European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 12, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Is photos by Steve Morrison four year Olds Sarah Sumter left and Natalie Munk head Down the slide. It s All in a Day s fun. Elizabeth Doughtery far left sends a soap Bubble on the Way. Ashley Payne 3, tries a stomach Down swing approach while above Rachel Stovall 5, swings High the old fashioned Way. Aleido scope of summer fun by Connie Dickey staff writer Neely Hardy 5, relaxed on the swing after stomping balloons. She was saving her Energy for the big bubblegum Bubble blowing contest. After a full morning of activities under the theme up up and away she knew she would be ready for the afternoon break. We take naps i like that and we go to the playground. I m glad i m Here. It s  Hardy is one of 52 children enrolled in club Kaleidoscope a summer program for Latchkey children in the . Military Community of Aschaffenbur West Germany. We have been concerned about Latchkey kids for some time. And in this Community we be needed something for them this is a beginning for us said Joan Haupt family child care director. The name represents the Many activities that parallel the myriad images one sees when looking through a Kaleidoscope. There Are structured yet flexible activities planned everyday. If a child does t want to participate he does t have to she said. The program offers a half Day session for 3 and 4 year Olds and a full Day session for 5 to 12-year-Olds however older children can enrol in either session. The program begins at 8 . And ends at 5 . Costs for club Kaleidoscope Are $50 biweekly for the half Day program and $185 a month for the full Day program including snacks lunch arts and crafts supplies and most fees during Field trips. We charge at the Low end of Usa eur recommendations for Day care in our centers our rates Are what the parents would pay for the regular Day care Center Haupt said. Paul Clifton 10, and his sister Jean 7, Are in the program and said they like to go to different places. I would probably watch to Jean said if she was t in the program. Paul said he enjoys playing sports with his friends in the program and that during other Summers we stayed at the Babysitter s and maybe went to the Church but it was  Craig free 11, a Veteran of six Summers of youth activities Day Camps said this program is much better because we go More places and do More things. In the other Camps we might go swimming but we would be there All Day. In this one we go swimming but it s Only for half a Day then we do something else. I like that. I would like to do this in the fall. I think it will be  child development services created a summer program because youth activities had not planned one for this summer Haupt said. And since the Community just hired Cathy Tumblin As a Latchkey specialist the child development services decided to let this become an introduction of sorts for the fall s Latchkey program. Tumblin and child development staff members came up with themes for each of the 10 weeks of the program. Activities that relate to that week s theme Are scheduled in addition to Field trips and other outings. Some of the trips that have been taken or will be taken during the program Are visits to the Sneckenberg museum of natural history in Frankfurt the opel zoo and Frankfurt zoo the Fliege Horst army Airfield to see the helicopter simulators a boat ride Down the main River and trips to a German Riding stable and a Dairy  is a Good Start. We certainly did t expect this Many children in the summer program Tumblin said. She is hoping about 30 children will continue into the fall s Latchkey program. During the fall we will offer before and after school Day care for the children including the full Day when there Are no classes and our activities will be Piggy backed on school programs already in existence she  would include lots of sports activities arts and crafts Bowling girl and boy scouts. We be found that when both parents work they just cannot get the children to these activities even if they wanted to so we Are going to provide the  Tumblin said she and the adult supervisors with the program Are running out of Energy keeping up with the children. That s what i hear from the parents that their children Are just worn out when they get Home. But it is a Good kind of worn  Page 14 the stars and stripes tuesday july 12, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 15