February 12, 2012

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Wilton Answer Book – Children & Teens

How do I find a day care facility for my child?

Infoline at 211 maintains current listings of all state-licensed facilities in Connecticut. Child care counselors will help parents assess the quality of different programs. Both the phone call and service are free.

Wilton also has many licensed home day care providers. To find out who they are, call the state’s daycare licensing office at 800-282-6063.

 

What should I look for to make certain a day care provider is licensed and facilities are safe?

All day care centers should be licensed by the state and that license should be prominently displayed. They should also display the fire marshal’s inspection, discipline policy and complaint procedure.

 

What kind of permits do day care centers need?

Day care centers fall into three categories: Family Day Care Homes, Group Day Care Homes and Child Day Care Centers, which also include nursery schools. Requirements include permits from the state Department of Health Services as well as zoning, building, fire and health permits. To advertise for family day care, caretakers must list their license numbers.

 

Are background checks performed on people who work with children?

Both the town and school district perform extensive background checks, including criminal record checks, on employees who come in contact with children as part of their job. Employees are also fingerprinted.

 

What is the legal drinking age in Connecticut?

 According to state law, it is illegal for anyone under 21 to possess alcohol anywhere in the state, including on private property. It is also illegal for anyone to knowingly allow minors to possess alcohol.

In 2006, Wilton passed its own law that states “No person under the age of 21 shall be in possession of any container of alcoholic liquor, whether open, unopened or closed, within the Town of Wilton except when accompanied by or in the presence of his or her parent, guardian or spouse who has attained the age of 21. The restriction shall apply to both public and private property.

“No person shall host an event which allows the consumption or dispensing of alcoholic liquor to or by a minor or minors unless said minor or minors is or are accompanied by or in the presence of his or her parent, guardian or spouse who has attained the age of 21. The prohibition shall apply to any event or gathering within the Town of Wilton, whether conducted on public or private property.”

 

What is there for teenagers to do in town?

Trackside at Dana House is Wilton’s teen center. It offers a safe, supervised alcohol- and tobacco-free environment for young people in seventh through 12th grade. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 3 to 7 are reserved for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Tuesdays are for Peer Connections. Friday and Saturday hours are dependent on special events. The building is available for private rental. Trackside is at 15 Station Road (adjacent to the Wilton Train Station); call 834-2888 or go online to trackside.org.

The Wilton Family Y maintains a Student Union where Y members 12 to 15 years old can spend time after school until 6 p.m. The Y also offers periodic Teen Nights, with the fitness center open and recreational swimming and other activities including swimming and Playstation 2 tournaments. There are also teen fitness classes; Y Characters, a volunteer/mentoring program for Y members 12 years old and up; and the Y Family Youth Group, which holds discussions on faith. Call teen coordinator Geoff Malyszka at 762-8384, ext. 224 or visit wiltonymca.org.

The Parks and Recreation Department (834-6234) runs a host of summer programs and camps, offers ski trips and summer day trips, and monthly dances in fall and winter for seventh and eighth graders. The Wilton Library (762-3950) offers social activities, volunteer opportunities, classes, and a book discussion group.

Summerstage is a four-week musical theater workshop for Wilton students entering 7th through 10th grades. For information, visit the Wilton Children’s Theater Web site at wiltonchildrenstheater.org.

 

Who helps troubled children?

Wilton Youth Services (834-6241/wiltonyouthservices.org) offers short-term counseling and referral services, crisis intervention, and a crisis resource directory and referral services for families experiencing troubles with their children. The agency also offers an evaluation program to detect depression in teens, the risk of suicide, and other mental disorders that might escape notice.

Kids in Crisis is an organization that offers preventive services and immediate intervention for children in crisis. It is a United Way agency, licensed by the Department of Children and Families, that provides both crisis counseling and a short-term residential shelter for children of all ages. Support and counseling is available free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For information, call 327-KIDS or visit online at kidsincrisis.org.

The Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut (324-6127/childguidancect.org) is a nonprofit mental health resource for area children and families, receiving referrals from schools, courts, human service agencies, and private physicians. Self-referrals are also encouraged.

The center also offers an Emergency Mobile Crisis Service, providing immediate mental health assessments and stabilization services for children and adolescents experiencing serious psychiatric symptoms or severe reactions to a recent traumatic event. The service is available 24/7. Call 323-9797 or 888-825-6777.

