Home » After School Adventures

After School Adventures

A PEACE OF MIND FOR PARENTS.

At the YMCA, after school is just the beginning. Our After School Adventures program gives elementary students a safe, welcoming space to move, create, learn, and connect—while parents enjoy the confidence of knowing their child is cared for by a trusted team.

From active games and hands-on projects to time for friendship and discovery, each day is designed to support your child’s confidence, social growth, and academic success. We help kids uncover their strengths, explore new interests, and build skills that last far beyond the school day.

Our Values

Caring

Show sincere concern
for others

HONESTY

Be truthful in what you
say and do

RESPONSIBILITY

Be accountable for your promises and actions

RESPECT

Treat others as we’d all like to be treated

FAITH

Deep trust and confidence in someone or something

OUR SCHEDULE


2:30pm-3:00pm: Bus Route/Arrival
3:00pm-3:30pm: Snack Time
3:30-5:00pm: Grade Level Themed Activities
4:30pm-5:30pm: Parent Pick Up & Check Out

OUR ACTIVITIES

At YMCA After-School Adventures, every afternoon is a journey in a safe, welcoming environment where children are encouraged to grow as learners, leaders, and friends. Our engaging curriculum blends arts and humanities, character development, health and wellness, literacy, science and technology, service learning, and social skills to create a experience that supports academic success, strong values, and lifelong friendships. Children also enjoy swim time that builds water safety, confidence, and pure joy in the pool—an essential life skill. Our activities are guided by creative weekly and monthly themes that turn learning into adventures.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

The Mankato Family YMCA After School Adventures program is committed to providing a safe, positive, and respectful environment for all participants and staff. The following behaviors are expected from all participants:

  • Keep Everyone Safe: Participants use their bodies and words in ways that keep themselves and others safe. This includes keeping hands, feet, and objects to themselves, using kind and appropriate language, respecting personal space, and making choices that help everyone feel secure and welcome.
  • Care for Our Space and Belongings: Participants treat YMCA facilities, equipment, and personal belongings with care. This means using materials properly, cleaning up after activities, and respecting the property of others. Families are responsible for any damage caused by their participant.
  • Participate Positively in the Program: Participants stay with their group, follow staff directions, and make a genuine effort to take part in activities and transitions. This helps ensure that the day runs smoothly and that everyone has a fun and meaningful camp experience.
  • Live the YMCA Core Values: Participants are expected to model the YMCA Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Responsibility, Respect, and Faith in their words and actions by showing kindness, being truthful, taking ownership of their choices, and treating others with dignity.

What are others saying?

“I am so impressed how the staff and team can stay organized all while helping every single kid be their best self! I am utterly impressed”

,
“As we walk up to the sign in table each morning, the staff calls my daughter by name. They know her likes and who she’s friends with. They know her and don’t have to even look to see who she is; they just know. She gives many hugs every day and looks forward to see them after the weekend.”
,
“Camp means so much to our family as we rely on them to make sure our daughter is having a fantastic summer while we have to continue to work. They plan everything and make sure our child is having the time of her life, while keeping her safe. We know she is in good hands and we appreciate everything the YMCA does to make sure that our daughter has the most enjoyable summer. We always look forward to hearing all the exciting things about camp from our daughter when she gets home!”
,
“Our daughter has had nothing but positive experiences at the YMCA camps. She always comes home with exciting stories to share and is always thrilled to go to camp! We are always comfortable leaving her with the faculty there.”
,
“It quite simply helps us function in the summer. Our family would be in trouble without this safe, fun, engaging, educational place for our kids to go in the summer. They are tired every day after a fun active day outside, which is so important – not just sitting around in front of a screen. This program is so essential for us!! It just has met our needs so well every year.”
,

“All the staff are quite amazing. I am so happy how happy my daughter is. She never once woke up and didn’t want to go. When I picked her up she was never wanting to go. Seriously cannot put into words how amazing this camp is especially for double working families. Thank you!!!!!!”

