South Bay Summer : Summer Camps--More Than the Beach : Recreation: Programs are being extended to deal with year-round school schedules. A shortage of money is forcing some to curb variety or charge fees.

Oh, the summer.

When reading, writing and school days are replaced by swimming, camping and sun days.

Why, even if kids decide to learn something, their choices are things like tennis and ice skating, acting and acrobatics.

Although summer’s official start is still several weeks away, cities and youth organizations throughout the South Bay are already signing up kids, from toddlers to teen-agers, for summer programs. And as before, the programs offer an array of recreational and educational choices for youngsters who want to have fun and parents who want to know how and where their children are spending their summer.

There are, of course, some differences this summer. For one, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s move to year-round classes will throw off some summer schedules. The district, which lacks funds for expansion, is shifting to year-round classes to deal with school crowding. But Los Angeles recreation officials say the switch will mean that the city will extend its nursery and after-school recreation programs this summer. Programs that used to close in July and August will close only from late June to mid-July. School resumes for most students Aug. 19, which is about three weeks earlier than usual.

In contrast to that good news about some extended programs, the bad news locally is that budget problems facing Los Angeles and other cities will force cuts in some recreation classes or events. Others will require fees for the first time.

In Los Angeles, the announced cuts are minimal; in the Harbor area, the only program cut this year will be ice skating, a sport offered in other cities.

However, in Carson, another city hit hard by fiscal problems, there will be significant changes in summer recreation programs.

The city has closed its six wading pools and reduced the hours of operation, staffing and number of free classes at its 12 parks. In addition, the cost of swimming lessons for all age groups has doubled and, for the first time, fees will be charged for youths participating in flag football, soccer and other sports.

That’s not to say that summer recreation programs have been devastated in the South Bay. Instead, an array of classes will be offered throughout the area and, as before, there is competition for those classes long before they begin.

“Our programs are really getting good registration,” said Bruce Cowan, Harbor area recreation supervisor for the city of Los Angeles. This year, Cowan estimates that the city’s recreational classes in San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City and Harbor Gateway will easily draw more than 10,000 youths. And that number, he says, does not count the youngsters who will show up to fish at Harbor Regional Park or sample other summer recreation programs that do not require registration.

Although hundreds of different camps and classes will be offered this summer, recreation officials throughout the area recognize that in the dog days of summer, the biggest crowds will probably be found at the beach and pools.

“Without question, in the summertime you will always have 150 to 200 kids in the pool,” said David Olivera, supervisor of recreational services at Lennox County Park. “They’re in there body-to-body. It’s like sardines in a can.”

For aspiring lifeguards, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors is offering junior lifeguard classes featuring first aid, beach safety and water sports like surfing and body-boarding.

“It’s not all instruction and fitness,” said Ron Crawford, a coordinator of the program that is run at beaches in Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance. “We like to have some fun, too.”

The same philosophy guides other summer programs that represent a continuation of day care or recreation activities offered other times of the year by local cities.

In Lawndale, Stone Soup Child Care Programs, a year-round operation, will sponsor special recreational and educational classes, from field trips to movies. The child-care program--for students in kindergarten through seventh grade--plans additional events during the summer to “try to make it something special,” said Judith Brandlin, president of the nonprofit agency.

Similarly, the Hawthorne Youth Camp in the Big Pines area of Angeles National Forest will play host to about 900 children this summer. The camp, which begins offering weeklong excursions in March, starts its summer program July 8 and continues the program through August.

“When we get the kids in summer, they already know about nature, so they can have five continuous days of fun and sun,” says Robert Klein, director of Hawthorne’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Elsewhere, there are scores of other outdoor activities available this summer:

* Weeklong camp-outs in areas from Big Bear Lake to the Sierras will be offered by most local cities and the Torrance-South Bay YMCA.

* Sports camps and competitions in basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, golf and cheerleading also will be offered throughout the South Bay.

* Swimming classes for preschoolers to high school students also are scheduled at pools areawide.

