Siouxland Families

* Updated for 2022 * Summer is a great time to read, and our local Siouxland libraries do a great job of supporting summer reading with fun programs for kids (and sometimes for adults!) Here are some of the great summer reading programs happening in and around Sioux City for summer 2022 at local libraries and at stores and restaurants:

   Every month I bring you the best things to do in Sioux City and Siouxland, from storytimes and crafts to music festivals, streaming concerts, and holidays from silly to serious. This June, you might also be interested in my guide to pools & swim lessons in Siouxland!  I hope this event list inspires you to go make some happy memories with your family this month! Weds 6/1 National Barefoot Day 8am-1pm:  Sioux City Farmer's Market  in the parking lot west of the Tyson Events Center Thurs 6/2 Live Healthy Iowa Kids Track Meet at Morningside University's Elwood Olsen Stadium, for kids 6-14, FREE, more info here.  Fri 6/3 National Donut Day Sat 6/4 National Prairie Day 8am-1pm:  Sioux City Farmer's Market  in the parking lot west of the Tyson Events Center 9am:  Yoga in the Park  at the Sgt Floyd River Museum, hosted by Sioux City Parks & Rec, FREE Sun 6/5 7:30pm: Sioux City Municipal Band Concert at the Grandview Park Bandshell, FREE Mon 6/6 D-Day 4-6pm: Butterfly En

Get ready to splash and dive! I'm excited to share the best places to swim in Siouxland, water safety tips, and where to find swim lessons in the Sioux City area! Swimming can be one of the best forms of exercise, along with tons of fun, and it's important to make sure you and your family are ready to be safe in the water! Water safety in Siouxland I had the chance to chat with Kristin Rager, a mom of 4 kids and certified Infant Swim Resource Instructor, about pool safety for kids and I was really impressed. This isn't a sponsored post--her message is just important enough that I wanted to share it.  One of Rager's kids nearly drowned as a toddler when Rager turned away for a second to put sunscreen on her then-preschooler. When Rager looked back, her 18 month-old daughter was gone. She ran to the water, terrified, and dove in to rescue her daughter immediately. Rager got to her daughter in time and she's a happy, healthy kid (and a great swimmer) now. But the inc

Consider this your ultimate guide to city parks in Sioux City! From disc golf to mini golf, laser tubing to rustic trails, from water slides to river views, new construction to historical monuments, Siouxland's city parks have it all. As I write about them, I'll link to them from this page so you get the full details on the best city parks in Sioux City and our surrounding communities! My top picks for visitors will have a * by them and include Bacon Creek Park , Riverside Park and Sertoma Park . City Parks in Sioux City *Bacon Creek Park 5015 Correctionville Road Includes two playgrounds, a dog park, and a 3 mile walking path surrounds a small lake with docks for fishing and kayaking Cecilia Park Morningside Ave & Cecilia Center Street Park 2100 Center Street Chautaqua Park 3800 Harbor Drive Children's Park W 15th &a

Who doesn't love finding a little basket or bag of treats left by a friend or loved one on their doorstep? And, what kid doesn't love the thrill of the ding-dong-ditch?? On May 1st, families across Siouxland and the Midwest get to enjoy both those scenarios as part of one special little holiday. Here's what parents should know about celebrating May Day with their kids: What is May Day? May Day is a celebration of spring on May 1st! The holiday has roots in several different ancient celebrations; most historians specifically cite the Roman and Celtic spring celebrations around the same time as the most directly related. From these ancient spring celebrations through medieval Europe to the modern Midwest, early May has long been a time of flowers and joy! I dug through old newspaper records from our area when researching a May Day article for the spring 2020 issue of Living Here Midwest magazine and discovered that May Day/ May 1st as a spring celebration has been celebrated

*Now updated for 2022! If 2022 details are available, those are included, and if not, I tried to include info from previous years so you know kind of ballpark of what to expect for camps and prices from a particular organization! * Ready to plan your summer fun? Here are all the summer day camp opportunities I have found in the Sioux City area for this year, in alphabetical order. I'll put the basic info here and link to the host's website or Facebook page where you can find more details. This page will be updated throughout spring and summer 2022 as new day camps in the Sioux City area are announced, but I also encourage you to contact your favorite camps directly for the most up-to-date information! Summer Camps in Sioux City, Iowa Arena Sports Academy The Arena Sports Academy hosts creative and fun dance camps for kids from preschool to intermediate and advanced dance levels. Dance camps cost varies, but 2021 summer camps at the Arena cost around $50-75 depending o