- Did you know there's more to do here at the Y than just ride bikes.

Let's go check out programming for the kids.

(lively music) What does the Y do for kids?

- We just create safe spaces for kids to come and enjoy and just be themselves.

And so I think that's what we love about the Y the most is creating those spaces and those opportunities and giving them new skills to participate in and also just have fun and be themselves.

- How important is just general active play for our kids?

- I think play is probably the most important thing we can provide for kids of all ages.

And so we know that from our littlest babies all the way up to our teenagers that we're making programs for.

And so everything we do is designed around the site concept of play.

And so we want them to be able to learn, but we want them to be able to learn in a hands-on fun way.

- Wanna zone right in on summertime at the Y what's that mean to you?

- Summertime is my favorite time at the Y.

We open up every branch to a school age day camp.

And so it just like brings a lot of life and energy.

It's fast, it's furious and it's fun.

- So describe a a week at a camp.

- Each of our branches offer kind of a different experience.

And so if you're here at the downtown Y, this summer especially, we're really like branching out into the community and using like vendors and different activities.

And so the goal is that every day, the kids are getting out of this building and going somewhere nearby.

If you're at our Mary Free Bed or Wolverine branches, we have a lot more outdoor space and so they spread their camps out and have a lot more different kind of non-traditional outdoor camp like settings, like campfires and that sort of thing.

And then you can also potentially go to our Camp Manitou site.

And so we have day camps there for the summer as well as overnight camp.

And our camp in Cullen, transportation is provided.

And so you will bus from the branches and come there and go back.

- Are healthy snacks provided?

- Absolutely.

And we also do a curriculum called Cook It Up.

And so our campers learn how to cook different kind of recipes.

We try to tailor them to summer so they're a little more fun and convenient with the local ingredients, but they get to learn to cook them and they get to send that recipe home and they get to taste test them and really get exposure to different kind of foods.

(lively music) - Naomi and Nathaniel, I call you superstars because here you are at the Y, getting fit and getting smart.

Talk to me about what you do here - When it's during summertime, we practice like going swimming.

- [Shelley] What are you doing outside?

- [Naomi] We play and play tack.

- What are you doing outside, Nathaniel?

- We just play with like the bikes and I like to go on the slides.

- [Shelley] Do you do some swimming?

- Yeah, I do some swimming.

- What's your favorite field trip that you've gone on?

- Going to the zoo in its summertime.

It's like fun because you can see all different kind of animals.

- [Shelley] Tell me about the friends you're making.

- I'm making a lot of friends.

(lively music) - I know there's nothing like open water swimming, but what are the pools?

What do we attract in pools all year round?

- Yeah, so the pools are a great advantage, right?

That is why we go to a lot of people come to the Ys for access for that pool and also safety around water.

And so we provide swim lessons through our summer camp, but youth are getting in the water with their staff and all of our staff go through aquatic observer training.

And so it's very safe and we, you know, give them an opportunity to just be in the water during the summer and kind of learn some new skills.

It's the Y.

And so we know that safety matters and we know that kids are cared for and we know that staff are trained to do their best when working with youth.

(lively music) - How soon should a child begin to understand what water's like?

- Swimming lessons start as soon as you're ready.

We have a curriculum, but I think some of the most essential parts of swimming are just acclimating your children to the water and letting them know that they're safe and that it is a place where they can enjoy themselves.

- And of course, summertime is pool time, of course, all year round here.

What kind of programs do you give the kids throughout the year?

- Specifically, in the summer, we offer safety around water.

It's also known as saw.

it's a really like crash course type of swimming, but it breaks down a lot of barriers and it's a great way to engage with the community.

- [Shelley] Do you see the kids being themselves in the water?

- [Speaker] It takes a little bit.

There's a little initial shyness and nervousness and fear, but those barriers break down and you get to really see them blossom.

- [Shelley] And do you see this as building a skill that they should be able to keep throughout their life?

- [Speaker] Absolutely.

I think at face value lifeguarding seems kind of simple, but there are a lot of layers to it and there are a lot of soft skills.

Not only vigilance and observation, but also just conversational skills, really valuable.

You run into all different types of people at the pool from all different walks of life.

- How important is it that a little kid takes his or her summertime and turns it into a Y time?

- I think it is one of the best things you can do.

The Y is really a safe space for everyone.

It's become like a second home to meet and an invaluable place to be in.

(lively music) - I imagine if you're an adult kid, it's kinda fun being around the young kids to do your thing.

- Yeah, I mean, I have the best job in the world.

I get to not only see kids every day, but I get to train the staff that work with those kids every day.

I get the opportunity to provide really, you know, nationwide and statewide trainers to come in and work with our staff to promote these opportunities with youth.

And we love everything about it.

- So I bet that pool's never empty.

- It sure isn't, especially not during day camp.

- [Shelley] Thank you Tiffany.

- [Tiffany] You're welcome.

(bright music) - Celebrating vibrant people, captivating places, and remarkable things.

This is "Living West Michigan."

(bright music)