,
“We chose the YMCA for summer camp because of all of the activities available such as swimming and the variety from week to week. We wanted our child to remain actively engaged and the Y was a good fit for that”
,

“I greatly appreciate the communication. Remind is easy. I really appreciate the Sunday night plans and the reminders throughout the week”

,
“We are continuously impressed with the organization and care of summer camp! The program is run with excellent communication, my child loves the fantastic weekly field trips to places we wouldn’t normally go and most importantly I have peace of mind knowing she is safe and loved and my child looks forward to going to camp every day.”
,

“Our daughter got to work on teamwork through every camp she attended at the Y. They built teams every Monday and had a team name. This helped them build teamwork skills, leadership, sportsmanship, and how to be a good friend. It really helped my daughter break out of her shell as she is a little shy. She definitely opened up a lot after attending the Y camps!”

,
“Beloved. By all of our family. My kids have favorite counselors and anxiously follow announcements to see who will be back. They know so many by name and love seeing them back. The counselors look after my kids like they are their own family, and I love to see them joke back and forth through the summer. They are genius at organizing fun for our kids. All staff are incredibly responsive to concerns on the rare occasions that these come up. Communication is fantastic using the Remind app. If there are bus delays, we know about it right away. This program is phenomenal”
,

Frequently Asked Questions

Registration & Payment

Registration opens for those who are enrolled in the program for the current school year in January. Those families have from after New Years until February for priority registration. The first Monday in February, After School Adventures opens to the general public. ASA is a YMCA member only program. Therefore, at minimum, the program participant must be a member of the Y beginning in August 15th.

Payments are drafted from your checking account or credit card on the 6th of each month, September through May. Payment for the program is compiled by the number of days of school. However, payment is divided equally amongst nine amongst for simplicity and convenience for parents. For questions or concerns, please contact Susan Lyons at [email protected]

The Mankato Family YMCA is committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to participate in our programs, regardless of financial circumstances. YMCA Financial Assistance is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and is dependent on funds provided through donations, grants, and special campaigns. The application process is open year-round. Applications can be found on our website or through our Director of Youth Development. Applicants will be notified of their award status and the amount of assistance via email.

The YMCA After School Adventures program requires a 30-day written notice in order to withdraw from the program. You are still required to pay expenses through those 30-days. The registration deposit is not refundable.

Program Communications

At the Y, we are committed to keeping families informed and engaged in their child’s After-School Adventures experience. Throughout the school year, families can expect timely and helpful communication, including program updates, weekly previews, and opportunities to share feedback. Periodically, we will also send short surveys to gather your input so we can continue improving our program and better serve your family.

REMIND – Primary Communication Tool

REMIND is our primary and most efficient way for families to communicate directly with our After-School Adventures staff. Staff are available on REMIND from 8:00am-5:30pm, Monday–Friday during program hours. Messages sent outside this window may be answered the next business day. To join REMIND, please email our Director of Youth Development at [email protected].

We strongly encourage all parents and guardians to enroll in REMIND. Important updates, schedule changes, and reminders are shared primarily through this platform. Families who choose not to enroll may miss essential information, and the Mankato Family YMCA After-School Adventures Program cannot be held responsible for missed communication due to non-enrollment.

  • Within our parent handbook, we list the REMIND code you need to text to 81010 in order to get into the class to get the updates about the program.
  • If you have the REMIND app, you will click on the 3 lines in the upper left hand corner, click on “Add a class”, and type in the class code that was sent in the confirmation email.

  • Participants in the After-School Adventures program will only be released to individuals listed on their Authorized Pick-Up YMCA staff are required to request a valid photo ID from anyone picking up a child. If an individual who is not listed attempts to pick up a child, staff will contact the parent/guardian immediately. If the parent/guardian cannot be reached, the child will not be released until proper authorization is confirmed.

To add or remove individuals from your Authorized Pick-Up list after submitting the Participant Information Form, please contact the Director of Youth Development directly.

  • Parents and guardians are required to notify the After-School Adventures whenever their child will be absent for any reason via REMIND. We ask that all absences are reported before 2:00pm each day. For safety and accountability, our team remains at each school until we account for every enrolled child. When we are not informed of an absence, staff must wait and search for a child who is not attending, delaying transportation and disrupting the efficiency of the program.

