For many children, summer is their favorite season of the year as it offers time to relax from the school year and take a break from the classroom. Summer camps give children the opportunity to embark on fun activities, games and adventures while allowing both children and parents to make the most of their summer encouraging personal development — the best of both worlds! Parents and kids can maximize their summer experience, ensuring it becomes a memorable journey for all.
Our Y summer camps are designed to allow children to explore their passions and engage in activities they truly enjoy. A good example of this is our weekly themes in which every week’s schedule is an adventure on its own. This way parents can enjoy seeing their kids feeling more motivated, discover passions, learn new skills and fully enjoy their camp experience. Throughout “STEM-Tastic” week, campers can explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through fun activities like dropping eggs, constructing towers and becoming inventors. In “Art-Rageous” week, campers can be courageous with art and be creative with different types of art mediums such as paint, oil pastels, clay, fabric and charcoal. These are just a couple of examples of the activities and passions campers can explore!
In addition, summer camp is a great way for children to step out of their homes, away from screens and what could have been a sedentary summer. Our camps incorporate sports, outdoor games and adventure activities that encourage children to be active and stay fit without them even noticing it. Being active not only benefits physical health but it is also has a positive impact on children’s mental health. Like this Financial Assistance recipient whose family found coping strategies through regular exercise and physical activity.
“I am so grateful for the Y's assistance in allowing my kids to grow socially and to become more positive and confident in themselves. Exercise and physical activity at the Y has given us the opportunity to meet and socialize with others and give us a healthy coping strategy to manage our symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
While summer camp offers a break from the school year, it doesn’t mean that children will not have a healthy routine or development of their character. Y camps offer a schedule that ensures that kids have a balance between activities, rest and social interactions. Our summer camp agenda focuses on the development of social-emotional skills that include empathy, relationship building, emotion management, personal development and responsibility. We’ve seen great improvements in our youth development programs. In 2022, 94% of youth in our development programs, including summer camps, experienced growth in at least one social emotional developmental asset area.
“Thanks to my YMCA, my two younger children have had the summer of a lifetime! Not only did my younger children have a great time but this experience also provided them with a valuable opportunity to learn, make new friends, and travel to new places.”
Your child can thrive and have fun in a safe and inclusive environment all summer long at the Y. Take that leap and register your child for summer camp at the Y — your child will thank you.
Posted on April 5, 2024.