As Austin basks in the unprecedentedly warm weather this March, the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry hopes it’ll spark people into registering for summer programs.

“They want kids off the couch and involved,” said Department Director Kim Underwood said. “It’s a great opportunity [for children] to check out a sport and see if they like it.”

Youth programs this summer include tee ball, tennis, swim lessons, track, soccer, archery and golf, with varying age ranges for each activity. Over 500 children participated in these programs last summer, according to a 2011 department review. That number doesn’t include those who went out for sports in associated youth programs—like basketball and softball—and those included in the mixture of 417 youth and adults registrants who took swim lessons.

Underwood said the benefits of summer programs extend beyond the healthful effects of exercise. “It teaches them participation, good sportsmanship and team camaraderie,” she said.

Underwood said one of the department’s goals is to get young high school students to participate in sports like kickball. “We’re really trying to get into that age group,” she said.

Adults can look forward to the addition of a sand volleyball league this year, Underwood said. Kickball, softball and square bag round hole, a bean bag toss game, will all return as activities. Last summer, a total of 715 adults participated.

Registration fees for most programs land in price around the mid-teens. Children’s golf and bowling programs will run higher to help cover the facility charges they face. Additionally, the Austin Kiwanis Club will sponsor two free track meets.

This year, Park and Rec. will offer a $10 discount for participants who sign up for lessons and a swim tag at the same time, Underwood said. There will also be a 10-week Saturday swim lessons program for those who can’t make it on weekdays.

Some association leagues have already had sign-up dates, but none of Park and Rec.’s own programs have begun registration.

“In April, people can start signing up,” Underwood said. Park and Rec. plans to send out brochures highlighting summer activities during the last weekend in March, she added.

The programs welcome all skill levels.

“There’s something for pretty much everybody,” she said.