How Camps Are Staying Safe This Summer

YMCA Summer Camp

This post is sponsored by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. Check out their summer camp offerings!

After months of quarantine and homeschooling, kids are ready to be with friends again and parents are heading back to work (or maybe just ready for some time away from the kids!). 

Summer day camps are a great solution. But how are they staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic?

After providing child care for school-age kids since March to first responders, health care workers and other essential employees, the YMCA of Greater Kansas City has learned a lot about how to follow public health guidelines and still provide a fun experience for the kids. The Y is putting everything they’ve learned into their summer day camps.  

To help campers and staff stay safe and healthy, families will notice new procedures, including: 

  • Curbside drop-off and pick-up
  • Daily temperature checks and wellness questionnaires
  • Face coverings for staff
  • Social distancing and keeping the same groups of kids together throughout the day
  • Frequent hygiene and cleaning breaks
  • Disposable sack lunch items (no lunch boxes, plastic food storage, etc.) 
  • Limiting shared materials, such as pencils, pens, markers, scissors, etc.

Even though camp may look a little different this year with new processes, there’s still lots of room for lots of fun. 

Y camps focus on achievement, relationships and belonging, rolled together with tons of fun activities, camper competitions to show off talent and learn teamwork, wacky dress up days, arts, STEM, outdoor education and more. 

For families ready to get back to a new normal and get out again, the Y’s camps are underway and ready to welcome your child. Camps offer flexibility with locations throughout the metro and the ability to sign up by the week for the weeks that work for you or the whole summer.

To learn more and register, visit KansasCityYMCA.org/Camp.

Sarah McGinnity
Sarah grew up in Manhattan, Kansas (Go Cats!), she moved to Minnesota where she met her husband, Shea. Realizing how much she hated snow in May, she convinced him to move to Kansas City in 2010. Together they have lived in Midtown, Waldo, the Plaza, and now Overland Park. Sarah is mom to 10-year-old, Henry, 7-year-old Clark and 5-year-old Lucy. She has her master’s in urban administration and is passionate about making Kansas City a more equitable and supportive community. In between the crazy, she likes to drink coffee, run, hike, travel as much as possible, and experience all things Kansas City!