Teen girls can sign up for a softball team through the McKinney Parks system.
CNN Money listed McKinney, Texas, in the top five best places to live in America in its August 2010 issue. This community of more than 100,000 offers small town appeal within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, while keeping a healthy respect for its historic roots. The family-friendly town has a robust parks system that provides many classes and activities for kids of all ages, including teens. Downtown Main Street is an eclectic cluster of stores and eateries, and it features a magic shop where teens can take classes on be a top-notch entertainer.
Parks and Camps
Teens can sign up for one of the many athletic programs presented by the McKinney Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) department. Classes offered include soccer, tennis, aquatics and dance, as well as badminton and tae kwon do. North Park on 1701 North McDonald features its own pool with a diving area to keep teens cool over the summer. In addition to these athletic programs and opportunities, the McKinney PROS (mckinneytexas.org.) offers Teen Super Camps. These camps allow teens to experience more extreme activities such as rope courses, laser tag and paintball, and even a visit to Six Flags Over Texas in nearby Arlington.
Teen Golf
McKinney provides several options for teens who love golf. Oak Hollow Golf Course (oakhollowgolf.com) offers junior golf instruction and an easy to moderate course. For girls and boys of ages 6 to 15, Hank Haney Golf Ranch (hankhaney.com) has a Youth Golf Day Camp. Teens can participate in the annual KidSwing golf tournament (kidswing.org), the brainchild of a former patient of the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, for which tournament funds are raised. The Towne Lake Disc Golf Course (no website; 1401 Wilson Creek Parkway; McKinney) features an 18-hole disc golf course.
Educational Activities
In the 1960s, McKinney resident and octogenarian Miss Bessie Heard had a vision for the future. She believed that generations to come would benefit from a museum with a focus on education, conservation and preservation, and opened Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (heardmuseum.org) in 1967. In addition to exhibits and wildlife, the Heard offers eco-adventures for canoe, zip lines and rope courses. Teenagers can either visit or participate directly as volunteers.
Arts and Entertainment
Main Street McKinney (mckinneytexas.org) is located in the historic square in downtown McKinney and is home to eclectic shops and organized cultural events. The Garret Art Gallery (garretartgallery.com) is one of several participants in the Second Saturday Artwalk, a monthly event that is open to the public and features art, food and live entertainment. The Main Street Magic and Fun Company (mainstreetmagicandfun.com) provides a large selection of magic supplies with demonstrations of the tricks they sell. Staff members teach the purchaser perform any trick purchased before he even leaves the shop. Classes and parties for groups are also available from the shop.
Tags: Main Street, athletic programs, Golf Course, McKinney Parks, rope courses
