Adventure Guides

YMCA Adventure Guides is a family program designed for a dad (or other significant male) and his 1st to 5th grade son. The core of the program is Team meetings and Expedition adventures.

Membership Manual - Click Here

New Members Information - Click Here

Program Structure

Guide and Explorer - Dad and son

Team - Group of Guides and Explorers base on geographically area of their school or friends

Expedition - Group of Teams based on the year they are in the program

Forest Expedition River Expedition

Mountain Expedition Valley Expedition

Big Creek Federation - Group of Expeditions within the Ridgewood YMCA

Program Activities

Team meetings and gatherings - Teams meet monthly in a family home and once a month for Team adventures.

Expedition adventures - Periodically, Teams come together for Expedition adventures such as a parade, party, or campout. Many events are either FREE or low cost.

Family-oriented activities - Program activities typically include games, crafts, songs, stories, skits, camping, and family adventures.

Program Theme

At the forefront of the program are the compass points. The compass points lend an inspiration for activities but also provide a framework which to build an adventure theme. The compass-points approach retains the program's focus on strengthening parent-child relationships through small Circle communities while participating in activities that help meet the program's objectives. The four main directional points on the compass are the essential components of the program:

	The Family is True North - the focal point of the program.
	Nature and the camping experience are integral parts of the program.
	The spirit of the program is experienced through belonging to a small community called a Circle or Team.
	Fun is the magic of the program.

The YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility make up the other directional points. Along the journey, adults should model, teach, and demonstrate these values. They also give children many opportunities to practice and celebrate these values and to discuss behavior that is inconsistent with the values. Initially, these values will provide guidance in helping children select activities, make decisions, and decide on an appropriate course of action, both within the program and in all aspects of their lives. Ideally, as children grow, these values become their own internal compasses.