Tarken Ice Rink & Rec. Center

Since we can’t be on the ice this morning for our annual skate with Santa we wanted to reach out to all of our friends and families to say Merry Christmas. We hope to be able to welcome everyone back to the rink and the rec. center very soon.

Yesterday we completed our delivery of the donated toys to a special Tarken family just in time for Christmas. Thank you to everyone who donated this year and we look forward to growing this project next year when we can all be back together again at Tarken ice rink and rec center.

The last scheduled day to drop off toys for our toy drive or to pick up Flag Football hoodies will be this Friday 12/18 from 12-5. If you would like to schedule a different time please message us and we will be happy to accommodate as best as we can.

Flag football jackets are in and can be picked up Friday 12/11 from 2-5. We will post more dates for next week ASAP.

Despite not being able to share the season with our friends at the rink or playground the staff at Tarken are still looking to give back. We will be collecting new, unwrapped toys, at the ice rink on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12/3 through 12/18 between 3-5 pm. Toys will be donated to families in need. If you know a family , in our programs or not, that could use a little Christmas cheer please email us at [email protected]. If those drop off times can’t work for you please message us and we’ll work out a meeting time. Thank you and Merry Christmas.

One of the many traditions that we have at Tarken is our annual After School Thanksgiving feast. The children are treated to a thanksgiving feast, many times prepared by our fantastic staff. The children and staff each look forward to this feast as it usually kicks off the busy holiday season. This year sadly we aren’t able to have our annual feast. However we compiled some pictures of years past for all to enjoy. Until we can be together again, the staff at Tarken Recreation Center and Ice Rink wishes you and your families a Happy and safe Thanksgiving!

After week 1 of the 2020 Flag Football season the standings look like this: Red Coats 1-0 Yellow Raiders 1-0 Blue Playmakers 0-1 Pink Flamingos 0-1... Games resume Tuesday and Thursday this week. See more

***Flag Football update Due to Covid restrictions*** Tonight will be the last night for the 9 and under kids at 6:00. Thursday night starting at 6:15 we will have a tournament for the 10 -13 age bracket. The schedule will be as follows. 6:15 Pink Flamingos vs Blue Playmakers 6:55 Red Coats vs Gold Raiders... 7:35 Championship Game All Players should be at the field at least 10 minutes before the start of their games. See more

Attached is the 10-13 Flag Football schedule. Please note, even if your team does not have a game scheduled, you should still show up as your team will practice instead. See you Tuesday night for game 1!

Flag football for tonight is still ON. If that changes due to heavy rain we will post the update and email all families.

We’re baaaack! We are very happy to report that our flag football program is up and running! We are still accepting registration for both our 6-9 year olds and 10-13 divisions...the 6-9 play on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at 6:00 pm, and the 10-13 play at 7:00 pm. Stop by and register! Don’t wait! Get those kids out of the house for a few hours!

We are very pleased to announce that our After School Program will be back starting 11/16. Registration is now officially open! To register you can call the office at 215-685-1226 to find out our hours, or email [email protected] for registration flyer. We are limited to only 25 participants so don’t wait. Call now! See attached flyer for more details.

Youth Flag Football is back tonight Ages 6-9 begin at 6:00 Ages 10-13 begin at 7:00 Registration is $40 for the season and includes all practices, games, shirt, and end of season pizza party. ... Everyone must wear masks while at the facility.

Rain rain go away! Due to the rain tonight practice is canceled for flag football. However we will still be there for registration from 5:30-7:00 pm in the rink office. Practice will be on Thursday at 6 pm for 6-9 year olds, and 7:00 for 10-13 year olds..

Today’s flag football games are canceled due to the rain. Please remember next Tuesday there are no games or practices due to Election Day. We will see everyone next Thursday 11/5.

