Arlington Community Education

Form your own architectural firm and start imagining the skyscraper of your dreams. From the mathematical calculations every good architect must make to the history of how the elevator revolutionized Manhattan, you’ll learn about key elements of architectural design and engineering. Create a stunning blueprint that considers sustainability, transportation, and green spaces. Then bring your vision to life with a LEGO model. Present your architectural masterpiece to your peers and showcase why your tower will be the defining structure of the 21st century.

Jump into the dynamic world of parkour! Explore basic techniques in a safe and progressive setting while building your physical strength and developing self-confidence. Learn to embrace obstacles as an opportunity for fun and exploration and see your physical environment through “parkour vision,” where the whole world becomes your playground. This mix of indoor and outdoor activities is designed for a wide range of fitness levels and abilities.

Spend the day playing team sports and cooperative games you love, everything from soccer, basketball, and dodgeball, to variations of games like kickball and Capture the Flag. Bring your own game ideas, or think of new twists on traditional ones.

Always a blast, You’ve Got Game! will get you playing many active and exciting games cooperatively as teams, and as individuals. Activities may include classics such as capture the flag, kickball, floor hockey, bowling, relay races, t-ball, and golf. With unique and sometimes crazy spins on traditional sports and gym games, this class is destined to get you moving, laughing, and having fun!

Learn to hand sew three-dimensional “puffies” out of felt—everything from food, animals, shapes, and even emojis. We’ll sew and stuff our puffies, then embellish them with sparkles and embroidery. Bring your own designs and ideas or find inspiration from the class.

Did you know that making friendship bracelets is a two thousand year old tradition? We will use beads, bangles, and elaborate patterns to jazz up the more traditional string and gimp creations. Choose beautiful colors of string then learn to braid designs such as candy stripe, criss cross, and skinny stripe. Add in fun beads or charms to make them even more special. You will go home with bracelets galore and plentiful supplies to make more. This is “knot” your everyday friendship bracelet making class. Beginners to experts welcome.

Become a hero and embark on a Dungeons & Dragons adventure in the land of Ithreach, a fantasy setting where seasons change and the story continues to grow. This game emphasizes heroism, teamwork, empathy, and storytelling skills. Learn D&D: The Giants Table If you’re brand-new to Dungeons & Dragons or have the books but have never played, come learn the rules of D&D while embarking on an exciting introductory adventure. In The Giant’s Table, you’ll investigate a missing man and the mysterious Mother Fenlight as a town is attacked by evil fey creatures. You’ll use a pre-generated 1st-level character, and everything you need to play will be provided.

Become a part of a Minecraft community and help create a spectacular city for future residents. Build, budget, and furnish your dream home, launch a marketing campaign for your own business, and shape the city’s future as a council member—your vote truly matters! You’ll discover how math, economics, and community-building drive urban success, all while having a blast in the Minecraft world.

Embark on a journey of creativity, from crafting slime and DIY playdough to building a captivating gallery featuring painted rocks, paper fish, and more. Upcycle popsicle sticks, twigs, yarn, and other materials to make wall hangings, picture frames, and bracelets. Other projects in the lineup include coasters, duct tape pencil cases, and tie-dye headbands made from t-shirts.

Chop, grate, measure, mix, knead, stretch, and roll as you learn to make a variety of authentic Italian dishes such as sauce, homemade pasta, pizza, meatballs, lasagna, and bruschetta. Develop essential food preparation skills, including how to read a recipe, use equipment, measure ingredients, and explore flavor combinations.

Create colorful keychains using an assortment of pony beads. Follow a pattern to make charming critters such as cute cats and leapin’ lizards and fun foods like sweet strawberries and incredible ice cream cones. Or be creative and come up with your own geometric or organic design. Decorate your backpack or give your keychains as adorable, practical gifts.

Learn to draw animals, vehicles, plants, ocean creatures, and more, using a combination of basic shapes. Pick your favorites and combine them to make a scene that you will color with a variety of media. Each day we will focus on a different theme and build on our drawing knowledge to make more elaborate pictures. There’s no right or wrong in this class—drawing is all about having fun!

Mount Kilimanjaro, Zion National Park, Icelandic glaciers and volcanoes, and a high speed rail network in Japan—we’ll explore these places and more as we learn about using and making maps. Through hands-on investigation, detailed drawing, and 3D construction using a variety of materials, learn the language of cartographers as you map unique landscapes, major points of interest, and physical topography. Then put your skills to the test by following a “treasure map” that will lead to a prize hidden somewhere at SummerFun!