Your communication is not optional. It is a critical part of keeping children safe and ensuring After-School Adventures runs smoothly and on time. We appreciate your cooperation and partnership in helping us provide a safe, organized, and reliable program for all families.

Program Operations

  • Check-Out Time: Daily check-out is available from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
  • Authorized Pick-Up: A valid photo ID is required to sign out your child. Only individuals listed as authorized pick-ups may check out a participant. To add an authorized adult, please notify After-School Adventures staff in advance.
  • Parking: Parents/guardians should park in the Mankato Family YMCA parking lot before proceeding to the check-out area.
  • Check-Out Location: All participants must be checked out at the designated table located at Door A (to the left of the YMCA’s main entrance).
  • Door A Access: For safety reasons, parents/guardians may only use Door A during the official check-out window of 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
  • Early Pick-Up: If a child needs to be picked up before 4:30 PM, the parent/guardian is responsible for meeting them at the location where their After-School Adventures group is scheduled.
  • Patience & Safety: We appreciate your patience during check-out. Maintaining accurate attendance and ensuring the safety of every child is our top priority.

On scheduled Early Release Days for District 77, After School Adventures will operate within its normal hours (2:30pm-5:30pm). Child Care between school release and ASA (12:30pm-2:30pm) is available and provided by the District. Contact your child’s school to sign up for the 2-hour gap care. After School Adventures will run our normal bus routes beginning at 2:30pm and will operate until 5:30pm.

We do! We offer Non-School Day Camps on most days when District 77 is not in session! This is a totally separate program from After School Adventures! You can register for these individual days online at mankatoymca.org. These days include a full day (7:30am-5:30pm) of care filled with games, crafts, adventures, and friendship! Some may even include a field trip! Make sure to check out of themes to see what we have to offer each Fall & Spring!

The safety of our children and staff is our top priority. If District 77 is dismissed early or closed due to inclement weather- ASA will be closed as well. No refunds will be given for unforeseen closures. Inclement Weather communication will be sent out via REMIND and posted on social media platforms.

You do not! Just inform you child’s school and teacher that they will be coming to the YMCA after school and we do the rest! It really is that simple!

The Mankato Family YMCA After School Adventures program follows best-practice readiness standards to ensure participants have a safe, positive, and enriching experience. Our programs are designed to support social-emotional learning by helping participants develop skills in self-management, social awareness, relationship building, self-awareness, and responsible decision-making. YMCA school-age programs are not designed for one-on-one care, so parents/guardians should carefully evaluate if the program is appropriate for their participant.

Participants are most successful in our programs when they can:

  • Demonstrate independence: transition between locations, dress, eat, and maintain personal hygiene without assistance.
  • Regulate emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a variety of situations.
  • Express and recognize emotions and thoughts effectively.
  • Show empathy and respect for others, including those from diverse backgrounds.
  • Build and maintain healthy relationships, including effective communication, listening, cooperation, and resisting inappropriate behaviors.
  • Make safe, healthy, and respectful choices for themselves and others.

The Mankato Family YMCA After School Adventures program is committed to providing a safe, positive, and respectful environment for all participants and staff.

  • Keep Everyone Safe
    • Participants use their bodies and words in ways that keep themselves and others safe. This includes keeping hands, feet, and objects to themselves, using kind and appropriate language, respecting personal space, and making choices that help everyone feel secure and welcome.
  • Care for Our Space and Belongings
    • Participants treat YMCA facilities, equipment, and personal belongings with care. This means using materials properly, cleaning up after activities, and respecting the property of others. Families are responsible for any damage caused by their participant.
  • Participate Positively in the Program
    • Participants stay with their group, follow staff directions, and make a genuine effort to take part in activities and transitions. This helps ensure that the day runs smoothly and that everyone has a fun and meaningful program experience.
  • Live the YMCA Core Values
    • Participants are expected to model the YMCA Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Responsibility, Respect, and Faith in their words and actions by showing kindness, being truthful, taking ownership of their choices, and treating others with dignity

