Aikikai of Philadelphia, the first Aikikai to be established in the Philadelphia area, aims to develop the whole person through the creative art of aikido.

Guest master instructors are frequently invited to teach workshops and seminars, lecture, and perform.

Classes for children ages six through 12 are offered twice a week. Children's camps are also available during the summer spring break.

Arthur Ashe, the only indoor tennis training center in the country exclusively for kids age four to 18, provides programming that focuses on excellence for youngsters of all levels. All tennis sessions are augmented by age appropriate educational activities.

AAYTE welcomes all children. Those who cannot afford programs can play at low or no cost. Beginner, intermediate and advanced players join group lessons for 90 minutes, at a minimum twice a week, for an eight-week session that costs about $145 per session.

Team Tennis, an opportunity for children to play against each other in a team format in both singles and doubles, takes place on Friday nights from 5:30pm to 9:30pm at no cost.

The AAYTE AfterSchool Tennis 'N' Tutoring Program is offered in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Department of Recreation during the school year. The program combines homework help with tennis lessons in the fall and spring at elementary, middle schools, and recreation and community centers throughout the city. Times vary by location, but generally start at 3pm and run for two hours, twice a week, for seven weeks.

Children in the Tennis 'N' Tutoring Program participate free of charge but must be students at the participating schools and registered in the Philadelphia Department of Recreation AfterSchool Program.

Philadelphia National Junior Tennis League (NJTL), owned and operated by AAYTE, offers top-quality, affordable instruction and match play during the summer for players age eight to 18. All tennis practices are augmented by age appropriate educational activities. Scholarships are readily available to families who show need. No child is ever denied the opportunity to join.

Biamonte Stables, LLC provides riding lessons for all ages and skill levels - in both hunters and dressage - with two professional trainers.

Sessions are held on site and can also be arranged at your barn; trailer-ins are welcome. Biamonte Stables also offers training, instruction, boarding, summer camp, and horses for sale and on consignment.

Bucks County Community College (BCCC) offers a wide range of post-secondary academic programs and services, as well as PSAT/SAT prep classes for high school students and summer camp programs for kids ages eight and up.

The BCCC also occasionally serves as a venue for community events that open to the public.

Ski enthusiasts like Campgaw Mountain for its proximity to NYC. The slopes aren't extremely challenging, so it's great for little kids. A "skiwee" area is also available.

Snow tubing, ski lessons, and a snow sports camp are offered, too.

Chamounix Equestrian Center, surrounded by 1,300 acres of wooded trails and open space in Fairmount Park, offers riding lessons, educational programs for groups or schools, summer camp, and a Work to Ride Program.

Riding lessons are available Wednesdays, and Fridays through Sundays from April to November; winter lessons are held as weather permits. Lesson registration begins the first of every month. Group lessons are limited to no more than six riders. Boots with heels are required to ride. The cost is $140 for four one-hour lessons.

Horsemanship is designed to teach kids about common equine horsecare practices, equine behavior, nutrition, safety, proper handling, common illness, and injury. Youth help with feeding, turnout, and stall mucking. Equine professionals are scheduled and participants have the opportunity for observation with question and answer sessions. Certificates of merit are awarded through each successful stage of the program.

Summer camp is for all horse-loving children between the ages of five and 15 who want to learn about horses and how to ride. Campers learn about safety, teamwork, responsibility, animal husbandry, barn management, equine nutrition and animal behavior. On Fridays, parents are invited to watch their kids participate in games on horseback. Full and half day programs are available for riders at all levels and fees begin at $150. A $10 sibling discount is offered, as is $10 off if payment is received by April 15.

Cherry Hill Health & Racquet Club (CHHRC) is a full-service health club that provides fun, imaginative classes and programs for children as young as two, and more competitive, challenging programs for teens up to age 18.

CHHRC offers a wide variety of sports programs for kids including gymnastics, youth basketball, Junior and Pee Wee Sports, hip hop dance classes, tennis, karate, and more. For more information on youth programs, contact Melanie Goode at mgoode@chhrc.com or 856.429.1388, ext. 149.

CHHRC also offers fitness-oriented birthday parties and summer camp programs.

Club La Maison, an upscale sports and fitness club, caters to children - tots to teens - with special programs throughout the year.

Swim, sport, and craft classes include a group swim lesson followed by a sport activity and creative crafts. Toddler tumbling classes teach tots exercise and basic tumbling skills on specialized equipment. Kid's yoga classes, offered for children ages two to six, practice stretching and strengthening little bodies, concentrating on breathing, balance, and coordination. Parent/toddler classes can get little ones used to the water with the security of their family around. Other classes include karate for ages three and up. Swimming classes and private lessons are also available.

