Throughout the pandemic, we’ve consistently adapted our programs in partnership with our local health departments to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We focus on creating a clean and healthy environment for everyone with protocols that include regular cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting by our trained staff. We will keep kids together in small groups with minimal exposure to other groups.

We understand our parents and guardians enjoy watching your kids engage in programs! We are happy to accommodate parent/guardian viewing as much as we're able based on state guidelines and capacity requirements. Please review these tips to set your family up for success:

• Parent/guardian viewing may not be available at all community centers.
• Where available, we recommend limiting to one parent/guardian per household to support limited capacity requirements.
• The Y is currently open to YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties members only. However, one non-member parent/guardian with youth-only accounts may access the Y with the youth member. Photo identification and standard check-in process required.

Masks are required for youth 5+.  

• Gymnastics - Mask required upon class arrival, while actively participating in program activity, departure, and times of transition between activities for youth 5+.
• Performing Arts - Mask required upon class arrival, while actively participating in program activity, departure, and times of transition between activities for youth 5+.
• Visual Arts - Mask required for program for youth 5+

We have worked diligently to ensure we align with state guidelines and protocol to ensure a safe environment. Class numbers are dependent on space and square footage in alignment with guidelines. So participant numbers will vary by community center and class location.

Yes! We are only allowed to have 50 people max in and around the water at any given time. This doesn’t include staff, however. We are looking to maximize our space as much as possible in the water, so know that if you aren’t swimming and only planning to observe, you may be asked to leave the pool deck so that we can maintain the required ratios. If the Y Aquatics Staff expects that you stay on deck during your child’s lesson, this will be communicated and a designated space will be made available.

In alignment with State guidelines for safety and distancing, at this time we do require adult support of swimmers who need assistance in the water. We’ve determined those are parent-child and swim levels 1-3.

In alignment with State guidelines and capacity requirements, we are only open to active YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties members at this time. We do require anyone actively participating in the program, independently or with a youth member, to be a member. This includes swim lessons and rec swim at this time.

• The Y is currently open to YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties members only. However, one non-member parent/guardian with youth-only accounts may access the Y with the youth member. Photo identification and standard check-in process required.
• If active participation of parent/guardian is desired or required, we ask that active membership is obtained.

There is a one parent to one child ratio during Parent/Child swim lessons and for Levels 1-3 of our Preschool classes. At this time we are not allowing parents to support two children in the same class.

For all of our Parent/Child swim lessons, and for Levels 1-3 of our new Preschool classes, a parent is required to be in the water with their child. This will help us to continue to teach your child in a safe environment while taking the spacing of students, distancing of instructors and participants, and meeting the new required guidelines for swim instruction into consideration. This will also help if and when a child may need to use the restroom, the heightened level of attention needed for these age groups, as well as providing more time practicing in the water with you.

Yes! Each class will be offered at a modified ratio of swimmers to instructors (exact numbers determined by pool capacity and age/skill ability), and each swimmer will be placed at least six feet from the next swimmer to maintain physical distancing during class.

We ask that everyone bring their own towel as we do not have any available for rent and are ready to be in the water with a required swimsuit. Cotton style shirts and shorts are not accepted. They must be a swimsuit or clothing made of a swimsuit type material (ex: a dryfit type of shirt).

Goggles can be used for our swimmers that are in the more advanced levels, though we ask that those that are in the beginner levels not bring goggles in during class. The same information as listed above is requested for any parent that is going in the water with their child for classes.

Unfortunately, if this is the case, we will not be able to serve you. Due to COVID and the multitude of precautions needing to be made, we are unable to support your child in class if there is not a parent present in the water for classes that require this.

Each community center will be set up a bit differently, but we will have a system put into place that will allow for members to enter and exit the aquatics facility in a similar direction. That way we can eliminate as best as possible, anyone walking within six feet of each other. Please see your community center for specific expectations when you’re using the pool.

These spaces are incredibly limited, so we ask that you come prepared to swim prior to class, and if at all possible, leave with just a cover-up over your swimsuit. We do have showers available for a cleansing shower as required by the health department, but we ask that you do not spend extended time in the showers or in the locker room so that we can maintain a clean environment for everyone and so that we keep everyone spread out for physical distancing.

Each swimmer will receive their own pieces of instructional swimming equipment that is needed for the class. At the end of each class, we will clean and sanitize equipment, as well as the spaces around the class space that are frequently touched by our swimmers. Additionally, all of our pools maintain the appropriate chemical levels as determined by the health department and industry standards which supports a continual cleaning and sanitizing process of our pools.

Any time that you are on our pool deck and not yet in class, we require that you wear a face mask. This includes walking from the locker rooms to class and putting the mask back on as your class has finished. All of our lifeguards are required to wear a mask during their shift and as they move throughout the building. Our swim instructors will also be wearing a mask during their shift and as they move throughout the building, but will additionally be wearing a face shield while teaching the class. A mask and face shield is not required for those that are taking the class while they are in the water during instruction or for general use of the pool (ex: lap swim, water aerobics, and household rec swim).

Unfortunately, this is no longer an option in this season. We have a very limited number that we’re able to serve in the pool at any given time and any time that we have available for household rec swim is set up with a reservation on our website. Splash pads, lazy rivers, hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms are also unavailable due to the guidelines and restrictions that we’re working with.