In addition to outdoor recreation programs, South Bay cities and youth agencies are sponsoring a number of indoor sporting events from gymnastics to jujitsu.

In Gardena, for example, a dozen gymnastics classes will be offered at the Rush Memorial Gymnasium. The classes will range from cartwheels to competitive gymnastics.

“A lot of places are cutting out their gymnastics programs, but we keep adding more,” says Gardena Recreation Director Anna Hudson.

Just as local cities will offer a variety of sporting activities this summer, recreation departments throughout the South Bay will also sponsor an array of dance, music, art and educational programs.

In Lawndale, there will be Music Lessons for Tots, an eight-week program where children ages 2 to 5 learn to make and play simple musical instruments.

In Manhattan Beach, several cake decorating classes will be offered to youngsters ages 6 to 16.

For children interested in the dramatic arts, Redondo Beach will again offer a five-week drama class with instruction in singing, dancing, acting, even costume design. It’s one of the city’s most popular even though one of the hard-and-fast rules is hard to swallow for some kids. “We don’t allow any sugar,” says Pamela Zorotovich-Ament, founder and director of the class. “We don’t want to be watching kids for seven hours after they’ve been eating Twinkies.”

In San Pedro, the Cabrillo Marine Museum will again sponsor its popular weeklong workshops. Among a dozen different offerings are Galloping Snails and Other Fishy Tails, a morning day camp of tide pool trips for elementary school students, and Marine Sci Hi, an overview of oceanography that includes research projects.

Perhaps the most extensive seashore excursion will be offered by the Torrance-South Bay YMCA, which is sponsoring an eight-day outing along the California coast beginning Aug. 3.

The $213 trip, for seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders, will feature surfing lessons, swimming, sailing, fishing, snorkeling, and camping along beaches from Los Angeles to San Diego, said Joseph Naylor, associate executive director for the YMCA’s community programs.

“What junior high kid wouldn’t love going up and down the beaches trying to find that perfect wave?” Naylor asked.

Gnarly.

Carson Summer Program--Carson runs an extensive recreation program at its 12 parks; 830-7600; at Carson Park, for example, activities include theme park excursions, young artists’ classes and a day camp for ages 6 to 12; 830-4998.

Early Childhood Day Camp--A series of two-week day camps at Carson parks; activities include arts and crafts, organized games and play, nature walks and a field trip; for toilet-trained children ages 3 to 6; June 17-28, July 15-29, Aug. 12-23; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; $50.

Fine Arts Camp--Classroom instruction, field trips to local museums, T-shirts, art supplies; geared toward children 8 to 16 with an interest in painting, cartooning, woodcraft and calligraphy; July 8-Aug. 8; Monday through Thursdays; 9 a.m. to noon; $125 per child.

Swimming--Scott and Carson pools offer youth swimming instruction; the first of three sessions begins July 1 and registration takes place June 22 and June 29; registration for all sessions is 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. for residents and 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. for non-residents; $15 first child for residents, $30 first child for non-residents.

EL SEGUNDO

Summer Program--Swimming; classes for preschoolers through teen-agers in performing arts, painting, crafts, ceramics; baseball and basketball; field trips; summer fun club for elementary school-age children; fees $7 to $12; swimming starts June 15 and continues until first week in September; other classes begin July 8 and continue to the end of August; classes primarily for El Segundo residents; information: 322-3842.

GARDENA

Summer Program--Summer classes for children of all ages, including dance, gymnastics, baton twirling, tennis, chess and ice skating; new classes include flute instruction, an exercise class for 3- and 4-year-olds and a children’s musical theater; the six-week classes, which cost from $16 to $42, begin July 10; 217-9537.

