Kids’ programs

• Social

Parent's Night Out program at the Upper Main Line YMCA gives kids a fun evening of activities while parents enjoy a night off. Contact the branch for upcoming dates and registration details.

• Academic
• Up to age 17

Babysitting classes for adolescents at the Upper Main Line YMCA that teach medical responsibility, creativity, and attentiveness. Teens can also obtain CPR and First Aid certification through additional coursework.

• Academic
• Up to age 17

CPR and First Aid certification classes available for teens at the Upper Main Line YMCA. Provides skills and knowledge to assist adults, children, and infants during breathing, cardiac, and first aid emergencies.

Child Watch drop-in supervision service at the Upper Main Line YMCA, allowing parents to use the facility while their children are safely supervised. Includes access to an indoor playground.

• Outdoor

The Upper Main Line YMCA offers nature and environmental education programs on a scenic 54-acre property featuring a preserve, nature center, barnyard, raptor center, and STEM labs. Programs include bird walks, hikes, canoeing, STEM activities, and watershed exploration for children and families.

• Outdoor

Explore over 20 acres of diverse habitats including woodlands, wetlands, meadow, and more than 5 miles of trails at the Cassatt Preserve. Activities include bird walks, hikes, and canoeing, with over 130 bird species recorded on the grounds.

• Outdoor

Children and families can visit the Nature Center to meet 19 animal ambassadors, including insects, reptiles, and mammals. A wonderful hands-on experience for kids to connect with and learn about wildlife up close.

• Outdoor

Children interact with goats, sheep, and chickens while learning about the importance of farms and daily farm work right on the Main Line. A hands-on agricultural experience popular with visitors, students, and campers alike.

• Outdoor

Kids learn about hawks and owls through up-close encounters with resident birds that serve as educational ambassadors alongside the raptor care team. All birds are permanent residents from wildlife rehabilitation centers and cannot be released to the wild.

• STEM

Kids engage in fun, hands-on STEM activities in one of two dedicated STEM Labs, including experiments like making elephant toothpaste, building robot courses, and testing scientific concepts. Designed for all ages with a focus on making science exciting and accessible.

• STEM

Students explore water systems through hands-on study of macroinvertebrates, water testing, stream erosion, and plant life in the Watershed Lab, with direct access to Darby Creek. A great opportunity for kids to learn about local ecology and environmental stewardship.

• Outdoor

Through service projects, field trips, and outdoor adventures, students develop into confident and responsible environmental leaders. The program emphasizes environmental literacy and stewardship for young participants.

• Outdoor

The YMCA offers special programming for scout groups and overnight campouts at its 54-acre Environmental and STEM Education Complex. Kids can explore nature, visit animal ambassadors, and participate in outdoor adventures in a unique setting.

• Outdoor

The YMCA's Zoo on Wheels program brings animal ambassadors and environmental education directly to schools and community groups throughout the area. A fun and interactive way for kids to learn about wildlife without leaving their location.

• STEM

School and community groups can visit the 54-acre Environmental and STEM Education Complex for guided field trips covering stream ecology, watershed exploration, and animal ambassador encounters. A hands-on educational experience for students of all ages.

• Ages 4–14

A full-day summer day camp for kids from preschool through 8th grade featuring daily swimming, arts & crafts, field games, sports, nature education, and weekly themes. Set on a 54-acre campus in Berwyn alongside Natural Lands' Cassatt Preserve with trails, a creek, and sports fields.

A variety of specialty summer camp options focusing on environmental education and nature, arts & humanities, and sports & tennis. Kids can combine a half-day specialty camp with a Specialty Sidekick Camp for full-day care.

• Ages 6–8

A summer day camp for children ages 6–8, held at 1 East 1st Avenue in Malvern. Two separate weekly sessions are available in July 2026.

• Sports

Chester Valley Little League reserves the softball fields at Quann Park every evening and every weekend for youth baseball and softball play.

• Arts

Wayne Art Center offers special art programming for Boy and Girl Scout troops. Contact the center for details on scheduling and requirements.

• Sports
• From age 0

The Little Gym of Ardmore offers parent-child classes for babies and toddlers, gymnastics programs, and summer camps. A beloved movement-based program for kids of all ages.

• Sports
• Ages 7–15

Villanova Basketball Camp offers boys ages 7–15 a fun, energetic environment to improve their basketball skills. A prestigious camp associated with Villanova University.

• Arts

Wayne Art Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the community through the arts, including programs for kids. Offers a variety of creative arts classes and camps.

• Outdoor

An outdoor day camp in Gladwyne focused on fun and free play including hiking, stream-stomping, and bug-catching for campers of all ages.