DAY
TRIP! cookouts, archery, arts and crafts, and even singalongs — the camps newest features are decidedly modern: Manitou’s new facilities include a large, heated, outdoor pool with a slide and splash pad, plus a new space for arts and crafts, two archery ranges, gaga pits and 9-square courts. There’s also a new high-ropes village, featuring a two-level ropes course, a zip line, climbing walls and more. And, the good news is, families don’t have to live near Monticello to take advantage of the new venue. More than 20 YMCA bus stop locations in the west-metro area bring kids here. And parents who need all-day activities for their kids in summer can add beforeand-after-care options as well. In fact, Manitou is one of many YMCA day camps serving the Twin Cities that offer traditional camp programming for children as young as 4, but without the stress of sleeping overnight. However, kids at Day Camp Manitou aren’t just passing their days away while their parents work. It’s a special experience, said Devin Hanson, the day camp’s and outreach program director. “We’re not daycare,” she said. “We’re day camp. The kids don’t get to do this all summer, every day. So we want them to have a great time, just playing and having fun.”
General or specialty
The YMCA’s newly updated Day Camp Manitou now features a new heated pool with a slide and splash pad.
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March 2017 • mnparent.com
Located four miles west of Monticello, the 12-acre camp features trails, open prairies and access to Lake Bertram and Long Lake. Despite the new heated pool, most water activities still occur in the clear, clean waters of Lake Bertram, which boasts and a
50-foot stretch of sandy beach. While there are common denominators for every YMCA camp — such as opening and closing ceremonies and traditional activities offered to all campers — specialty programs at Day Camp Manitou allow campers to create more personalized experiences. Kids can sign up for overview camps or they can choose camps that offer extra time (about two hours each day) for focusing on specific activities such as water safety, climbing/ropes, stand-up paddle boarding, science, fishing, arts,