Club La Maison also offers fun clubs with classes to help kids ages 11 to 15 get in shape. The Girls Club features spin classes, aerobics, yoga, weight training, and more. The Boys Club focuses on improving strength, agility, and flexibility through weight training and conditioning games.

Summer Camp is available for children ages three to ten years and offers both half-day and full-day options. Activities include a daily recreational swim, use of the KidzFit exercise facility, weekly field trips to local attractions, arts and craft projects, sports, and games. Extended care is available both in the morning and afternoon and a free t-shirt is given to all camp participants. Holiday camps are also available.

Fun, theme-based, birthday parties are available for all ages both in and out of the pool.

The Curiosity Shoppe & Toddler Center is a preschool through kindergarten early childhood center.

Summer camp on Curiosity's 55 acre property provides a full range of activities - including swimming and miniature golf - for toddlers through first graders. Nature activities are geared to the level of understanding and appreciation of each age group through the assistance of a specially trained Nature Director. Arts & crafts activities are also designed to address the needs, interests and capabilities of each particular group.

The Curiosity Shoppe & Toddler Center is a preschool through kindergarten early childhood center.

Summer camp on Curiosity's 55 acre property provides a full range of activities - including swimming and miniature golf - for toddlers through first graders. Nature activities are geared to the level of understanding and appreciation of each age group through the assistance of a specially trained Nature Director. Arts & crafts activities are also designed to address the needs, interests and capabilities of each particular group.

The Doylestown Rock Gym (DRG) is an indoor rock climbing gym and adventure facility offering more than 7,000 square feet of indoor rock climbing surface, including overhangs, boulders, chimneys, caves, and lead walls. DRG is suitable for rocks climbers of all ages and abilities.

Classes: Beginner, advanced, and lead climbing lessons are offered for kids ages nine and up for around $50 per four-week session. Family Climbing sessions, beginning at $75 for two family members, are available for parents and children ages six and up. Three sessions of Kinder Climb for tots ages two-and-a-half to five (parental assistance is required) are $40 per child. Visit the website for details and a complete schedule of youth climbing programs.

Camps: DRG offers full- ($175 per camper) and half-day ($95 per camper) Basic Climbing Camp for children ages six to 12. Participants learn proper safety techniques and enjoy wall climbing, games, and other activities. In the full-day Advanced Climbing Camp ($215 per camper), kids ages 10 to 16 spend two days in the gym preparing for three outdoor adventures climbing on real rocks at local climbing sites. The full-day Adventure Camp, for kids ages 12 and up, includes indoor climbing, outdoor climbing, low and/or high challenge course, kayaking, and more at a cost of $275 per camper. Details about camp programs and registration forms are available online.

Parties: Parties at DRG start at $215 for up to 10 guests and include 90 minutes of unlimited climbing with harnesses and helmets; one staff member for every five climbers; 30 minutes in a private party room; free invitations, and a DRG party bottle for the birthday child. Adventure Parties (available for children in grade four and above) start at $255 for up to 12 guests and include two hours of scaling rock walls, escaping a giant spider's web, swinging over an endless pit, traversing a challenge course, and more. Extras, such as DRG party bottle favors, pizza, and beverages, are available for additional fees.

The Doylestown Rock Gym also offers Youth Climbing Teams for climbers ages seven to 16.

The Eric MacCluen Golf Academy offers golf camps and clinics for adults and children ages five and up. Private and group classes include comprehensive golf instruction as well as on-course play. Special "Just for Girls" sessions are also available.

Eric MacCluen Golf Academy programs are offered at Boomers Family Fun Center in Avondale, PA and The Golf Zone in Honey Brook, PA.

Friends' Central School, established in 1845 by the Quakers is a coed, college prep day school for students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The school has a
9:1 student/teacher ratio and is attended by approximately one thousand students, divided between the 18-acre Lower School Wynnewood Campus, and the 23-acre Middle and Upper School City Avenue campus.

The curriculum is strong in academics, athletics, and the arts, of which there's a huge variety to choose from, including drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, drama, music, and voice.

Sports facilities include several gyms, tennis courts, an indoor, competition-size swimming pool, fitness center, and wrestling room.

The admissions process begins in the fall before the enrollment year. Need-based financial aid is awarded to 26 percent of Friends' Central students.

Summer programs available at FCS include Tenderfoot Camp for children ages three to six and Trailblazer Camp for kids ages six through 12. Activities include swimming, music, drama, arts and crafts, nature, computers, and sports and games. Sports Academy is for children in grades three through nine who are interested in basketball, wrestling, golf, soccer, and field hockey.