Gardena YMCA--Summer Day Camp for children entering first through sixth grades from June 24 to Aug. 19, $85 per week for members, $95 for non-members; counselor training program for high school students entering sophomore through senior years, June 24-Aug. 19, $50 for members, $65 for non-members; one-week camp program July 13-20 at Camp Round Meadow in the San Bernardino Mountains for children entering grades four through six, $125 for members, $140 for non-members; junior counseling program at Camp Round Meadow for high school students entering sophomore through senior years, $85 for members, $100 for non-members; camping on Catalina Island, July 8-12 for children entering grades seven through nine, $160 for members, $170 for non-members; Family Camp at Lake Sequoia, Aug. 30-Sept. 2, $49 for adults, $29 for children under 16; 327-0750.

HARBOR AREA

Swimming Lessons--Classes will be offered by the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department beginning July 1; $10.25 for 10 lessons of 30-minute classes; classes will be held in Wilmington at Banning High School, 1450 N. Avalon Blvd., 549-9017, and Harbor Pool, 1221 N. Figueroa St., 548-7514; in San Pedro, lessons will be held at Peck Park, 560 N. Western Ave., 833-7977, and Gaffey Street Pool, 3351 Gaffey St., 548-7795.

Marine Classes--Los Angeles Maritime Museum and Cabrillo Marine Museum will offer a variety of classes and workshops, with the times and prices of events varying according to length and nature of the program; classes, for kindergarten-through-12th-grade students, include many ocean study courses where students visit tide pools and learn about marine life; Maritime Museum, 548-6618, is at Berth 84, at the foot of 6th Street; Cabrillo museum, 548-7562, is at Cabrillo Beach.

Recreation Programs--City parks will offer a variety of sporting events, dance classes and other recreational programs, including a free half-day tour of Angels Gate Park in San Pedro, where children will visit the Marine Exchange, the Korean Friendship Bell and the Ft. MacArthur Military Museum; the 10 a.m. tours, for children 12 and under, will be held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning June 11; registration or information: 548-7705.

Los Angeles Harbor College--Instruction in academic, problem-solving, creative and recreational skills, for ages 3-16; classes generally meet Monday through Thursday in two three-week sessions: July 1-18 and July 22-Aug. 8; prices range from $18 to $55 for each of the courses, which include, dance, reading and math, science, computer use, writing, Spanish and tennis; college address: 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington, 518-3510.

HAWTHORNE

Mountain Retreat--Beginning July 8, the Hawthorne Youth Camp begins the first of seven sessions in the Big Pines area of Angeles National Forest; campers 7-12 stay in cabins; activities include arts and crafts, campfires, nature hikes, camp-outs, archery lessons, boating and fishing; Hawthorne residents pay $70 for each six-day session, which runs Monday through Saturday; others pay $105 per camper; information: 970-7230.

Swimming Lessons--Beginning June 24, Hawthorne Municipal Pool will offer four, two-week sessions of swimming lessons; classes meet Monday through Friday between 8 and 11 a.m. and between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.; fees for children 6 months through 6 years is $15 per session; $20 for children ages 7 and older; register at the pool, 12501 Inglewood Ave.; 970-7228.

Summer Classes--Youngsters can learn tennis, golf, gymnastics, dance, art, piano, guitar, ice skating and more by signing up with the Hawthorne Parks and Recreation Department; fees vary; brochures available at Hawthorne City Hall or call 970-7230; open to non-residents.

HERMOSA BEACH

Day Camp--Beach Summer Blast offers a six-week day camp for youngsters ages 6 to 14, sponsored by the Hermosa Beach Department of Community Services; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., July 1-Aug. 9, excluding July 4; supervision until 5:30 p.m. for working parents at the Kiwanis Club Building next to Valley Park; games, sports, crafts, special events and day trips to Monsoon Lagoon Water Park and the Comedy & Magic Club; counselor-in-training program available for children 12 and over; $20 per child per week or $85 for full session for residents; $25 and $100 for non-residents; children must bring their own lunches; camp will be at Hermosa Valley Park, corner of Gould and Valley; 318-0280.

