by Kristen Hogan
Trading stories and sharing a favorite book or song with a new friend; being greeted with smiles and high-fives from staff and teammates after scoring the winning point; always fitting in, just for being you—This is what the Y’s day camp is all about, and we are ensuring kids get more out of summer: more learning, more exploration and more achievement. For parents and guardians who enjoy seeing their child’s face glow when retelling a camp story, and want to see their child accomplish things, the Y encourages you to enroll them in the Y’s day camp.
The YMCA of the Capital Area day camp offers a mix of fun and educational activities aimed at improving kids’ well-being, such as swimming, health and wellness activities, arts and crafts, sports and more. Our program centers on three areas proven to impact kids’ development: friendship, accomplishment and belonging.
Working with SEER Analytics to find out how camp benefits kids, the Y recently surveyed nearly 30,000 parents and caregivers with kids enrolled in camp at nearly 190 Y associations nationwide. Ninety-two percent of parents/caregivers said they agreed the Y’s day camp program helped kids make new friends. In addition, 83 percent said they agreed the program helped their kids discover what they can achieve, while 87 percent agreed their child felt a sense of belonging at their Y camp. The Y’s day camp activities help kids grow socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically.
As a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, the Y offers so much more than a place to play and have fun. Through a holistic approach to youth development, the Y nurtures the potential of children and teens from birth to career to help them achieve in school and life. Through day camp and other youth development programs, the Y is working to keep kids active and address gaps in learning when school is not in session.
To learn more about the YMCA of the Capital Area day camp program, visit ymcabr.org/camp
