Hot Fun in the Summer Sun at Fort Leavenworth

FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS — (June 17, 2025) Several Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, organizations have classes, programs and events planned for Fort Leavenworth community members to stay busy and entertained this summer, while also keeping the community connected. Each month there are activities offered for adults, children and families, and there will be more events announced throughout the summer.

Aquatics

The outdoor pools are open for the summer season. Grant Pool is open every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. designated as lap swim time. Hancock Pool is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day as well, with it exclusively having open swim. Pool passes are $5 per day, or season passes for individuals and families can be purchased at Harney Sports Complex.

Army Community Service

Army Community Service is hosting an Interview Skills and Professionalism class from noon to 2 p.m. June 25 at the Resiliency Center. ACS will host a workshop to discuss how to volunteer with ACS and other post organizations at noon July 18 at the Resiliency Center.

Army Community Service and the Fort Leavenworth Post Exchange are co-hosting a joint military birthday party to celebrate ACS’s 60th anniversary and the PX’s 130th anniversary from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 25 at the PX.

Arts and Crafts

Located next door to Leisure Travel Services in the front offices of the Old U.S. Disciplinary Barracks complex, Arts and Crafts is hosting several events and classes throughout the summer. Adults can participate in a paint-and-sip class from 6-8 p.m. July 11; cost is $35. Framing classes are offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28, July 11 and July 26. Other classes offered throughout the summer include beginner and intermediate calligraphy classes, acrylic pour classes, and crafting classes to build wooden growth charts and flower wreaths. Adult classes range from $20-40.

Arts and Crafts is also hosting classes for children, including Summer Studio for ages 6-11 and 12 and older, Art History for ages 7 and older, Messy Art for ages 7 and older, and Color Me Happy for parents and toddlers. All children's classes cost $10-15.

Brunner Range

Brunner Range hosts a Fun Shoot from 9 a.m. to noon on the first and third Saturday of each month throughout the summer. A free brunch is provided for all participants.

Additionally, the summer league at the range has begun and lasts through July 10. Participants are invited to shoot on their own time, by themselves or with friends, when the range is open for the summer league.

Brunner Range also offers free shooting lessons on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Individuals can coordinate lesson times with the coach at range.

Brunner Range is open from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, as well as from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Combined Arms Research Library

The Combined Arms Research Library is hosting its annual Summer Reading Program, with the theme “Level Up at Your Library.” There are reading challenges each for ages 0-3, 4-9, 10-17, and 18 and older. The program kicked off June 9 and runs through Aug. 10, with new prizes being awarded to participants who read a certain amount of time each week. To register, sign up on Beanstack, the app used to log reading hours, via the CARL home page at https://carlcgsc.libguides.com/Home/SRP25.

“Children should participate because it is a great way to prevent the summer slide, which is the learning lost throughout the summer between school years,” said CARL Circulation Department Head Sierra Hochstatter. “However, adults should not miss out on the fun. The summer reading program offers everyone opportunities to connect with community members through the shared love of reading and through time spent together in a community space.”

Chapel Community

The Chapel Community is hosting Vacation Bible School Aug. 1-3. This year's theme is “Yee Haw – Celebrating God’s Greatest Gift.” VBS will run Friday through Sunday this year, from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 2, and from 8-11 a.m. Aug. 3 at Frontier and Pioneer Chapels. Registration can be done in person at Frontier Chapel beginning July 14.

Vacation Bible School is open to children ages 4-11. Teen and adult volunteers are needed to help with the program. All volunteers must register in person or online and attend a volunteer training session.

FMWR Outdoor Rental

For community members who like to spend their time outdoors, Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation offers outdoor equipment rental. Equipment includes camping supplies, picnic equipment, fishing and boating needs, inflatables and more. Rentals must be made by individuals ages 18 and older, and they can be made up to 60 days in advance. Rentals can be picked up and dropped off from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Thursday through Monday.

Fitness classes

Gruber Fitness Center and Harney Sports Complex offer classes this summer.

At Gruber, a Taekwondo class is at 6-7 p.m. or 7-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This class costs $65 a month or $10 per class.

Gruber is also offering Jiu-Jitsu classes from 6:30-7:30 p.m. for beginners or from 7:40-8:40 p.m. for advanced classes every Thursday. Martial arts classes require 24/7 access to the gym.

Other classes at Gruber include Zumba at 9:30 a.m. Mondays and at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays; Power Yoga at 5 p.m. Mondays and 9 a.m. Saturdays; Power Cycling at 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays; and Cycling at 8 a.m. Saturdays.

At the Harney Sports Complex Annex, also known as the Bubble Gym, Power Cut classes are at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Classes are $5 for one class, 10 classes for $45, or 20 classes for $80.

A summer softball league is also underway. Games are at 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. To join or for more information, contact Matthew Price at 913-684-3224.