Friends' Central Aquatics provides swim instruction for kids ages three to 15, and a USA swim team opportunity for members of the school population and anyone from the surrounding area.

Zhang-Sah - Korean for "Brave Scholar" - is a non-profit community-based organization that provides a full range of martial arts instruction for ages four and up.

Zhang Sah also offers afterschool programming that includes martial arts instruction, homework assistance, club activities, and tutoring. Transportation service from certain schools is also available.

Full-day pre-Kindergarten service is offered from September through June for children ages four and five who are unable to attend Kindergarten. The curriculum includes languages, martial arts, gymnastics, science, math, literacy, and creative arts. Lunch and snack are included; extended day services are also available.

Summer camp programs, offered June through August, are packed with martial arts practice and other activities, including baseball, swimming, gymnastics, and trips.

Zhang-Sah - Korean for "Brave Scholar" - is a non-profit community-based organization that provides a full range of martial arts instruction for ages four and up.

Zhang Sah also offers afterschool programming that includes martial arts instruction, homework assistance, club activities, and tutoring. Transportation service from certain schools is also available.

Full-day pre-Kindergarten service is offered from September through June for children ages four and five who are unable to attend Kindergarten. The curriculum includes languages, martial arts, gymnastics, science, math, literacy, and creative arts. Lunch and snack are included; extended day services are also available.

Summer camp programs, offered June through August, are packed with martial arts practice and other activities, including baseball, swimming, gymnastics, and trips.

Grand Slam USA is likely to score a hit with teens as well as younger kids. This entertainment mecca offers batting cages, laser tag, a video arcade, and a Fun Center with spaceball, a moon bounce, a softplay area with ball pit, and a Frog Hopper ride. Snacks are available, and an on-site pro-shop sells bats and gloves.

Parties: Grand Slam USA party packages start at $10.99 per person (with a minimum of 10), which includes invitations, a party host or hostess, all paper products, 14 tokens for the arcade, one slice of pizza, unlimited soft drinks and popcorn, and a $5 value coupon good for a future visit for each guest. Birthday cakes can be brought in (or ordered through Grand Slam) but other food must be purchased there.

Camps: Baseball and softball skills and games programs are available at Grand Slam during the summer and off-season instruction is offered in the fall.

Hideaway Day Camp supplies a traditional day camp experience, just minutes from downtown Philadelphia. Seventy-two acres of hills, trees, streams, and bunk houses provide an idyllic setting for summer fun and education.

The camp features all of the classic camp activities, such as nature study, daily swimming lessons, fishing, arts and crafts, creek walks, and team sports. Kids can also sign up for a ropes adventure course, archery, and horseback riding lessons for an additional fee of $30 per forty minute lesson. A campsite program requires campers follow guidelines for a clean and safe campsite with team competitions in location, safety, originality, and effort. Winners receive an all-camp cookout at their campsite!

The co-educational camp, serving ages four to fourteen, allows for one to eight week enrollments. Sibling discounts are available.

Before and after care hours begin at 8am and end at 5pm, and are available for a nominal fee. Campers are required
to bring their own lunch, but Gatorade and water are served
throughout the day. Campers dine in a very large, screened-in mess hall with a great view of the camp property.

With 30 years of camping experience, Julian Krinsky Camps and Programs are extensive and top-notch. Programs, held on the campuses of various colleges around the Philadelphia area, include both overnight and day options. Age ranges for the programs run from age four through 17.

Creative and Performing Arts Camp at The Shipley School is a co-educational program for children ages seven through 14. Students spend a fun-filled summer exploring the expressive opportunities, techniques, and traditions of classic art forms.

Super Sports Camp, also held at Shipley, is a co-educational camp that provides age- and skill-specific training in 14 popular sports for children ages seven through 14.

Rising Stars Camp at The Shipley School is a co-educational camp offering an entertaining mix of sports, creative arts, and swimming for children ages four to six.

Half- and full-day sessions of tennis and golf programs are available at Haverford College and Cabrini College.

Canyon Ranch Young Adults Summer Program, a residential program available to kids ages 13 to 17 at Bryn Mawr College, is designed to give campers the tools to get the most out of life by living healthier.

Kehler's Gymnastics & Kids Fun Factory, one of the oldest family-oriented facilities in the Philadelphia area, has been owned and operated by the Kehler family since 1981.

The Gymnastic Center at Kehler's offers gymnastics instruction in small classes of four to six students, for boys and girls 15 months to 18 years old. Cheer tumbling classes are offered for as little as $10 per class (when registering for 10 weeks) or $12 for walk-ins.

