Joining the Adventure guides is a fun way to learn to communicate with your children during their most impressionable years. The program brings parents and their children closer, and gives parents the opportunity to become mentors and heroes to their kids.

While the program was only named "adventure guides" in 2003, the idea of a parent-child bonding group has been used by the YMCA since about 1926. Originally titled "Indian guides", the program was revamped for the tweny-first century, becoming more culturally sensitive and adding many new programs and activities.

In the adventure guides, the YMCA calls parents "guides" and their children "explorers". By participating in "circles", or small groups of parent-child pairs, guides take their explorers on "expeditions". These are camping trips, parties, parades, archery, boating, bowling, hike outings, and other activities for the whole circle. Organized by the YMCA into these groups, parents and children get to participate together in many different bonding activities.

Guides meet once monthly to organize a montly expedition. Being available twice a month for these meetings and expeditions is a minimum requirement to join, and there are some fees for expeditions to defray their cost. The average cost to join is about $80 each year, but can vary depending on what activities the group chooses. Members also participate in fund-raising to cover the cost of the program.

To be a basic member of the adventure guides doesn't require any specific training. However, to become a navigator, or group leader, requires training and certification that is provided and overseen by the YMCA.

This training teaches potential circle leaders how to promote and organize the group, and how to encourage guides to connect to their explorers. It covers safety and abuse prevention, as well as first aid. The course goes into depth about the mission of the adventure guides group, and helps those who want to lead a circle understand how to keep it running smoothly and remain fun for everyone involved. Training to be a navigator takes some time and costs a fee but is worth it for someone who has an interest in organizing these activities.

For more information, you can visit the YMCA's website about the adventure guides at www.ymca.net/adventure_guides/.

Learn more about this author, A.R. Marth.
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