Corky Bell’s Sports Camp--One-week camp for children 9 to 14 headed by former professional basketball player, featuring instruction daily 8:30 a.m.-noon in basketball, baseball and soccer; three sessions, Aug. 12-16, Aug. 19-23 and Aug. 26-30; $35 per session; children should bring a snack, tennis shoes and a baseball glove; sessions are held at Hermosa Valley School; 318-0280.

Sea Sprite Day Camp--Summer-long day camp for youngsters through sixth grade, with field trips, crafts, sports and two overnight camping excursions; theme is American Indians; camp runs from June 19 to Sept. 9., 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Cost is $100 per week for Monday-through-Friday campers, $75 for Monday-Wednesday-Friday campers, $50 for Tuesday-Thursday campers; additional $60 registration fee; price includes two T-shirts and one sweat shirt; day trips include the Los Angeles Zoo, Monsoon Lagoon Water Park, Southwest Museum and Hollywood Bowl; overnight camping trips, with parental consent, July 25 and Aug. 30 at Wilderness Park; registration is first-come, first-served at Sea Sprite Pre-School, 417 25th St.; 318-2429.

INGLEWOOD

City Day Camps--Centinela, Queen Street, Darby and Rogers parks have day camps; swimming, music, field trips and arts and crafts for ages 4 to 12; camps run for five weeks at Centinela and Queen Street and four weeks at Darby and Rogers; camps begin June 24 or July 1; hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m; child care available 7-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m; five-week sessions cost $72 for city residents and $86 for non-residents; four-week sessions cost $58 for residents and $70 for non-residents; call 412-5508 for sessions at Centinela and Queen Street parks; 412-5391 for Darby Park; 412-5504 for Rogers Park.

YMCA Sports--Swimming instruction, basketball and T-ball leagues for ages 5 to 18; dates not final yet; cost is $35 for members and $28 for non-members; sign up by June 8 for 20% discount; Inglewood YMCA, 671-7615.

YMCA Day Camps--Field trips, sports, swimming and movies for ages 5 and up; camp runs for three two-week sessions from June 25 to Sept. 7; $75 per week for non-members and $65 per week for members; sign up by June 8 for 20% discount; Inglewood YMCA, 671-7615.

LAWNDALE

Summer Day Camp--Beginning July 1, the Lawndale Department of Recreation will sponsor four two-week summer sessions for children ages 5 to 10; activities include arts and crafts, games, movies, excursions; Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $60 per session; register at Lawndale recreation office behind City Hall, 14717 Burin Ave., 973-4321, ext. 151; open to non-residents.

Peanut T-Ball--For boys and girls 4-7; meets Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for six weeks beginning June 25; $25 fee includes team outfits, a team picture and a participation award; register June 3-21 at Lawndale recreation office behind City Hall, 14717 Burin Ave., 973-4321, ext. 151.

Stone Soup Summer Camp--Between June 25 and Sept. 6, city and Lawndale school district will sponsor daytime summer camp for children in kindergarten through seventh grade; activities include sports, arts and crafts, science projects, movies and trips; Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; one group meets at Jane Addams School, the other at William Green School; $175 monthly per child or $225 monthly per family; Lawndale residents only; information: 973-2030.

Music Lessons for Tots--Ages 2 through 5 learn to play and make simple musical instruments during eight-week program starting June 12; one-hour class meets every Wednesday at 3 p.m.; $30; sign up at the Prairie Center, 15331 Prairie Ave; information: 973-4321, Ext. 136.

LOMITA

Tiny Tot Preschool Program--Eight weeks of basic instruction for 3- and 4-year-old children; designed as a primer for kindergarten; class will be held Tuesdays and Wednesdays, July 2 to Aug. 21, at Lomita Park; $10 for Lomita residents, $13 for non-residents; 326-0140.

Arts and Crafts--Classes with an emphasis on simple, creative tasks such as working with clay, painting and coloring; for ages 4 to 12. Offered Monday through Friday; 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; free; Lomita Park; 326-0140.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Junior Lifeguards--Instruction in beach safety, first aid and various water sports for children 10-17; three-hour classes to be held Monday through Friday, July 1-Aug. 3, on beaches in Torrance, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach; students must pass a swimming test, which is scheduled at several locations in the county, including Santa Monica College on June 1, from 8 a.m. to noon, and Redondo High School on June 15, from 8 a.m. to noon; $150 for five-week program; 822-5020.

