YMCA Adventure Guides
YMCA Adventure Guides is a program offered in YMCAs across the country designed to strengthen the relationship between a parent and a child. Included here is a description of the program purpose and elements.

Why YMCA Adventure Guides Exists?

• YMCA Adventure Guides provides an opportunity for parents and adult role models to work with children as guides, teachers and heroes.
• YMCA Adventure Guides provides challenges and opportunities, celebrate accomplishments and face fears with children.
• YMCA Adventure Guides provides ways for you to "get to know your kid while your kid is still a kid".

What YMCA Adventure Guide Participants Do

• Participants are assigned to a small group of parent-child pairs.
• Meet on a regular basis either in each other’s homes or at the YMCA facility.
• Participate in larger activities like campouts, parties or trips with other groups.
• Activities include ceremonies, games, crafts, songs, stories and outdoor pursuits such as camping, hiking, and swimming.

Determining the Membership of Circles

• Meeting groups are usually made up of seven to 10 parent-child pairs.
• The Community YMCA of Eastern Delaware County will break new members into groups. Some methods used to divide groups are by gender, neighborhood, meeting night preference, or ages.

Who Participates in YMCA Adventure Guides?

• Parents or other significant adults in children’s lives and their children ages five through nine.
• An adult and child must attend program activities together as a pair. The parent is the Guide and the child is the Explorer.