Hunt Center Toddler Sports - So Fun!

Love sports? Kids love em, too, or at least you want them to?

If you live in or near Holly Springs there is a wonderful program for little ones at the Hunt Center through the Parks and Recreation Department that offers soccer, t-ball, basketball, hockey/golf, yoga and more for ages 18 months to 3 years.

Dani (2) tried soccer and had such a great time. Of course, it's mostly just fun activities that center around a soccer ball, rather than actual soccer skills, but there is some of that, too.  Dani spent most of her time hanging on the door handles and running through the bleachers, but she pretty much ran the whole time with a smile on her face. Oh, and she screamed throughout the class, as did some of the other kids. They all seemed to have a good time.

The woman who runs the class is patient and wonderful and started the program years ago when there was nothing available for toddlers in the area of sports for her own kids. She said she started a lacrosse class years ago but didn't have enough interest to fill classes. I would love for her to start that class up again. Her biggest obstacle is getting enough people to fill the classes. In fact, my 3-year-old was signed up for basketball but they didn't have enough kids to fill the class so it was canceled. She's also very open to new ideas. I suggested she teach a volleyball and track and field camp and she said she'd love to do the track and field camp - maybe in August - and offered that maybe I teach the volleyball camp, if that's something I would like to do.

For Holly Springs residents the program is $14 for two, 30-minute sessions on weekdays. I highly recommend giving it a shot. I was unable to get pictures as Dani was running all over the place, but we had a blast. I asked her if she had fun in the car an the way home, she giggled and squealed, "soccer ball!"

Jordan (3) was out sick from school and watched one of the classes. She said, "mommy, can I play next time?" How do you get a better endorsement than that? So we opted to take the T-ball class, too. Both girls love it.

Hunt Center

301 Stinson Avenue

Holly Springs, NC

HIGHLIGHTS: Great way for your toddler/preschooler to get a "taste" of sports without the stress of making them participate or expectation of them having any kind of skill at this point. The coach is fantastic, and it's 30 minutes long - just long enough for the kids to run around and get the wiggles out without them getting bored.

LOW LIGHTS: At $14/per person for two, 30-minute classes it's a bit more than I'd like to spend. For non residents of Holly Springs it is more. Also, there are two weeks between classes so the kids get excited about it and they have to wait two weeks to participate again.

COST: $14/per child for Holly Springs residents, $21 for nonresidents.

Jaycee Park in Apex - A Surprise in the End

I have driven by Apex Jaycee Park no less than 100 times and had no idea what exactly was there. The truth is, not much is there. But it was enough to entertain two preschoolers and two toddlers for almost two hours!

We pulled up and saw a little playground. Unfortunately, it was really little. The oldest kid in the group said, "Is this the only playground?" There was a sign there that said it is ideal for ages 2-5 but the preschoolers (3 & 4) were bored within 5 minutes. There is a little walking trail which I believe shoots you out to Apex Peakway, two large soccer fields and a softball field that we passed to get to the playground. I didn't see it, but there is a batting cage, too, according to the website.


The kids ran up and down the sidewalk/trail a couple times, climbed on the wooden fence and ran up and down the little hill right next to the playground. There is a beautiful tree which looks perfect for climbing at the top of the hill, but our little ones were just a bit too small to reach the branches. Another year or so and they'll outgrow the park completely, but they'll be able to climb the tree. Go figure.

Honestly, this park isn't much, but if you have a really little one the playground is great, low to the ground and built for toddlers. I knew what I was going to write until Jordan (3) said to me that she wants to go back to that park and she had a great time. I think it was because the kids ran around the soccer fields and played a little "football" with two boys, two older boys who were brothers, and they were so good with the kids they had a blast. It just goes to show you, you don't have to have the best park to have a great time - just an imagination and some wide-open spaces (and maybe a football).

451 West Williams Street  
Apex, North Carolina 27502

HIGHLIGHTS: Lots of places to run and burn some energy, a great little playground for toddlers (very safe) and no parking issues, right off of Williams Street (Hwy 55), nice trail that runs through it and out to Apex Peakway, and the climbing tree.

LOW LIGHTS: There were fire ants everywhere. I counted 15 mounds outside the playground area. Some of them had clearly been treated and were not active, but the ones along the fence for the soccer field were crawling with fire ants! It's pretty tame, just a small playground for the really little ones.

COST: Free!

Womble Park in Holly Springs - Not Great for Little Ones

So I have changed my tune about this park - but not its user-friendliness for toddler moms and dads. It's still loaded with big kids who will trample, it doesn't have a lot of swings and the equipment is pretty high in some places. But I will say this, for my preschooler and kindergartener -- this is a wonderful park! They also refurbished the playground surface so when it rains it's not so mushy. There's still a pond and creek nearby, but my kids love playing in the trees that surround them. I wouldn't recommend for super little ones, but preschoolers and older can really enjoy this park. And there are some benches for the grown ups to sit down & a mini track that surrounds the soccer park adjacent to the park. So if your big kid is playing soccer you can go for a walk or play at the playground with your little one.

I'm sure there will be a few moms who disagree with me, but Parrish Womble Park in Holly Springs is NOT an ideal place to take your toddlers - at least for me. The jungle gym equipment is way too high, as well as the steps, there are only two swings, both baby swings, and there's a creek that runs through the playground area and a small pond with not-so friendly but ducks and geese in it.
Maybe I was in a bad mood when I went, but the highlight for me was the volleyball court where my kids could play in the sand and I could take pretend pictures of my kids playing volleyball (I was a volleyball player and desperately want my girls to play when they're older).
Also, the Hunt Center is right across the street and offers a track-out program for school-age children who go to year-round school. The park was packed with older kids the whole time we were there, and every time we've gone, and they nearly trample my little ones. 
Either way, it's there and close to downtown Holly Springs, so if you're up for the challenge (or disagree with me) have fun! You won't have my kids to contend with, because this is not the park for me. It is, however, a great park for older ones, I'm sure.

1201 Grigsby Ave.
Holly Springs, NC  27540

HIGHLIGHTS: It's close to home if you live in Holly Springs, nice playground equipment for older kids, volleyball court, and it's beautiful and right next to a series of soccer fields so your younger ones can play at the park while your older ones play soccer.

LOW LIGHTS: Parking is a hike away from the playground, the creek runs right through it so you really, really have to be on your kids, the playground equipment is really high, only two swings, it seems to be packed with kids all the time - they tend to run over the little ones.

COST: Free!