Harrold Youth Center

Youth in grades six through 12 can participate in a wide range of activities this summer through Harrold Youth Center. Participants need to register with Child and Youth Services at Parent Central at the Resiliency Center.

Weekly camp sessions are offered for youth to partake in team challenges, STEAM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities, cooking club, video game tournaments, field trips and more. Field trips are planned to escape rooms, the University of Kansas Ropes Course, Lake Olathe and Sky Zone. Summer camp activities are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week. All payments for camp must be made the week before the session.

Separate trips to Worlds of Fun are also offered from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 27, July 3, July 18, July 24, July 31 and Aug. 8. Teens can either pay $45 per trip, or $10 with the purchase of a season pass.

For teenagers new to the community, Harrold Youth Center is hosting Teen Summer Meet and Greets from 5-7 p.m. throughout the months of June and July, with a music and games event June 25, water balloons and a movie June 27, bowling and pizza July 11, and games and snacks July 23.

“We try to give (new students) a youth sponsor, if they request one, so that they have someone who can guide them around, give them ideas, give them advice, kind of show them the ropes so to speak,” said Aileen Lane, youth services assistant director at Harrold Youth Center. “The meet and greets give them a chance to come hang out at the youth center and meet kids that are their own age. It's kind of like a try-it before you buy-it.”

A Dash Board Tour of Fort Leavenworth concludes the Teen Summer Meet and Greet events from 4-5:30 p.m. July 25. New students can tour Fort Leavenworth and make new friends.

For more information regarding all Harrold Youth Center events, call 913-684-5118.

Nature programs

Student Conservation Association interns are helping lead outdoor summer programs for youth and teens. Children ages 6-11 from the Osage School-Age Center and youth ages 12-14 from Harrold Youth Center are invited to participate. Youth can be signed up to participate in these weekly activities through Child and Youth Services. Natural resource field trips and activities will be offered throughout the summer, to include hiking, backyard birding and fishing each week. Dates for these trips and events vary and are subject to favorable weather.

SKIES, CYS

Several programs and classes are available for children to participate in this summer. Children and teenagers must be registered with Child and Youth Services through Parent Central at the Resiliency Center.

SKIES (Schools of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills) Unlimited is offering gymnastics classes that include Pre-Gym, Gym, Gym Fit Ninja and Tumbling. Other SKIES classes include golf for youth, private instrument lessons, theater workshops and ballet, with a new addition of a Ballerina Tutu Camp. The SKIES open house is from 5:30-7 p.m. July 24 at Patch Community Center. Families can learn more about what SKIES has to offer and meet instructors.

“This gives (kids) something constructive and developmentally appropriate that they can do while the movers are there or there (are) other things going on,” said Child and Youth Services Coordinator Carole Hoffman.

In addition to being a constructive and convenient option for children during moving season, Hoffman said SKIES can offer a place to say goodbye to old friends, as well as meet new ones.

“We have new incoming families, and what a great way to get involved in the community, what a great way to meet new kids and meet new families, and to kind of just test out what your kiddo might be interested in.”

Other programs for children this summer include Youth Sports and Fitness camps, including a baseball camp from July 14-17, a basketball camp from July 21-24, and two sessions of Challenger Sports Soccer Camp from July 7-11 and July 28 to Aug. 1. Camp times and fees depend on the child's age.

Strike Zone Bowling Center

This summer, Strike Zone Bowling Center is offering children the opportunity to bowl two free games from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. To register, visit https://kidsbowlfree.com/

Teen employment

For teenagers and young adults ages 14-20 who are interested in working, Teen Employment Workshops are offered at 10 a.m. June 28, July 11 and Aug. 1 in the Army Community Service classroom at the Resiliency Center.

A two-session Youth Babysitting Basics Course is from 1-5 p.m. July 17 and noon to 6 p.m. July 18 for youth ages 12 to 18 to become registered as babysitters. All babysitters on Fort Leavenworth under the age of 18 must be registered through this course in order to babysit. Participants must attend both days of class.

Trails West Golf Course

The Trails West Golf Course also has some events occurring throughout the summer. The Independence Day “Red, White and Blue Scramble” begins at 8 a.m. July 4. Registration for the event closes July 2. Cost is $25 for individuals 17 and younger, $35 for members, and $45 for non-members. Additionally, TWGC is hosting Junior Golf Group Clinics for youth ages 7 to 17. The next clinic is 9-10:30 a.m. July 22-24. The cost is $75 per student, and parents can sign their child through SKIES or at the TWGC Pro Shop.

Leisure Travel Services

Leisure Travel Services has Royals tickets and Worlds of Fun tickets currently available. To buy tickets, call 913-684-2580 or stop by at 310 McPherson Ave. between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

See the B section of the Fort Leavenworth Lamp each week for information on upcoming events.