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PEABODY — The YMCA of Metro North is wasting no time ushering in the good old summertime.
On Monday, Metro North opened two of its outdoor summer camps. Camp Eastman at the Torigian Family YMCA opened its doors to campers, while Camp Sachem at the Saugus Y also opened Monday.
“Bring on summer, we are ready,” said Kathleen Walsh, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro North.
Walsh said both locations are gearing up for an influx of requests for summer child care now that pandemic restrictions have been largely lifted and people are getting back to normal life.
“Our waitlists are filling up and we’re going to have to add more capacity to our enrollments,” said Walsh. “Kids have been cooped up all year. Parents are stressed out. We want to offer a safe and engaging space for every child to get out, get active and really dive into the hands-on learning that a summer camp experience provides.”
Last year, enrollment capacity limits were reduced at many summer camps across the nation due to the pandemic. This year is a different story; camp-capacity numbers are inching back up to normal, albeit with a few modifications and several new and exciting offerings.
“We have a lot of new activities and special events planned for the summer,” says Camp Eastman Director Erin McManus.
Safety protocols remain, including mask-wearing and social distancing for indoor activities and when outdoor activities are moved indoors due to inclement weather.
“This year, I don’t think we’ll let a little rain dampen our spirit,” said McManus. “We want to keep kids outdoors as much as possible, feeling relaxed, and having fun with their friends, new and old.”
Camp Eastman’s program features a variety of themed weeks. Topics include creative arts, science, dance and movement, swimming and sports. A new Olympics-themed week celebrating the Summer Games in Tokyo has been added, which is sure to be a hit with campers.
“It’s been a trying year for everyone. Knowing my son will be able to attend a traditional summer camp, where he comes home every day happy and exhausted, is a sense of normalcy that we desperately need,” said Kathleen Rooney. “Camp Eastman is the absolute best. My son has gone the past few summers and he loves it.”
Camp Sachem has added a gardening program to further engage campers in a healthy-living activity, which benefits not only their physical and emotional well-being but also the environment.
“Summer camp is a great environment for children to become immersed in highly social experiences where they learn to communicate and collaborate effectively and work on relationship-building skills,” said Nicole Hanlon, Camp Sachem’s director. “Campers provide the physical space to explore and gain social and emotional skills like a sense of belonging, self-efficacy, decision-making skills and self-regulation. These are all vital to their healthy development.”
“This is going to be a transformational year in a lot of ways, and we want to be there every step of the way to ensure our kids get back on track,” said Walsh.
For more information about the YMCA of Metro North outdoor camps, indoor camps and other summer programs, go to https://www.ymcametronorth.org/summer-camp/.
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