****GOOD NEWS****** Our Youth Flag football program has been given the green light to start the season. We will begin Tuesday Sept 29th. Registration and practice for 7-9 year olds will be at 6:00 followed by registration and practice for 10-13 year olds at 7:00. Registration and practices will continue every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the season. ... $40 registration fee covers all games, practices, T-shirt, as well as end of season party. See more

Due to the riots going on in various neighborhoods throughout the city, the Recreation department has decided to close all centers tonight at 5:00. Therefore there will be no flag football tonight (10/27). Tonight’s game will be made up at the end of the season. We will see everyone on Thursday.

Unfortunately we are still closed due to the city’s restrictions for COVID-19. We will update everyone as soon as we are given more information from the parks and recreation department. Until then stay safe and we hope to see everyone soon.

Closing out the week with our look into our fall programming features by far one of our more popular programs. Our ice hockey program has 3 different levels. We start at our learn to play hockey (ages 4-6), squirt hockey (7-9) and junior league (10-13). We offer affordable prices for those just looking for recreational hockey, as well as those looking for extra ice time. As always when registration is ready to take place we will announce it on our page.

Day 4 of our look into our fall programming features another one of our popular programs, Karate. Our karate program, led by Ms. Sam takes place every Monday and Wednesday for ages 5-13. Our program has gone on to win multiple trophies at various competitions around the area. Check back soon to find out when registration will be for this program.

Youth Flag Football is back tonight Ages 6-9 begin at 6:00 Ages 10-13 begin at 7:00 Registration is $40 for the season and includes all practices, games, shirt, and end of season pizza party. ... Everyone must wear masks while at the facility.

Today we continue our look into our fall programming by featuring our soccer program. Our soccer program is usually held Wednesday nights and is designed for ages 3-6. Check the page frequently to see when registration can take place.

Continuing our weekly look at our fall programs, today we will take a look at one of our more popular programs. Our dance and tumbling programs have seen tremendous growth over the past few years. Our dance program offers a variety of dances such as Tap (ages 5-16), Ballet (ages 3-16), Hip Hop (ages 3-16), and Lyrical (ages 5-18). Dance is usually held on Saturday’s. Our tumbling program is usually offered on Tuesday’s. We offer beginner tumbling (ages 3-11), and intermediate gymnastics (ages 12-18). We also have Tot tumbling (ages 1-3) that is held Saturday morning. Our program two shows, a Christmas and Spring show. These pictures were taken during our Christmas show last year. Please watch our Facebook page to see when registration will be held for these programs.

We are still unsure of what the fall will bring and what kind of programs we will be having. We realize that any program we run will have to be adjusted to ensure the safety of all our participants, families, and staff. However this week, we thought we would highlight some of the programs that we offer. Today, we will be highlighting our flag football program. This program typically runs every Tuesday and Thursday night for ages 10-13. This past season we were able to add a second division for 6-9 year olds. Stay tuned to our page to find out when and if registration can take place.

The playground seems very quiet today without our summer camp kids around. So we did a short little video montage of all the fun we had over the past 6 weeks. Special thanks to Ms. Ciara for putting the video together. Enjoy! * I do not own the rights to this music- I live One Republic*

And that’s a wrap! It wasn’t the summer we had hoped for, but we made the best of it. In the short time we had together we made new friends, created new memories, and more importantly learned how to be safe. Thank you to the parents for entrusting us with the care of your children during this difficult time. Thank you to staff for keeping the children safe all summer. We can’t wait to see everyone again next summer! We aren’t sure what the fall will bring but keep checking the Facebook page as we will make any announcements here. Till next time!

Last day of camp tradition under way! The staff and kids getting a chance to dunk Mr. Walt in the dunk tank. The kids will also be able to try and dunk their favorite counselor!

Look who paid us a visit today!! Fresh off of rooting for the flyers in their game 1 win, Gritty stopped by Tarken today! What a nice surprise...

Have you signed up yet for Tarken’s online video game league yet? Don’t worry, registration has been extended until Friday! If you have a PlayStation 4, or Xbox and want to play in NHL 20, Madden 20, or FIFA 20 and be crowned Tarken’s first gaming champion, don’t miss out! To play simply download the mission control app from either the App Store from your iPhone or google store for android users. Search Tarken playground and sign up for the league you want. It’s that simple! Don’t wait, spots are going fast.

