This summer will be one of learning, fun and exploration for some local youngsters.

And museums.

And art.

Maybe some history.

And swimming. Definitely swimming.

Those are some of the things planned for kids ages 5 to 18 who join the Boys & Girls Club of Elizabethton/Carter County’s summer program.

The program begins May 26, and will run until July 31.

During those 10 weeks, the youth will go on “just for fun” field trips, as well as trips that are enrichment activities, Boys & Girls Club Program Director Samantha Kerley said.

Back at the Boys & Girls Club facility, the children can take part in art programs, technology lab activities, different sports clinics and other programs.

“Each week, it will be something new,” Kerley said.

Some of the trips include trips to local swimming pools, to see plays and other theater productions, visits to museums and historic sites and visiting locations where they can take part in nature programs.

At the club, the youth can participate in learning activities as well as physical activities.

“The children will get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day,” Kerley said. “We will have sports clinics outside of baseball, basketball and football. We want to stretch their boundaries.”

The club will be debuting programs specific for youth age 9 and up. The children will be divided into boys and girls and will go through the program separately.

The program will teach topics such as banking, college application processes, finances, etiquette and other life skills.

Education will be another focus of the summer program. The youth will have access to programs such as Brain Gain and Stride Academy, which build on the skills and knowledge they gained through the year in school.

“We focus on making sure they don’t lose what they have learned during the school year,” Kerley said.

The summer program is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Children can be dropped off or picked up at any time during the set hours. The program is open to students starting kindergarten all the way through high school.

The cost for the summer program is a $20 registration fee and $35 a week for the program.

“It can be paid on a week-by-week basis,” Kerley said. “I know some families go on vacation and will be away for a week. They won’t have to pay for a week they aren’t going to use.”

The club also has a financial aid program for families who cannot afford the program’s cost.

“We don’t turn anyone away based on their ability to pay,” Kerley said.

For more information, call 543-2946.