Youth Program FAQ

Masks are required for youth 3+.  

• Gymnastics - Mask required upon class arrival, while actively participating in program activity, departure, and times of transition between activities for youth 3+
• Dance, Theater, and Visual Arts - Mask required upon class arrival, while actively participating in program activity, departure, and times of transition between activities for youth 3+
• Swim Lessons - Any time that you are on our pool deck and not yet in class, we require that members ages 3+ wear a mask. Masks are not required during in-pool activities

We are thrilled to announce in-person dance and visual arts sessions beginning March 1.

• Standard registration, February 15-18: Each youth member may register for one class
• Late registration, February 24-March 30: Each youth member is welcomed to register for unlimited classes
• Classes are open to current Y members, with no additional participation fee

Yes, we will continue to offer our Facebook Live arts classes. Check out our arts class schedule and join us on Facebook.

All classes will move to a Zoom platform, participants will be sent links and passwords to join. Classes will continue on the same schedule and transition back into community centers as soon as guidelines allow.

We are offering virtual-only arts sessions starting March 1.

• Standard registration, February 15-18: Each youth member may register for one class
• Late registration, February 24-March 30: Each youth member is welcomed to register for unlimited classes
• Classes are open to current Y members, with no additional participation fee

Yes, we will continue to offer our Facebook Live arts classes. Check out our arts class schedule and join us on Facebook.

We just concluded our first-ever virtual arts exhibition and dance recital. Our plan is to offer visual arts students the opportunity to participate in a spring online gallery and exhibition. Dance students will learn choreography and be recorded during their classes, video links will be made available to dance families.

Parents should sign their child up for the class appropriate for their skill level. If they are new to the program, they can refer to the Gymnastics Skills Progression chart. Gymnastics Coaches assign a class level to each gymnast during the last class of each session. If you missed the last class, please refer to the Skill Progression chart or contact the director to find an appropriate level for the gymnast.

We do not allow parents or non-class participants to walk around the gym. We have a parent-viewing box that parents can watch class from which will be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines.

For the privacy of our members and staff, we do not allow parents to take photos of their child during class time. If you would like a photo/video of your child doing a skill then you can ask the coach after class.

• Mask required when entering and exiting gymnastics room; recommended during activity
• Hair pulled back and out of the face
• No dangling jewelry
• Bare feet
• Athletic bottoms (no buttons or zippers)
• T-shirt that can be tucked into bottoms or leotard

Girls Beginner and Girls Beginner 2: Classes provide instruction on gymnastics equipment and skills. Participants develop body awareness, improve strength and flexibility, and learn the fundamentals of gymnastics skills and terminology.

Girls Intermediate: Testing out of the Beginner 2 level required. This class builds on the basic skills achieved in Beginner Gymnastics, and further develops coordination, strength, and flexibility. Prepares gymnasts for the Advanced Gymnastics class.

Girls Advanced and Girls Advanced 2: Testing out of the Intermediate level required. This class builds on the skills achieved in Intermediate Gymnastics, and challenges gymnasts to a new level of coordination, strength, and flexibility. Prepares gymnasts for Team tryouts if that is an interest for the family.

Teen Gymnastics: An opportunity for teens to learn new skills and improve coordination, strength, and flexibility. This class is for beginner through advanced gymnasts.

Boys Beginner and Boys Beginner 2: Classes provide instruction on gymnastics equipment and skills. Participants develop body awareness, improve strength and flexibility, and learn the fundamentals of gymnastics skills and terminology.

Boys Intermediate: Testing out of the Beginner level required. This class builds on the basic skills achieved in Beginner Gymnastics, and further develops coordination, strength, and flexibility.

Cheerleading: Participants learn cheers, jumps, motions, tumbling, stunts, and teamwork in a fun and energetic environment.

The Gymnastics Team does tryouts once a year in the springtime. Keep a look out for tryouts as you are signing up for spring classes.

8 to 11-year-olds can do a variety of in-person outdoor activities at YMCA Camp Seymour with a camp staff member. Topics include Marine Science, Forest Ecology, Canoeing and Water Safety, Archery, Compass, and more. Covid Restrictions will be followed (no more than five kids, masked 100% of the time, completely outside rain or shine, etc.).

It’s a virtual weekly zoom meeting from home where 8 to 11-year-old kids will get an introduction to a variety of environmental topics with discussion.

If it’s unsafe to be outdoors because of wind, for example, we’ll cancel that session and notify you. If it’s just raining and cold, we’ll still run the program so please dress appropriately to be outside and doing activities.

Please meet in the main (upper) parking lot at Camp Seymour. We will start on time, so please arrive 5-10 minutes early to check in.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.