Little Tie Dye fun! Check out this video which captures the fun the kids had making tie dye shirts at camp!

Superhero week at camp has come and gone. It was packed with lots of great activities. The week started by us having a visit from Play 60 where they taught us how to be active in a fun way. We had tons of cool arts and crafts projects this week. Our favorites were making a design on a canvas using melting crayons and coloring a picture of ourselves. Ms. Ciara taught us yoga and that was fun and relaxing...Our science experiment for the week allowed us to get messy! What fun that was....one more week of camp left! #quarantinecamp2020

Like competing in Madden 20, NHL 20, or FIFA 20? Put your skills to the test. Download mission control app, select Tarken Playground and join a league today. Madden and NHL will kick off this coming Monday, while FIFA will begin Sunday. Leagues are available for both the PS4 and Xbox. Games do not need to be played on those days. As long as you and your opponent agree, you can play any day throughout the week. Don't wait join now! For iPhone users you can download the app from the App Store, android users can download it through google store.

Week 4 is history but it was jammed pack with lots of fun. This week we celebrated sports week. In addition to playing different kind of sport games we wore our favorite sport team shirts, hats, and even masks. We had a former Major League Baseball player join us on zoom from Los Angeles who taught us the importance of not using drugs. He taught us some exercises and talked to us about his experience playing professional baseball. We answered so many of his questions right, h...e had to do 74 push-ups! By far our favorite game of the week was when we brought the parachute out. Perfect teamwork game! We received new books which we practiced reading and even got to use our brand new hand sanitizer stations. The week ended with a visit from a water safety instructor who taught us the importance of being safe while in the water. Hard to believe but there’s only two weeks left! Slow down summer! #quarantinecamp2020 See more

3 weeks down, 3 weeks to go! We battled the heat and the rain but it didn’t stop us from celebrating holiday week! On Monday we had a visit from Mr. Pete from the Pennypack Environmental Center. He talked to us about the many things that can be found at the center. Tuesday we celebrated Halloween! By far our favorite activity was the mummy wrap. We played mini golf on Thursday. Special thanks to anywhere mini golf for setting it up for us. We had a great time! Finally we ended the week by celebrating Christmas in July. We enjoyed the visit from Santa and the BBQ was delicious! Thank you to all the parents who donated treats for our BBQ. Next week we will celebrate sports week! Email will follow with more details. #quarantinecamp2020

The ice rink typically sees hundreds of families each day using the facility. Today the ice rink sits waiting patiently for everyone to return. We took this eery photo of the rink down to the concrete earlier in the week. It doesn’t look the same without everyone here. On the bright side, we are happy to report that during the shutdown we have received brand new chillers that were installed and ready to roll. This should make the ice even better than it was before. We can’t wait to see all of you soon. Until then, mask up and stay safe!

What happens when you can’t take a trip to the zoo? You bring the zoo to you! Disney week started off with a visit from the Elmwood Zoo. We learned about snakes, turtles, and hedgehogs. Throughout the week we played many games consisting of Disney trivia and even singing some of our favorite Disney songs. Our arts and crafts project consisted of us making and decorating our very own mask! That was a huge hit! For our science project this week we grew rainbows. That was neat! As week 2 comes to end, we turn our attention to week 3, Holiday week! An email will be sent with more details. Summer is just flying by! #quarantinecamp2020 #slowdownsummer

Week one of Tarken Camp is in the books. We battled the heat, two storms, and learned new rules on how to be safe during camp. This week saw us play lots of get to know you games, some sports, and we even got to perform a science experiment with gummy bears! It was great to eat the leftovers. We cooled off with the sprinkler during the hot days. We had a rainy end to our week, but that didn’t stop the fun. We checked the results of our science experiment and watched a movie ( socially distant of course)...Next week is Disney Week at camp, can’t wait to see what’s in store!!