 

What summer camps are here?

Parks and Recreation runs a Camp Looper, a summer day camp for children in K-8, and Cool Tots Camp, for 3- to 5-year-olds. There are also a number of sports camps and acting camp. Registration starts in late winter. Call 834-6234.

The Wilton Family Y offers summer camps for children 3 to 15. Call 762-8384, ext. 283 or visit wiltonymca.org.

Ambler Farm offers Summer at the Farm, with programs for children in pre-K through seventh grade. Visit amblerfarm.org or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Among the many private camps in the area are:

Private sports camps are listed below.

 

What playgrounds are available for children?

Merwin Meadows on Lovers Lane is for very young children. For kids over three, there are public playgrounds at the town’s three elementary schools and Comstock Community Center.

 

What youth sports programs are offered?

All major sports are offered including football, cheerleading, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, karate, etc. The Parks and Recreation Department (834-6234) in Comstock Community Center at 180 School Road has a complete list of sports teams and contacts.

 

Wilton Lacrosse offers programs for boys and girls. For details and contact information, check wiltonlax.org.

The Wilton Family Y and Gilman Lacrosse offer afterschool programs: Beginner Little Stix, Intermediate Bantams, and Advanced. For information visit gilmanlacrosse.com.

Other lacrosse offerings are Coach McNulty’s Wilton Lacrosse Camp (438-9240/ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), Gilman Lacrosse Camp (800-944-7112/gilmanlacrosse.com), and Fun in the Sun Lacrosse Camp for girls (funinthesunlax.com).

 

Wilton Soccer Association runs K-12 programs in the spring and fall. Mail-in registration forms are available at Comstock Community Center, the Wilton Library, and Wilton Y. For team contacts visit wiltonsoccer.info.

Kristine Lilly Soccer Academy (kristinelilly13.com) offers programs for girls and boys 7 to 13 in late June in Wilton.

Transylvania Soccer Camp (778-6623/transylvaniasoccer.com) offers spring and summer sessions in Wilton.

 

Wilton Field Hockey Association (wiltonfieldhockey.com) has intramural and travel programs for girls in fourth through eighth grade. The association president is Jennifer Rutishauser ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ); for intramurals, e-mail Charlotte Taverna at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Wilton Youth Football offers flag football for second and third grade and tackle football for third through eighth grade. Visit online at fairfieldcountyfootball.org or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Signup is in the spring.

Through the football club, there is cheerleading for kindergarten through eighth grade. E-mail Kris Herlyn at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Renee Morris at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

The Wilton Basketball Association manages the fifth through eighth grade youth travel basketball program. Call Steve Pearsall at 761-0211 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or visit online at wiltonhoops.org. The Parks and Recreation Department offers an intramural and summer program.

 

Wilton Little League offers programs for boys from T-ball through major league and girls from T-ball through softball majors. For information, visit online at eteamz.com/WiltonLL or call league president Doug Fechter at 761-1436 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Wilton Baseball Softball Association offers playing opportunities in spring, summer, and fall for boys who have outgrown Little League and for girls as young as 9 who want to play travel softball in the summer and fall. Visit online at thewbsa.com. For baseball information, e-mail Kevin O’Brien at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; for softball e-mail Ken Pokora at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For T-ball and other baseball/softball offerings, call Parks and Recreation at 834-6234.

 

The Wilton Pony Club (wiltonponyclub.com) teaches children all aspects of horse care, including riding. Pony clubbers must have access to a horse to participate in most activities. Members ride at Millstone Farm and the Wilton Riding Club. For information, call Kelley Douglas, district commissioner, at 227-2901 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

How can my child find a scout troop to join?

Letters are usually sent home through the schools. For Girl Scouts, call 762-5557. For Boy Scouts, call the Yankee Council at 876-6868.

 

Are there any youth orchestras?

There are:

 

Does the town hire summer help?

The Public Works Department (563-0152) hires some summer help. Parks and Recreation hires camp counselors, lifeguards, and basketball supervisors and scorekeepers. Pick up an application at the town clerk’s office or call the parks department at 834-6234.

The Wilton Family Y hires lifeguards, swim instructors, and summer camp counselors. Call Kim Scofield at 762-8384, ext. 211. The Y also hires babysitters at least 16 years old. Call Kim Murphy at 762-8384, ext. 214.


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