Get Ready to Adventure Together!
YMCA Adventurers is an action-oriented, year-long adventure program designed for adult-child pairs to strengthen their relationships through shared experiences.
Family, Nature, Community, and Fun
At the heart of the program are the compass points, which foster a sense of direction and inspiration for activities:
- Family. The true north and focal point of the program.
- Nature. The natural world and the camping experience are integral parts of the program.
- Community. The spirit of the YMCA Adventurers is experienced through belonging to a small community in your group.
- Fun. Fun is the magic of the program. The Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility make up the guiding principles of the program.
Philosophy
At the YMCA, we believe that if we build strong communities that nurture and strengthen families, then children will learn early on the assets and values they need to become responsible, caring adults who will care for and love another child. This has been our legacy, and it will continue to be embedded in the YMCA Adventurers program and its theme.
Find Your Fun
With a group of 8-12 other pairs in your community, you will enjoy weekend camps, tent campouts at Camp Terry, and other outdoor adventures, all centered around skill-building and fun!
Registration
The YMCA Adventures program follows the school year, beginning in October and ending in June. Annual registration fees for each participant (adult and child separately) are $65 for Y members or $95 for community members.
Meetings
Groups meet once per month. Meetings are typically held at a local YMCA and include fun activities such as games, crafts, and stories. They may also be an outing, such as a community service project, hiking, or a cookout.
Weekend Camps
Enjoy the friendly company of your group or get to know new folks throughout a weekend camp getaway at YMCA Camp Colman on the Key Peninsula or YMCA Camp Orkila in the San Juan Islands. Weekend camps are an additional fee.
Activities
With your group, enjoy tent campouts at Camp Terry and other outdoor activities led by the YMCA throughout the Adventurers season. Some activities may require an additional fee.
History
Established in 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri, YMCA Adventurers was formerly structured around a Native American theme and originally called Y-Indian Guides and then Adventure Guides and, more recently, Y Guides. Today the program has evolved and is structured around the adventures an adult and child may take together. YMCA Adventurers is a way for kids and adults to spend quality one-on-one time together while retaining the original program’s structure, spirit, objectives, and character-development focus.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
I cannot afford the full cost of the program. Is financial assistance available?
Yes! The Y is committed to ensuring all families have access to quality and enriching youth programs. If the fee for this program presents a challenge for your family, financial assistance is available.
For Y members, your program scholarship is already attached to your Y account and available upon registration. For community members, please fill out this form and choose 'program subsidy only' under membership type.
What will we do?
The Adventurers program is action-oriented! Groups of 8-12 pairs typically meet once per month.
Meetings are typically held at a local YMCA and include fun activities such as games, crafts, and stories. They may also be an outing such as a community service project, hiking, or a cookout.
In addition to the regular activities, groups can participate in larger YMCA-led activities throughout the year, including weekends at YMCA Camp Orkila and YMCA Camp Colman, tent campouts at Camp Terry, and other outdoor activities.
Who can participate?
YMCA Adventurers is designed for kids in grades kindergarten through third grade and an adult caregiver.
At the Y, we welcome all families. An adult caregiver is broadly defined to include all adults with primary responsibility for raising children: biological parents, adoptive parents, guardians, stepparents, grandparents raising children, or any other type of parenting relationship. All are welcome and encouraged to be guides in raising children for whom they are responsible or to whom they have committed to being positive adult role models.
How do a I form or join a group?
Gather three or more adult-child pairs from your school, church, PEPS group, or soccer team, and email our camp team.
If you don’t have a group, email us and we'll match you up.
Who do I contact with questions?
If you can't find your answer here, please email us at adventurers@seattleymca.org.
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Find Your Adventure
Day Camp
Offering active days spent learning new skills and making lifelong friends, Y Day Camps offers fun camp activities to engage brains, exploration rotations to encourage kids to try new things, and plenty of physical activity and games to keep bodies moving.
Family Camp
Explore the magic of Camp Colman and Camp Orkila through water activities, challenge course experiences, campfires, and more while getting to spend quality time with your loved ones.
Camp & Outdoor Leadership
The YMCA has been the leader in Summer Camp for over 130 years. Over this time, we’ve fine-tuned our programs to meet youth and their families wherever they are in their journey with the outdoors.