Wave Riders--Bodyboard instruction for ages 9-11; classes held on the beach in Hermosa Beach 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 5-9, Aug. 19-23 and Aug. 26-30; swimming test required; $112 for five-day session; 305-9587.

Surf Camp--Surfing instruction for ages 12-17; classes held on the beach in Hermosa Beach from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 5-9, Aug. 19-23 and Aug. 26-30; swimming test required; $105 for five-day session; 305-9587.

Sailing--Sailing instruction for ages 12-17; classes held in Marina del Rey noon to 4 p.m.; beginners: June 17-28, July 8-19, and Aug. 5-16; intermediates: July 22-Aug. 2 and Aug. 19-30; swimming test required; $100 for session; 305-9587.

Sail Boarding--Sail-boarding instruction for ages 12-17; classes held in Marina del Rey noon to 4 p.m. June 17-28, July 8-19, July 22-Aug. 2, Aug. 5-16 and Aug. 19-30; swimming test required; $150 for session; 305-9587.

LOS ANGELES

COUNTY PARK PROGRAMS

Del Aire Park--Sports, arts and crafts, classes in reading, spelling and math, movies for ages 5-13; Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; first session, six weeks, June 17-July 26; cost is $120 to $160 per child; second session, five weeks, Aug. 5-Sept. 6.; $120 to $140; Park located at 12601 S. Isis Ave., Hawthorne; 643-8660 or 327-2930.

Ladera County Park--Field trips, arts and crafts, and sports activities including softball, football, skating, bowling and tennis for ages 5- 12; Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; eight weeks, June 24-Aug. 16; cost is $350; park at 6027 Ladera Park Ave., Los Angeles; 294-0626.

Lennox County Park--Summer sports camp featuring basketball, softball, flag football, karate and Ping-Pong and other sports for ages 8-14; Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 1-Sept. 6; free; park located at 10828 South Condon Ave. Lennox; 677-0827 or 327-2930.

Victoria Regional Park--Sports, arts and crafts, classes in reading, spelling and math, movies for ages 4-13; Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; first session, eight weeks, June 10-July 26, $130 to $170 per child; second session, six weeks, July 29-Sept. 6, $130 to $150; park is at 419 E. 192nd St., Carson; 532-9050.

MANHATTAN BEACH

City Playground Program--Arts and crafts, games, beach trips, movie, sports, carnival day; ages 6-12; July 1 through Aug. 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free.

Summer Classes--Ballet, tap dancing, drama, pottery; ages 2 through teens; for children 3 and 4, singing, fitness, creative movement, drama; fees from $24 to $35; starts June 24 for eight weeks.

Swimming--Beginning and intermediate, 10 lessons in two-week sessions; $30; starts June 24.

Beach Program--Boogie boarding, surfing, bodysurfing, beach baseball; ages 6 through 16; fees in $30 range; starts June 24 for eight weeks.

Information: 545-5621, ext. 321.

REDONDO BEACH

Breakwater Day Camp--Half-day camp at the Seaside Lagoon for ages 6 -12 sponsored by the Recreation and Parks Department; snorkeling, fishing, crafts, games and field trips; three two-week sessions and one one-week mini-camp available, with 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. program for younger children, 1:30-5:30 p.m. for older children; mini-camp runs June 24-28; first two-week session starts July 8; camp ends Aug. 16; field trips for younger children include a lifesaving workshop, trip to the Edison plant and sailing; older children to visit the Body Glove factory, Monsoon Lagoon Water Park, marine lab in El Segundo and volleyball workshop; no after-hours day care; costs for residents is $115 per two-week morning session, $125 for afternoon session, $130 for mini-camp; cost to non-residents is $20 higher; Seaside Lagoon, 200 Portofino Way; 318-0610.