The Fun Factory is an educational, indoor playground designed for children ages one to 11. The 3-floor, 20-foot play structure has tunnels, cargo nets, a ball pit, a giant spiral slide, and a trolley ride. Trained educators are available to supervise and help children, and there is a toddlers-only area with age-appropriate activities. Rock climbing is available by reservation only for children ages five to 14. One hour of climbing costs $10, and one hour of climbing plus Fun Factory admission is $12.

Birthday parties at Kehler's are offered for children up to 14 years of age. Activities include trampolines, moon bounces, ball pits, rock climbing, inflatables, indoor soft play, and more.

Holiday Day Camps and Summer Camp programs are also available. Check the website for details, and be sure to register early to get the discounted price.

Special needs children are welcome at Kehler's classes, the Fun Factory, and birthday parties. Private gymnastics classes, as well as a parent participation class, are offered as well.

Kids U is an indoor children's activity center - featuring a 2,000-square-foot play quad - that offers a variety of classes for kids ages 11 months to nine years, including gymnastics, music, martial arts, dance, theater, cooking, science, sports, and games. Kids registered for classes at Kids U also have unlimited access to the play quad. Visit the website for details and a current class schedule.

Parties at Kids U include 30 minutes of free play on the play quad; 30 minutes of supervised, age-appropriate games and activities in the gymnastics room; and 30 minutes in the facility's party room. Paper goods (in one of six colors) and invitations (in one of three styles) are also provided.

Camp programs for kids ages three to eight are available during the summer and on school vacation days.

Little SPORT is an indoor play and sport facility that offers open play and sports-oriented classes for babies and preschoolers.

Little SPORT's bright, clean Open Play Arena - available for kids to play or practice what they've learned in Little SPORT classes - offers a mini alphabet track, a multi-sport field, a multi-hoop basketball wall, multi-sport cages, an interactive ball room, horse swings, and an "X-Games" climbing area. There is also a special area designated for crawlers only.

Classes: All Little SPORT classes are taught by a certified instructor in a visually stimulating training room, and most follow a similar routine that's adjusted to the participants' age group. Each class begins with a stretching routine and a starting cheer, followed by the introduction of the sports of the day; age-appropriate skills and drills are then taught and played. Two different sports are taught weekly in each 13-week session.

Classes are available for all preschool age groups, from SPORTBaby Classes for parents and babies ages 10 to 18 months, to Olympian Classes for kids ages four-and-a-half through Kindergarten. The Champions Class is designed for athletes with special needs. Champions uses the same structure as other classes, but is modified to the individual abilities of each participant. The Little Kickers Playgroup, available for infants and babies up to 18 months, is held the Open Play Arena, and offers a non-structured play environment where parents can interact with their babies and other parents.

Parties: Little SPORT offers several party packages. The basic Open Party ($12.95 per guest with a minimum of 10 guests) includes one hour of open play with the general public in the Open Play Arena with a Little SPORT associate, one half-hour in a private party room, party set-up and clean-up, a t-shirt for the birthday child, thank you notes, and paper goods, juice, and balloons for each guest. Food, Little SPORT favors, and customized cakes are available for additional fees. Private parties start at $300.

Lloyd Hall, located on Boathouse Row in Fairmount Park, serves as a community recreation center and a public boathouse for Philadelphia.

Lloyd Hall was built by the Fairmount Park Commission in 1998 and is used as a meeting place by local community groups such as the Fairmount Sports Association and the Philadelphia Jugglers Club. Restrooms, open daily from 7am-9pm, are accessible from both inside and outside the building.

Numerous activities are available at Lloyd Hall, including free basketball and volleyball. The Fairmount Sport Association offers a basketball league for boys and girls under age 10, and another for kids ages 10 to 15 years. League sign up is available in October; call 215.751.9280 for more information.

In July, the Fairmount Park Commission offers free sessions of Fairmount Park Rowing Camp at Lloyd Hall. The program, open to Philadelphia students ages 13-17, teaches the basics of rowing; participants must be able to pass a required swim test. More information about Rowing Camp is available by phone at 215.685.3936 or via email to joseph.cook@phila.gov.

Lloyd Hall also offers in season bicycle and skate rentals, and hosts folk dancing and painting classes. Registration and more information about classes and recreational activities at the facility are available by calling 215.685.3936.

Northwestern Stables offers English style horseback riding lessons for adults and kids ages eight and up. Group classes are small and focus on horsemanship skills and safe and fun riding techniques.

Kids ages eight to 12 can have a blast learning all about barn life through hand-on experiences with horses in Northwestern's summer camp program. Week-long camp sessions are held Monday through Friday in July and August.

