchen safety, table setting, manners, and more. The Academy offers a variety of hands-on cooking classes, including mini-camps and field trips.

The atmosphere is kid-friendly, with colorful cabinets, counters, cutting boards, and bathrooms (to encourage cleanliness!) inviting even the youngest kids to get busy in the kitchen. Parents are welcome to stay and observe, and even taste the end product of their children's efforts.

Instructors follow concise, clever lesson plans and have to know the two C's: cooking, and children - and be good with both. During classes, kids are encouraged to ask questions, express their likes and dislikes, and get confident about cooking skills. Each session's recipes are provided to students, with places to make comments on the back (what they might change next time, how highly they rate the taste) and those who sign up for a class series get their own recipe binder, chefs hat and apron to continue their gastronomic explorations at home.

Birthday parties are one and a half hours long, and guests participate in real hands-on cooking activities. There are two birthday packages to choose from; contact the Academy to determine offerings and current pricing.

Camp-Can-I-Cook is offered every summer at select YCA locations, for young chefs ages five through 15. Mini-holiday and school break camps are also offered.

A retail section in the location offers chef accessories, t-shirts, and cooking-themed gifts to go along with gift certificates, which are available for purchase and are location-specific.

Young Chefs Academy is a cooking school created just for kids! Children learn cooking and baking techniques, proper food handling, food preparation, and presentation, kitchen safety, table setting, manners, and more. The Academy offers a variety of hands-on cooking classes, including mini-camps and field trips.

The atmosphere is kid-friendly, with colorful cabinets, counters, cutting boards, and bathrooms (to encourage cleanliness!) inviting even the youngest kids to get busy in the kitchen. Parents are welcome to stay and observe, and even taste the end product of their children's efforts.

Instructors follow concise, clever lesson plans and have to know the two C's: cooking, and children - and be good with both. During classes, kids are encouraged to ask questions, express their likes and dislikes, and get confident about cooking skills. Each session's recipes are provided to students, with places to make comments on the back (what they might change next time, how highly they rate the taste) and those who sign up for a class series get their own recipe binder, chefs hat and apron to continue their gastronomic explorations at home.

Birthday parties are one and a half hours long, and guests participate in real hands-on cooking activities. There are two birthday packages to choose from; contact the Academy to determine offerings and current pricing.

Camp-Can-I-Cook is offered every summer at select YCA locations, for young chefs ages five through 15. Mini-holiday and school break camps are also offered.

A retail section in the location offers chef accessories, t-shirts, and cooking-themed gifts to go along with gift certificates, which are available for purchase and are location-specific.

Young Chefs Academy is a cooking school created just for kids! Children learn cooking and baking techniques, proper food handling, food preparation, and presentation, kitchen safety, table setting, manners, and more. The Academy offers a variety of hands-on cooking classes, including mini-camps and field trips.

The atmosphere is kid-friendly, with colorful cabinets, counters, cutting boards, and bathrooms (to encourage cleanliness!) inviting even the youngest kids to get busy in the kitchen. Parents are welcome to stay and observe, and even taste the end product of their children's efforts.

Instructors follow concise, clever lesson plans and have to know the two C's: cooking, and children - and be good with both. During classes, kids are encouraged to ask questions, express their likes and dislikes, and get confident about cooking skills. Each session's recipes are provided to students, with places to make comments on the back (what they might change next time, how highly they rate the taste) and those who sign up for a class series get their own recipe binder, chefs hat and apron to continue their gastronomic explorations at home.

Birthday parties are one and a half hours long, and guests participate in real hands-on cooking activities. There are two birthday packages to choose from; contact the Academy to determine offerings and current pricing.

Camp-Can-I-Cook is offered every summer at select YCA locations, for young chefs ages five through 15. Mini-holiday and school break camps are also offered.

A retail section in the location offers chef accessories, t-shirts, and cooking-themed gifts to go along with gift certificates, which are available for purchase and are location-specific.