Travel through history following thrilling true-story adventures of the Cold War, Titanic, and Forbidden City. Get introduced to each time period by watching a short cinematic Minecraft film. Then take on the role of a famous historical figure such as President John F. Kennedy or Emperor Yongle. Try to find an imposter on the sinking Titanic, skydive into the Forbidden City to loot treasure, survive endless waves of zombies and other Minecraft mobs in the U.S. Pentagon, and more, in authentic Minecraft recreations of these historic locations.

Explore the world of money and become a financial pro! Learn how to set goals, stick to a budget, and make smart money decisions. Spend time online, researching rental properties, exploring stocks, and planning essentials for your own business. Play fun financial games and stock market simulations to understand how cash flow, credit cards, and compound interest work. You’ll create a financial portfolio and a business pitch deck to showcase your new skills.

Blast off! Develop your own space mission including rocket design, launch, and orbit, using Kerbal Space Program (KSP). KSP is a space flight simulation game that provides an exciting and intuitive environment for learning about space exploration. You’ll learn about astrodynamics and physics as you explore realistic, modern-day space flight.

Step into the spotlight and explore iconic Broadway musicals—from classics like The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins to modern hits like Matilda, Wicked, and High School Musical. Sing solos, belt out group numbers, learn fun choreography, and create crafts inspired by each show. Get ready for a “wicked” good time as you “step in time” and become “revolting children” in your Broadway debut!

Unleash your creativity by learning how to create your very own digital music composition. From start to finish, you will learn all of the ins-and-outs of what it takes to produce a song from scratch with the easy to use digital audio workstation Soundtrap. Discover how to compose a song in the style of your favorite music genre—everything from pop, techno, rap, and more. No prior musical experience is required, just a love and passion for music.

Calling all Pokémon trainers! Build and catch your favorite Pokémon from LEGO parts, rescue Pikachu from Team Rocket, take a ride on the S.S. Anne to uncover rare and mythical Pokémon, and battle to see who will hold the title of Pokémon Master. Come along on an exciting journey to catch ‘em all!

Create stunning landscapes on a variety of surfaces, including canvas, wood, and paper, using both acrylic and water-mixable oil paints. Learn how to layer and blend these versatile mediums to capture light, color, and the natural beauty around you. Explore techniques to bring depth, texture, and atmosphere to your work as you paint a majestic mountain scene, a tranquil ocean view, and a dramatic sunset over the mountains. Discover new ways to express your creativity and develop your confidence as an artist.

Junk journaling is the art of creating a one-of-a-kind, handmade book using recycled and found materials. The term “junk” refers to everyday items—like postcards, old newspapers, fabric scraps, and stamps—that would normally be thrown away. You will craft collage-style journal entries inspired by a new prompt each session, using a mix of provided materials and any “junk” you bring from home. Capture your memories, ideas, and moments while creating a unique, meaningful, and sustainable keepsake.

Different cultures express themselves in creative ways. Using non-traditional materials like bubble wrap, straws, forks, and more, we’ll create a variety of projects inspired by countries like Italy, India, and Japan. You’ll discover new techniques and create your own unique artwork that reflects the diverse traditions of cultures from around the world.

Discover the vibrant culture of Mexico and learn some Spanish as we create colorful crafts like flor de piñas (pineapple flowers) from Oaxaca and máscaras (masks) for the danza de los viejitos (dance of the little old men) from Michoacán. We’ll play traditional games like papa caliente (hot potato), zapatito (little shoe), and abeja buzz (buzzy bee) and whip up delicious treats like cheesy quesadillas and fruity calientito. As we explore the richness of Mexican traditions, we’ll learn the basic Spanish words for ingredients, numbers, and colors—y más! Descubre la vibrante cultura Mexicana mientras aprendes español básico. Juntos crearemos coloridas manualidades como Piñas decoradas y mascaras de colores que usaremos para la danza de los viejitos (Michoacán) y Flor de piña (Oaxaca). Jugaremos juegos simples como papa calienta, zapatito y abeja buzz, disfrutaremos comida como quesadillas y bebidas tradicionales como caliento. Mientras exploramos la rica cultura Mexicana aprenderemos español básico, colores, numero, ingredientes, emociones y mas…