Now more than ever, get active and get outdoors

We all know getting outside is great for our physical health and mental wellbeing – now more than ever – so come join us at YMCA Kids Go Bush.

It may be winter but with the right clothes and know-how, we will get your kids active and outdoors these holidays.

At YMCA Anglesea Recreation Camp, we run School Holiday Day Program “Surf Coast Outdoor Adventure Kids”.

Research tells us that spending time outside has significant benefits for children’s learning, emotional resilience and developing skills for a healthy life.

Although some parents are nervous about winter weather, getting lost and climbing trees, the benefits to the child are immense.

Our program ensures the kids are challenged in a safe and controlled environment supported by caring staff. The focus is to get school age kids (6-12 years) outdoors having a different adventure each day with a child-focused unscheduled timeframe.

The program is based entirely outdoors, each morning we’ll meet at the camp fire and talk about our plans for the day.

What we see and what we discover each day will include a mixture of nature play, environmental and adventurous activities run by our trained camp staff.

The day may include cubby building, tree climbing, zip lines, nature craft, bush cooking, giant swing, low ropes course, climbing challenge activities, beach and rock pool play plus loads more outdoor fun.

Any decisions regarding times and duration of activities will be negotiated on the day by the children themselves, allowing for ownership, team building and negotiation skills.We are also hosting “SOAK Does” theme days to enable more time and skill development by immersing into a single outdoor activity.

The themed “skate” activities on July 1 and “bikes” on July 7 allow young people to immerse themselves as time allows for increased development and confidence in an active life skill.

For younger families our Family Playgroup Adventure on Tuesday, July 8, is a great one-off event for the whole family to connect with each other and spend time outdoors.

We provide nature-based craft, early tool use and fire cooking activity during the session. Our single sessions are a great introduction to our term based Early Years programs.

The YMCA Kids Go Bush Team runs Bush Playgroup on Monday and Tuesday mornings and Bush Kinder for kids aged three and up on Friday mornings.

We are currently taking expression of interest for term-based forest school for children 4-8 years, a three-hour bush session without parents or guardians, developing independence confidence and discovery in the bush world around them.

All programs are run by the qualified staff at YMCA Kids Go Bush, based at Anglesea Recreation Camp where we teach real-life skills and focus on creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking. By engaging our young people to connect to the natural world we enable resilience, lifelong learning and sense of place.

Bookings are now open for our programs via ymcavic.venue360.me/public/events/homepage. For further information phone 5263 1512 or find us on Facebook @YMCA Kids Go Bush.