Philadelphia Gymnastics Center (PGC) is an accredited USA gymnastics facility, and the place to go if your little acrobat is ready to take his or her skills to the next level.

Gymnastics instruction at all levels is available for kids as young as 33 months; 40-minute You and Me classes are offered for parents and children ages 21 to 33 months. The Mannettes, PGC's competitive gymnastics team, have won many state, regional, and national titles; members have competed on US World Championship, US Pan American, and US Olympic teams.

PGC also offers pre-school birthday parties and one-week summer camp programs for preschoolers and kids ages five and up. Enrollment forms are available online.

Philly's professional soccer team plays home games at the Wachovia Spectrum.

Want to audition to sing the national anthem at a KiXX game? Submit an audio tape or CD of the American national anthem, performed acapella, along with biographical information to the Philadelphia KiXX, Attn: Game Presentation at the address above. Only successful candidates will be contacted.

Birthday messages can be placed on the scoreboard by phoning at least two business days before the requested game. The cost for each message is $10, and a credit card number is required.

The KiXX Summer Soccer Kamp offers area children the opportunity to receive professional soccer instruction. The camp is available to boys and girls ages four through 14 and operates at nearly 40 different locations throughout the Delaware Valley.

Kids can kick with the pros at Philadelphia KiXX Summer Kamp. The programs offers boys and girls ages four to 14 the opportunity to learn from their favorite Philadelphia KiXX soccer players and staff in a fun and positive environment. Sessions are held at approximately 40 locations throughout the Delaware Valley.

In addition to professional instruction, each camper receives an official camp t-shirt, soccer ball, voucher to the team's home opener, and various amenities from KiXX corporate sponsors.

The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the Best Best Indoor Playspace/Partyspace for Teens in Philadelphia, the 7,000-square-foot Philadelphia Rock Gym features one of the best Eldorado cliffs in the Northeast, as well as various difficulty climbing routes, a boulder cave, and a jam crack.

With a strong emphasis on safety, either a safety/belay rope course needs to be taken or a test passed before climbers can mount the walls. The Introduction to Climbing Package includes the safety/belay lesson, equipment rental, and a day pass making it a good deal. Climbing rates are available by the day, or in five-, 10-, or 15-visit punch passes.

Memberships are available on either the individual or family level and may run for a certain number of months or a full year.

Birthday parties at Philadephia Rock Gym include free equipment rental, two hours of climbing, pizza, drinks, and more.

Half- and full-day summer climbing camp programs are available for kids age five and up.

The Philadelphia School of Circus Arts - the only full-on circus arts school in the Mid-Atlantic region - provides aerial skills training programs for children and adults. Group classes and private lessons are offered trapeze, juggling, tightwire, and other related arts. Classes are taught by Shana Kennedy, a professional aerialist who has performed all over the world and has been teaching circus skills since 1994.

Two-week sessions Summer Circus Camp offers are available for kids ages eight to 15. Circus acrobatics parties at the school feature rope climbing, static trapeze, tumbling, juggling, balancing, and more for kids ages six and up.

Shana and her students, a troupe of performing aerialists known as Air Play, are available to perform at corporate events, festivals, theaters, and other venues. Visit www.airplaytrapeze.com for details and booking information.

Radnor Township Parks & Recreation Department provides a wide variety of programs for kids and teens.

In the spring, Radnor Township offers youth lacrosse, Little League Baseball, and softball programs. In the fall, a township soccer league has both house and travel soccer teams for girls and boys.

During the summer, Radnor Township provides reasonably priced, six-week Day Camp for kids ages six to 13, and a Tot Lot program for children ages four and five. A number of specialized camps for theater, science, computers, and sports such as field hockey, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse, are also available.

Throughout the year, kids ages three and up can take workshops in theater, chess, cooking, judo, flag football, indoor and outdoor soccer, puppetry, and much more.

Visit www.radnor.com/government/public_serv/parks/parks.html for a complete schedule of seasonal programs.

The Skate 309 roller skating rink offers open skate hours as well as a speed skating team, youth and adult hockey, indoor soccer, and flag football. The facility also features a game arcade and Roo's Play Place, a large indoor playground, for kids ages 10 and under. On Friday nights, Skate 309 hosts dodge ball, dancing, and skating for kids ages 10 to 15.

Classes: Morning and afternoon Tots Roller Skating classes are available Monday through Thursday. Eight-week sessions are $95 and include skate rental, a t-shirt, instruction, games, a snack, and fun time in the FunZone each week.

Parties: The Super Skate or Super FunZone Play Place Party Packages cost $95 for a minimum of eight guests, and include admissio