Director of Recreation and Leisure Services: Kristine Vincent, CPRP
Recreation Supervisor: Daphne Shinder
Recreation Supervisor: Terri Ziemnicki
Telephone: 860-653-8947
Website: GranbyRec.com
New After School Care Program
The Parks and Recreation Department will offer a new “After Care” program at Kelly Lane school from 3:30–5:30 p.m., five days per week. The program, run by Kelly Lane school staff, will feature homework time, outdoor play and enrichment, snack, fun and more. Five- and two-day options. The program will expand next school year to include Wells Rd school and before school and after school care.
Special Events
Holiday Marketplace at Holcomb Farm: Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Stop by the Holcomb Farm holiday marketplace, sip a holiday cocktail and shop for all those holiday gifts. Soaps, holiday décor, candles, wood signs and much more.
Holiday House Decorating Contest: Do you decorate your home or business every year? Why not enter to get rewarded for all of your hard work and creativity? Join Granby Rec Department for its Third Annual Decorating event to spread some holiday cheer throughout town. This free event is for Granby residents only. Register by Dec. 12. We will post a link with the map of all entries on Dec. 13.
Letters from Santa: Imagine the excitement in your house when your child receives a personalized letter from Santa! Our team of Elves is ready to help Santa spread some holiday cheer and good wishes. Each letter is sure to add some magic to the Christmas season and can set a worried mind at ease, as each reader learns that he or she is, indeed, on Santa’s “good” list. Once you register, please print out Santa’s Questionnaire and complete the questionnaire (with assistance from your little one), and bring him/her to Salmon Brook Park and place it in Santa’s special mail box. Leave the rest to the Elves. Letters are mailed during the first part of December, to ensure delivery before Christmas Day.
Preschool Programs
Granby Nature Preschool: A farm and nature preschool for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds based at Holcomb Farm. We are a 5-day program for morning, afternoon or full day, except Fridays that are half day, with visits or visitors to/from local farms and nature trails. We embrace outdoor living and learning, and plan to be outside for some part of every day except in extreme weather. Indoors in our space at The Barn at Holcomb we enhance learning through community living, relationship building, caring for one another and our plants, and with art, movement, music and storytelling activities. GNP offers rolling enrollment for new students including children who turn 3 after school begins. New students start at the first of every month. We pro-rate on a monthly basis. GNP follows the Granby Public School calendar. For questions, please contact director Amanda Hochschartner at info@granbynaturepreschool.com and register at GranbyRec.com
Options:
Mornings: 9:15–11:45 a.m., Monday–Friday
Afternoons: 12:45–3:15 p.m., Monday–Thursday
Full Day: 9:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m., Monday–Thursday and 9:15–11:45 a.m. on Friday
Lunch Bunch: 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. optional add-on for half days, Monday–Friday.
Youth Programs
Granby Youth Basketball League: Now is the time to register for the Winter Youth Basketball Program. Program goals include: to provide a positive recreational basketball program for boys and girls in grades K-8; to instruct the players in the rules of the game; to develop individual skills; to foster teamwork and proper sportsmanlike attitudes; to establish a foundation of basics for future support of the high school programs; to create an opportunity for children to be with their friends and to make new friends; to have fun! We are following all state and local Covid policies and masks will be required by all when indoors.
New High School Basketball Pick-Up Program: Pick-up games on two courts at Wells Road School on Tuesday nights (no Dec. 27 or Feb. 21). Bring your own basketball. This program is for anyone who is looking to play basketball once a week during the winter months. This program will be supervised by a monitor.
Chess Wizards Winter Break Camp: Tuesday, Dec. 27–Friday, Dec. 30, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at Holcomb Farm Workshop. Chess Wizards offers summer and holiday vacation camps for children aged 6-12. As much as we love chess and champion its cognitive and character benefits, we don’t believe in asking an 8-year-old to stay inside for 3 or 6 hours and just play chess during their vacation. We’ve developed an interactive day-camp format that includes all kinds of activities to keep kids both physically and mentally engaged during their time with us. Team chess games, puzzles, skill-building and team and individual physical games are just some of the ways we integrate the whole person into our camp activities. A sample day might include exploration of a technical chess concept, fun group challenges which hone specific chess thinking patterns, a healthy snack, a mini-tournament, capture-the-flag, and blob tag. Or creating and designing your own chess piece to be used in a practice game with your new friends. After all, it’s camp—students will make wonderful memories.
Food Explorers: Holiday Baking Extravaganza: Wednesday, Dec. 28, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. at Holcomb Farm Kitchen. Make two delicious recipes from scratch: Chocolate Peppermint Pies and Hot Chocolate Mousse Cups. Each recipe is nut free but will contain dairy. Each child will make their own portion whenever possible.
After School Programs
Please check website for more details.
Art-ventures for Kids at Kelly Lane and Wells Road Schools
Fall Field Hockey Clinic at Wells Road School
Fit and Fun Running Club at Wells Road School
Mad Science at Kelly Lane and Wells Road Schools
Monday PE Games with Mr. Migneault at Wells Road School
Monday PE Games with Mr. Norton at Kelly Lane School
Nutmeg Book Club with Ms. Amara at Wells Road School
Reader’s Theater Club with Ms. Amara at Wells Road School
Thursdays TEAM Sports with Mr. Migneault at Wells Road School
Tuesdays Rock Wall Program with Mr. Norton at Kelly Lane School
Soccer Shots at Salmon Brook Park
Adult Programs
Basketball: Held on Mondays and Thursdays, 7–9 p.m. in the Community Gym at Granby High School. Pick-up games for two hours for those ages 18 and up. Granby residents have two options to pay: $75 for the entire season, both nights (under $3 per night) $5 drop-in fee per night.
Adult Field Hockey: Granby’s tradition of great field hockey continues, not only at the middle and high school levels, but for those who are now adults who still wish to keep the stick in their hands and play the game. We will have pick-up games every Wednesday, 6:30–8:15 p.m., in the gym at Wells Rd School. Bring your own stick, mouth guard and shin guards. We won’t be using goalies. This is open to residents as well as non-residents. Dust off your stick and reconnect with your former teammates and/or meet some other area players. Bring an old sock to put on your stick.
Paint Night with “Paint Craze”: Thursday, Dec. 1, 7–9 p.m. at Salmon Brook Park Gathering Room. Grab a friend or two and join us for a fun evening of canvas painting, a cute “welcoming” snowman who will warm your heart. Perfect for a gift or a personalized welcome sign. Everything you need will be supplied including a 12” x 24” canvas. Feel free to bring food and beverages to enjoy while you paint. $40.
Indoor Pickleball: We will be setting up two indoor courts at the Granby Middle School gym for those interested in playing indoors during the winter season—Tuesdays and Wednesday, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Rotating partners of teams will be formed each time with games playing until the score of 7. Bring your own racquet. Balls will be supplied. This is just game play, no instruction.