Time for Albany Y Summer Camps

This article written by Albany Y staff Though the calendar may read May and the season is spring, we here at the Albany YMCA are thinking summer! Our summer brochures have arrived and enrollment is now open! We are excited to offer many of our traditional camps and several new and exciting options as well. For parents with children entering Kindergarten or 1st grade our very popular Kinder Cubs program returns again this year. Our theme for this year is “Around the World and Back Through Time.” With experienced and caring staff, Kinder Cubs is a great place for your child to have their first camp experience. Kinder Cubs has weekly themes, which include Hawaii, Africa, Outer Space and Wild Wild West, that will entertain and engage your son or daughter. The program and activities are tailored to help our youngest campers, who are frequently new to group experiences. Campers learn how to cooperate, share, take turns, follow directions, and most importantly – have fun! Each week the Cubs will travel to a local park, swim at El Cerrito Pool and take a field-trip corresponding with that week’s theme. The Kinder Cubs camp is located at 1216 Solano Avenue and is open Monday-Friday from 7:30-6:00. For our elementary school age students, entering grades 2-5, we have several different camp options to fit your child’s needs and interests. A camper’s day will be split in half, with mornings dedicated to small and medium size camps with a specific focus. Camp options include: Circus Arts, Fencing, Gymnastics, Swimming, Hoop Dance, Carpentry, Cooking, Sports, Rock Climbing, Magic, Digital Photography, Art, Video Game Design, Lego Engineering and many more. In the afternoon, our 2nd and 3rd grade campers will become Bears and our 4th and 5th grade campers will become Grizzlies. The Bears and Grizzlies camps are based on the traditional day camp with campers participating in arts and crafts, group games, singing, swimming, visits to local parks and a weekly field trip. The Bears and Grizzlies camps will be located at Ocean View School in the multi-purpose Room, 1000 Jackson Street. Camp hours are from 7:30-6:00 Monday-Friday. We haven’t forgotten our Middle School age students. Our Awesome Adventures Camp, for students entering grades 6-8, is active and exciting. Campers spend most of their time on the go, exploring the sights and having fun. Each week campers will go swimming, take 3 field trips and visit local tourist attractions. Field trips include Six Flags, Water World, iFly indoor skydiving, Raging Waters, Great America and Santa Cruz. Awesome Adventures will be located at the Albany Teen Center at Memorial Park, near Portland and Carmel. Camp hours are from 7:30-6:00 Monday-Friday. Former campers, or other teens looking to learn about working with kids, may be interested in our LIT and CIT programs. The Leadership-In-Training and Counselor-In-Training programs are for campers entering grades 8-11. LIT’s learn how to be a camp counselor and interact with younger campers during a two week session. Graduates of our LIT program are invited to stick around to help lead games, activities and more as a CIT, all while preparing for a potential job as a camp counselor. The LIT and CIT programs meet at Ocean View School Multipurpose Room, 1000 Jackson Street. Camp hours for LIT are 9:00-5:00 and CIT’s can select a morning or afternoon camp placement. In addition, the Albany YMCA offers our popular bike camp, Pedaling Along, and many half day camps including: Beginning and Intermediate Volleyball, Volleyball Conditioning, Hoop Dance , Beginning and Intermediate Sewing, Babysitter Training, Girls Rock!, Video Game Design, and the very popular Cooking Camp. For more information about any of our camps or to see our Summer Camp brochure please visit us on-line at www.ymca-cba.org/albany - look for the brochure under the Find it Fast section. Registration is now open. To register your child please come to the Albany YMCA, 921 Kains Ave. Contact us Alicia Butler, Summer Camp and Child Care Director E abutler@ymca-cba.org Paula Cooper, Youth & Family Director E pcooper@ymca-cba.org Sebastian de la Rosa, Teen Coordinator E sdelarosa@ymca-cba.org