Tarken summer camp kicked off today in what else but a wicked mid day thunderstorm. Today we spent some time playing some get to know you games outside. The kids enjoyed some freeze dance, kickball, and even some free play before thunderstorms forced us inside. While we we were waiting out the storms, we played some board games and ended our day with a couple games of bingo. Day 1 in the books! Let’s hope for better weather tomorrow!

With summer camp beginning on Monday we wanted to remind all of the camp families to please check their emails for important updates regarding the first day of camp. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday at 9:00 for Tarken Summer Camp 2020.

Next week we will begin our summer camp. This summer will not be like previous summer camps. We are currently accepting donations of any board games, arts and crafts, old video game systems that you may be trying to get rid of. You can drop off daily between 10 am-2 pm. Or you can always call ahead or message us. Thanks in advance.

With only one week left to go until the start of Summer Camp 2020, we still have a few spaces available. A reduced price of only $300 for 6 weeks of 9-3 means camp is more affordable then ever. Call 215-685-1226 to schedule a registration time. Office is open from 9 - 2 daily.

Ok gamers let’s go! Last chance to get in on the action. Do you have what it takes to become Tarken’s first ever video game champion? Last chance to sign up. Registration closes today....see below for more details

For the last several years, Tarken Playground has hosted World Refuge Day where they highlight the diversity of our refugee neighbors and what they bring to Philadelphia, spotlighting their entrepreneurship, food, music and stories. Today we would have welcomed them to our playground again. Unfortunately due to our current pandemic we are unable to do that...We look forward to hosting them again next year.

Attention video gamers! Do you like competing in NHL 20 for PS4 or Xbox? Then put your skills to the test and join Tarken's online gaming league. Download the free app (mission control), create your profile, select Tarken Playground, and join a league today! You can also click on the direct link below. Whether you're a noob or a pro, you can compete to become one of Tarken's video game champions! Games start on Friday, June 26th. Registration ends on June 24th. Don't miss out! https://missioncontrol.app.link/ubXbwDSso7

We still have some spots available for summer camp. Don’t wait, spaces are filling up fast. To register you can call the office at 215-685-1226, or email [email protected] for more information. Registration is available Monday-Friday from 9-3 pm.

Bauer hockey making huge donations to ASHA teams, like our own Philadelphia Freeze, all over the county as a part of the Hockey Is For Everyone campaign.

Summer camp update: Here is the latest information from the city regarding camp. Registration will begin on June 9th from 9-3 pm. Registration will be held every Monday-Friday from 9-3 pm. If those times don’t work for you, please email [email protected]. Even though camp will be modified this year, we are still planning on doing all of our most popular activities such as theme weeks, Christmas in July, BBQ’s, etc. Click on the link below for official information from the city. 2020 Camp Update: Families, camp starts July 6, with some important changes due to COVID-19. Click here to learn more, and get directions for what you need to do to secure your child's spot. Note: Refunds are available for families who no longer plan to send their child to camp this summer. https://www.phila.gov/2020-06-07-parks-recs-summer-day-cam/

Food distribution update: We will back distributing food tomorrow, June 2nd beginning at 9:00 am. We will also be distributing food on Thursday, June 4th at 9:00 am. Stay safe!

Due to city closures for tomorrow, we will NOT be distributing food on Monday, June 1st. Please check our page often for more updates on the next food distribution day. Thank you!

Our former all star employee Miss Siobhan sharing a great treat idea for the kids. Siobhan is currently working at the Bridesburg recreation center.

We will be distributing food with Snider hockey this week on Tuesday and Thursday starting at 9:00 each morning.

This is an official update on summer camp from the City of Philadelphia. At this time we are still planning for summer camp. We will know more information soon. Any questions feel free to message us or email [email protected]

Science class is back in session! This week Mr. Gary shows you how to make a bouncy ball out of glue and borax. Check it out!

Today Mr. Walt and his daughter share with us some T-ball drills to try out at home!