Drama Camp--Children 6 through 16 learn acting, dancing, singing, puppetry and other stage skills in a five-week program that ends with their performance of a week of one-act plays; 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; $270 for residents, $295 for non-residents; camp runs July 8-Aug. 9, with performances Aug. 5-11; sponsored by Recreation and Parks Department; held at Perry Park Community Hall; 318-0610.

Summer Playground Program--A non-custodial program, not a day camp, run by the city for children 6 through 12; children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult; playgrounds at Washington School, Alta Vista School, Lincoln School and Perry Park will be open 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. June 24-Sept. 6; free; leaders leave promptly at 5:30 p.m., no day care afterward; 318-0610.

PALOS VERDES PENINSULA

Peninsula-Wide Summer Program--Camping, karate, horseback riding, ballet, bicycling, sailing, tennis, cooking and computer classes--just to mention a few; information on specific offerings: city of Rancho Palos Verdes, Recreation and Parks Office, 541-4566, or city of Rolling Hills Estates, Anne Giltner, recreation supervisor, 377-1577.

TORRANCE

City Day Camp--Weekly theme programs for children ages 5-12, with crafts, games and field trips beginning June 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., based at La Romeria Park, 19501 Inglewood Ave.; other camps include Arrowtrail Day Camp, a series of programs for ages 6-12, based at El Nido Park, 18301 Kingsdale Ave. ; Fine Art Fun Camp, a weekly crafts, music and entertainment program, based at Greenwood Park, 1520 Greenwood Ave.; shorter mini-camps available for children ages 5-8; sports camp for children ages 7-12 emphasizing soccer, basketball or cheerleading begins July 8; day camp charges are $65 a week for residents and $70 a week for non-residents; mini-camp $42 a week for residents and $47 for non-residents; 618-2930.

City Classes--Art classes for children as young as 2 1/2; prices for each three-week session begin at $15 for residents and $20 for non-residents; classes for children 3-18 in ballet, acrobatic dance, tap dance, tumbling and jazz, prices for 10-week sessions begin at $14 for residents and $19 for non-residents; music classes in piano, guitar and voice for ages 7 and up, prices for 10-week sessions begin at $26 for residents and $31 for non-residents; drama, performing arts, theatrical production and ice-skating classes for ages 4 and up, prices begin at $21 for residents and $26 for non-residents; swimming classes offered for ages 4 and older, as well as “Mommy/Daddy and Me” courses to help children ages 1 to 4 adjust to the water; Older children can learn springboard diving, skin diving, synchronized swimming, emergency water training and lifeguard training, prices begin at $16 for residents and $21 for non-residents; classes begin June 24; 618-2930.

YMCA Classes--Summer swimming classes for ages 3 and up will emphasize swimming skills and safety; other sports classes include dance, jujitsu self-defense instruction and gymnastics; six-week programs of twice-a-week classes begin June 3; second session begins July 15; costs start at $19 for full members and $44 for community members; Torrance-South Bay YMCA, 2900 Sepulveda Blvd.; 325-5665.

YMCA Day Camps--Weekly theme programs for kindergarten through ninth-grade students will include crafts, games, costume parties, field trips and occasional overnight adventures; programs operating from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. begin June 24; separate program for first- through fifth-grade children also begins June 24 with supervision available from 6:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.; prices begin at $77 per week; financial aid available; Torrance-South Bay YMCA, 2900 Sepulveda Blvd.; 325-5885.

YMCA Summer Camps--Five summer camps in various locations, including Big Bear Lake, the San Bernardino Mountains, and the Sierras offer a variety of activities for sixth- through 12th-grade students starting June 22; camps offer horseback riding, canoeing, white-water rafting, water skiing and ocean sports; one-week camp for third- through sixth-graders begins July 20; Prices start at $213 per week; financial aid available; Torrance-South Bay YMCA, 2900 Sepulveda Blvd.; 325-5885.