K-8 students enjoy Summer Day Camp at YMCA

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — The Muskingum Family YMCA is providing local youth with a positive space to spend their summers out of school.

Kids in grades K-8 are participating in the “Y”‘s Summer Day Camp, enjoying not only swimming and other fun outdoor activities, but academic and learning exercises as well.

“We still try to get some academic and learning experiences in there, while building friendships and relationships that they can keep throughout their life. All kinds of things that they haven’t been introduced to in school yet, so they’re going to have a head start when it comes to their other classmates,” explained Alexus Bell, a counselor at the YMCA.

Some of the learning activities the kids have participated in include building parachutes and testing the speed of their fall with different objects, testing PH levels, and dissecting animals.

The kids also get to spend time in the community volunteering with the elderly on Adams Ln. and also spending time at the Animal Shelter playing with the animals and helping clean up.

Bell says that her favorite part about being a counselor is getting to see the kids grow throughout the summer, and says the camp is invaluable to their social development and learning skills.

“From day one and getting to meet the kids and all of them being new; getting to see them grow and how they’ve already changed and built relationships. It gives them an atmosphere where they’re not at home by themselves, like I said, they’re building those relationships, they’re consistently around people. Through the learning experiences that we have, they’re retaining that stuff that they’ve learned in school and putting into real life use and not losing it through the summer,” Bell added.

The Summer Camp runs Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kids do not have to come everyday, however, there are kids that do. They also offer before and after hours care.

Executive Director Jeff Radde says the “Y” still has openings for their Kid’s Summer Camps. Full-time, part-time, and individual day passes can be purchased. The cost is $25/day for YMCA members, and $30/day for non-members. You can also purchase a full-time pass for $90/week. Financial assistance is offered as well, as no kid is turned away.

For more information you can visit their website at mcmfy.orf or call them at (740)453-9622.