This week at Tarken "Virtually" Tuesday: T-ball skills with Mr. Walt, Homework help for Afterschool and Camp kids (link will be sent) Thursday: Science with Mr. Gary, Homework help for Afterschool and Camp kids (link will be sent) Friday: Virtual scavenger hunt * We are still passing out food with Snider Hockey on Monday and Thursdays from 9 - 11*

Grow up green is a great program for preschool age kids.

Class is in session! Normally you can find him either in the ice rink or recreation building but today Mr.Gary is showing us a simple science experiment that you can do at home. Check out this experiment on how to grow crystals! For this experiment you will need: a jar, water, measuring cups, measuring spoons, string, pipe cleaner, a pencil and either borax or baking soda.

This week at Tarken Virtually Tuesday: homework help for Afterschool and summer camp kids (link will be emailed out) Wednesday: growing crystals with Mr Gary Thursday: homework help for Afterschool and summer camp kids (link will be emailed out) Friday: Afterschool trivia (link will be emailed out)

Anyone looking for additional content including sports drills, cooking lessons, nature walks, and so much more please check out Philadelphia Parks & Recreation on Facebook.

A local business that has been a big supporter of our Autism family skate nights and our Freeze special needs hockey team is in need of help. If you can give anything please consider doing so, even if you can’t give now, please share to help get the word out.

After school virtual hour is in session! Our after school program has found ways to stay connected over the last few weeks even though we couldn’t meet in person. They have been meeting virtually on Friday afternoons. The kids have been keeping their minds sharp by competing in trivia games with the staff as well as receiving homework help. They also enjoy seeing and chatting with their after school friends.. It’s been a great way to stay connected even though we aren’t together!

Today’s arts and crafts project is brought to you by our very own Ms.Sinead! Ms.Sinead is just one of the many people who work hard behind the scenes for us at Tarken. You can make your very own hockey player using very little materials. Check It out! You can click on the link to print out your hockey player pieces! Have fun and be sure to share your completed projects! http://www.makinglearningfun.com//HockeyTPtubePuppet-boy.g

Free meals continue at Tarken on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-12. 3 breakfast and 3 lunches per child can be picked up. We are proud to partner with Snider hockey and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to provide this service for our friends and neighbors.

All Afterschool and summer camp kids (current families and those from the last 5 years as well) are invited to a virtual hangout today from 4-5 on zoom. Emails will be sent out with the access code around 3:30. If you would like to participate and don’t receive an email please email [email protected] for an invite. This will be a great way to catch up with your friends and staff.

Attention after school and summer camp parents. Please check your email for some information that was sent out last night, in regards to a virtual program we will be hosting for the kids this Friday May 1st. If you did not receive it, please email [email protected]. Thanks!

Calling our after school and summer camp kids!! Let’s have some fun! Time to go on a scavenger hunt! Cross off each item on the list below. Take a picture of at least 5 items and post it in the comments below! First to do that gets a prize..Even if you aren’t in either of those programs feel free to join in on the fun!

PHILADELPHIA FREEZE FAMILIES! We have created a new Facebook page just for you. It will have all news and information specifically for the team. The page is Philadelphia Freeze ASHA. Head over and like the page! The coaches have put together some videos to keep the kids busy during the summer months...go check it out!

Beginning Monday 4/20 we will be hosting a food pickup site on Monday and Thursday from 9-12. Prepackaged meals will be available. 3 breakfast and 3 lunches per child. Tables will be located out front of the ice rink.

At Tarken one of our more popular programs is our after school program. We are missing them a little more these days and can’t wait to see them again. Here’s a quick video message to our after school program from some of our staff members. Special shoutout to Ms. Ciara for compiling the video messages. *We do not own the rights to this music*

Today on national autism awareness day, we would like to give a special shoutout to our newest program, The Philadelphia Freeze! We are so proud of the strides that our newest additions to our recreation family have made! We can’t wait to get back on the ice with you! #autismsacceptance #autismawarenessmonth