The following behaviors are considered inappropriate:

  • Threats to Safety: Any behavior that directly or indirectly threatens the safety of participants or staff, including but not limited to: hitting, kicking, pushing, biting, choking, throwing objects, verbal threats, disrespectful language, inappropriate gestures, inappropriate touching, or sexualized behavior.
  • Destruction of Property: Any behavior that intentionally damages YMCA property or the property of participants or staff, including graffiti, malicious destruction, or intentional misuse of equipment. Parents/guardians are financially responsible for any damages caused by their participant.
  • Disruption of Program: Behavior that consistently disrupts the program environment, such as leaving the program area or building without permission, refusing to follow directions, or being unable to transition between activities.
  • Failure to Follow Core Values: Any behavior that does not align with the YMCA Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Responsibility, Respect, and Faith.

Program staff will address behavioral issues as appropriate. Participants sent home for disruptive behavior will not receive a refund.

The YMCA After School Adventures program strives to provide a safe and positive environment for all participants. When a participant demonstrates negative or disruptive behavior, the following steps may be taken:

  1. Redirection: Staff will redirect the participant to more appropriate behavior, reminding them of rules and behavior guidelines.
  2. Parent Notification: If the behavior continues, parents/guardians will be notified. Staff will explain the behavior, the strategies used to redirect the participant, and how the behavior is affecting the program environment.
  3. Behavior Meeting: If the behavior persists, a meeting will be scheduled with the parent/guardian, participant, staff, and Director of Youth Development to discuss the behavior and establish clear expectations moving forward.
  4. Dismissal: If the behavior continues despite these interventions, the participant may be dismissed from the YMCA After School Adventures program.

YMCA administrative staff reserve the right to take immediate action if a participant’s behavior poses a threat to their own safety or the safety of others.

Important: No refunds will be issued for participants who are dismissed due to behavioral issues.

YMCA administrative staff reserve the right to take immediate action if a child’s behavior poses a threat to their own safety or the safety of others.

Important: No refunds will be issued for participants who are dismissed due to behavioral issues.

While at ASA

You are entitled to your child at any time! We just ask that you stop at the check out table in the racquetball hallway/outside Door A to ensure our check out person makes contact with you so that our records indicate that your child has been signed out. Safety is our top priority of all of our program participants!

Items found within the After-School Adventures program are placed in the ASA Lost & Found. The program Lost & Found is located at Door A. If you cannot locate the lost item within the program lost & found, please contact the YMCA Front Desk for the overall YMCA Lost & Found. Items/equipment not claimed within the two-week period will be donated to a local charity.

  • The Mankato Family YMCA After School Adventures program follows the Minnesota Department of Health’s guidelines and recommends participants be excluded from activities when not feeling well. If a child becomes sick while in our care, the participant will be isolated and supervised to prevent the spread of illness. Parents/Guardians will be contacted and will be required to pick up within 30 minutes. Participants must be away from ASA for a minimum of 24 hours if sickness came on while at ASA or at home.
  • In cases of communicable diseases such as chicken pox, lice, impetigo, and strep, we will notify other parents in writing the same day, so they may be alerted of the incubation period and symptoms.  Please notify us if your child has contracted or been exposed to any of the above illnesses or diseases. We must all do our part to minimize the spread of any type of illness. Moderate injuries will also be communicated to the parent once proper first aid has taken place. In the case of a severe injury needing professional medical attention, the parent or guardian will be contacted immediately. For more information relating to illness or injuries, please see our parent handbook.

We sure do! Program participants get two snack options a day! They can choose to have both, one or the other, or none based on the options and hunger level! We do our best to accommodate common allergies like gluten, nuts, and dairy. If you have concerns related to snack options, please reach out to our Director of Youth Development for more information.

We love to offer our program participants a variety of activities throughout the week! We plan arts & crafts, reading activities, physical movement games, gym games, STEM projects, science projects, music infused activities, large group activities, guest speakers, outside festivities, swimming, holiday parties, service learning projects, and social-emotional learning and more! No two days are the same and the program participants are always trying to guess what is coming next!

STAY CONNECTED