EDINA - Summer Programs for 13 yr olds?? (Eden Prairie, Prior Lake: transplants, skateboarding)

[MichelleLC]

We have just purchased a home in Edina and will be relocating from NY to MN at the end of June. I have sons ages 10 and 13. There is an incredibly long list of available summer options for the 10 year old through both the school district and the town. I've registered him for a number of weeks in programs at the schools in our area and hope he will meet some classmates while having some fun in his new town.

The 13 year old is another story. These programs seem to only go up to age 12. What do the 13 and ups do during the summer here? There seems to be a big gap between 12 and an age to start programs such as drivers ed, lifeguard training, camp counselor etc ….

Advice appreciated. He will be starting 8th grade at Valley View Middle School in the fall. We will be living in the Creek Valley neighborhood.

[PLSMOM]

We relocated to Edina last summer at the same time with 2boys, 13 and 16 years old. Luckily, we landed in a great neighborhood with nice neighbors. My 13 year old is a swimmer and started swim team right away on the Edina Swim Club. There are lots of nice kids that age on the team. He also did a lot of skateboarding at 3rd Lair. Another thing we did is join Lifetime Fitness which has lots of options too. Not sure if this information helps you.
We've been happy with the schools here and my boys have adjusted well. I know how stressful a move can be, happy to help you if I can.

[MichelleLC]

Thank you …. I will look into Lifetime Fitness. My 13 year old is a big baseball player, so he will have to wait a bit for his season to start. How did you find the transition into the middle school? Were the students welcoming? Did the parents welcome you as a new mom among them? I'm impressed so far by the pre-start of school information sessions for new families that are scheduled.

[PLSMOM]

Yes, my son made friends at Valley View quickly. As a parent of older kids it's a little harder to make those connections. I volunteer in a few areas at both the middle and high school and have met some nice parents. The PTO at both schools is always looking for people!
Edina is a nice place, but like anywhere people are busy and don't always have time for new friendships.
Also, in the summer, lots of people here head north to cabins on the weekends, so not a lot of people around.

[cheddar]

There is a YMCA camp in Prior Lake that has pickup locations in Edina and elsewhere. They have a lot going on there - here is a link to their teen specialty camps:

Teen Specialty Camps | YMCA Twin Cities

[MichelleLC]

Thank you … that is very helpful. The link also connected me to the bus schedule which I hadn't found before on the Y website. Bus right in our neighborhood … how can you beat that!

[blackpointyboots]

Yes, check out the Southdale YMCA they usually have tons of programs for those over 12. Also check out the Edina Arts center if he is interested in art at all. They frequently run art classes for older kids.

[ellysbelly]

Welcome to MN-- where in NY are you relocating from? We are recent-ish transplants and we LOVE it here (and I'm a former New Yorker, if that helps!), as do our kids. My kiddos were 6, 9, and 11 when we moved and they felt welcomed almost instantly both in sports and in school. I hope that your boys feel the same.

PS If you haven't already, be sure to register him for rec baseball, often those spots fill up quickly-- and, believe it or not, most tryouts for NEXT summer's travel teams will be held this summer (not sure whether that's the norm in NY, but that was definitely not the norm where we lived previously!) If he's interested in playing travel baseball this summer, it might be worthwhile to contact some teams, they might have a spot available depending on his age, position played, and level.

There are CIT (Counselor In Training) positions available for 13 year olds through the park system camps in Eden Prairie (and similar programming might be available in Edina and elsewhere)-- but there definitely is a dearth of programs for kids aged 13-15 (my oldest is now 13), as you've found, most programs are for kids up to age 12 and that seems to be the reality everywhere around here.

Welcome again!

[MichelleLC]

Thanks ... Good info on the baseball. He will likely look for some training over winter and play next spring. He will finish out his season in New York before we move. Do they register for spring Rec ball already out there?

We are from Westchester County NY. Just north of NY City. It's funny reading messages with this perspective. So often I read how expensive Edina is and how high the taxes. We almost tripled the size of our house while buying in Edina .. Yet housing and tax costs are quite a bit lower than where we are coming from.

[PullMyFinger]

Originally Posted by MichelleLC

We have just purchased a home in Edina and will be relocating from NY to MN at the end of June. I have sons ages 10 and 13. There is an incredibly long list of available summer options for the 10 year old through both the school district and the town. I've registered him for a number of weeks in programs at the schools in our area and hope he will meet some classmates while having some fun in his new town.

The 13 year old is another story. These programs seem to only go up to age 12. What do the 13 and ups do during the summer here? There seems to be a big gap between 12 and an age to start programs such as drivers ed, lifeguard training, camp counselor etc ….

Advice appreciated. He will be starting 8th grade at Valley View Middle School in the fall. We will be living in the Creek Valley neighborhood.

Do they play hockey? Edina is one of the best hockey towns in Minnesota. A lot of hockey camps at Braemar Arena.