Hoffman Estates is a place where there is never a shortage of recreational and interesting things to do – no matter the season.
You can literally enjoy four seasons of fun, thanks to the Hoffman Estates Park District. Here is just a sampling of what is offered in each season.
Spring
The Triphahn Ice Arena, 1685 W. Higgins Rd., is a busy place year-round, thanks to two sheets of ice where both figure skaters and hockey players, ranging from beginners to the professional Chicago Wolves players practice their skills.
Approximately 1,300 hockey players (both boys and girls) are currently involved in leagues ranging from beginning skating to travel hockey. Sunday night adult leagues are also very popular for those 18 and over, as is “drop-in” hockey.
The Triphahn Center also offers an off-ice training facility where players may practice stick-handling and increase their strength on synthetic ice.
Public skating sessions with free skate rentals are often offered, such as Skate with Santa, according to Sandy Manisco, communications and marketing superintendent for the district.
The Triphahn Center also houses the park district’s Early Learning Center which offers a child care pre-school program year-round for potty-trained children.
Summer
The number of children, from pre-school age through teens, who participate in the Hoffman Estates Park District’s various camps each summer is staggering. In 2017, camp enrollment stood at 5,133 children and teens, Manisco noted.
Camps available through the park district range from traditional, multi-disciplinary explorer and discovery camps to themed camps focusing on science, creative arts, nature, Safety Town, health and sports like tennis. There is even a leadership camp for teens.
The camps generally run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with early arrival as early as 7 a.m. and late stay until 6 p.m. available for an extra fee. Camps are held at many District 54 school campuses, as well as at the Willow Recreation Center and the Triphahn Center. Most camps include visits to the Seascape Family Aquatic Center. Visit www.heparks.org for information about registration and pricing.
Also very popular in the summer is the Seascape Family Aquatic Center, 1300 Moon Lake Blvd., which is open from 11:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., May 26 through Aug. 19. It includes a heated zero-depth entry pool, slides (both tube and drop versions), diving platforms, a volleyball court, a water playground and a sand playground. There is also a concession stand and a nice lawn area for sunbathing.
Season and day passes are available for both children and adults.
Autumn
The 50+ Club for active adults at the Triphahn Center has recently been expanded to 4,200 square feet and now includes billiards, ping pong and card/puzzle tables. It is open whenever the Triphahn Center is open and includes pickleball competitions, Wii bowling, a walking club and periodic “Lunch and Learn” sessions. For an extra fee, participants may also sign up for classes.
New for 2018 is a new fall/Halloween-themed event for families scheduled for Oct. 20 at the Triphahn Center, replacing Pumpkin Fest. Details will be forthcoming.
Winter
Giving a child swimming lessons is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by as much as 88 percent among young children age 1-4, who are at greatest risk of drowning.
The Hoffman Estates Park District offers indoor swim lessons year-round at the Prairie Stone Sports and Wellness Center, 5050 Sedge Blvd., and outdoor swim lessons every summer at the Seascape Family Aquatic Center. Visit www.heparks.org for information about registration and pricing.
Winter is also a popular time of year to enroll in dance classes. The park district offers classes in a variety of dance styles from ballet, to jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, modern and point for both girls and boys, beginning at age two. The classes are taught by a faculty of talented instructors at Willow Recreation Center and the Triphahn Center. A May 26 dance recital is scheduled at Hoffman Estates High School auditorium for the students currently enrolled in dance classes.