Joining groups and engaging in activities as a family come with many benefits. You can learn new skills together, participate in leisure activities, and explore different hobbies. Spending quality time together strengthens family bonds. It also helps children perform well academically, lowers the risk of behavioral problems, boosts your children’s self-confidence, helps them resolve conflicts, and increases their adaptability and resilience. Participating in physical activities can even enhance their health. Our Crème de la Crème team invites you to explore these three local clubs with groups, classes, and activities for your family in West Chester, Ohio.

The Boys & Girls Club of West Chester

For an organization with varied activities, classes, and camps, the Boys & Girls Club of West Chester, located at 8749 Cincinnati Dayton Road, is a great place to start. They have numerous art programs to help children find their voice through self-expression. Their programs include fine arts and the performing arts, designed to inspire creativity and build confidence. Your kids can also join the Summer Brain Gain program to help combat learning loss in the summer months through interactive learning and enrichment activities.

The Boys & Girls Club offers groups to help youth navigate their developing identities. The Passport to Manhood group seeks to engage young men in activities and discussions designed to build and reinforce positive behavior, healthy decision-making, and personal responsibility. The Smart Girls group aims to meet the developmental needs of girls through small groups for different age ranges. The groups focus on self-esteem, prevention, education, health, and fitness.

The Q-Club focuses on providing a judgment-free, safe space for the LGBTQAI+ community and its allies to learn and have discussions. The Boys & Girls Club also offers groups focused on academic help, financial literacy, college prep, and more.

MidPointe Library West Chester

The West Chester branch of the MidPointe Library System, located at 9363 Centre Pointe Drive, offers a wealth of programming for families and youth. Other local branches provide additional programs. You can participate in a Family Art Workshop, where an instructor will guide you and your children in creating fun pieces of art. This arts and crafts workshop is designed for you and your preschoolers or school-age children.

You could also join Tot Time, which provides a time for caregivers to connect and play with little ones from newborn to 36 months. The group uses play to help grow motor, developmental, and social skills.

Music and Movement is geared toward children ages 2 to 5, where lively tunes are played and everyone dances and sings along. This helps little ones practice their coordination and rhythm while having fun. Sensory Play provides self-directed play with different textures for all ability levels. Check out Hopping Into Spring, a story time for caregivers and small children, including toddlers and preschoolers. Families with little ones can join in fun open play sessions at Pretend and Play with props, play sets, and more.

At Baby Art Playground, a caregiver and babies newborn to 2 years old can use sensory play to explore art and create an adorable keepsake you’ll cherish. Make sure you and your child dress in clothes you don’t mind getting messy. At STEAM Club, children in grades one through five (with an adult caregiver) can learn about science, technology, engineering, art, and math through fun, hands-on activities. This club is suitable for children of all ability levels. Create Together provides teens and adult caregivers with an artistic, creative space and supplies to do arts and crafts together.

Lakota Family YMCA

The Lakota Family YMCA, located at 6703 Yankee Road in Liberty Township, is devoted to offering a variety of programs for every member of the family that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body. The YMCA has been known as America’s favorite swimming instructor for many years. You’ll find swimming lessons for young children, accompanied by a caregiver, as well as classes for older children without direct parental supervision.

The YMCA aquatics program teaches children to swim in a caring way in an indoor pool to make them more comfortable in the water. Classes are kept small so the instructor can provide individualized attention, with private and semi-private swimming lessons also available.

If you don’t know how to swim, you can also learn, which helps keep you and your child safe in the water. You and your child will also learn critical safety and rescue skills and fun water activities you’ll enjoy for a lifetime. With a variety of classes and schedules, the YMCA is sure to meet your family’s swimming lesson needs.

There’s also an outdoor pool, playgrounds, and basketball courts to enjoy as a family at the Lakota Family YMCA. Your family can even take on an indoor climbing wall together. The 25-foot top rope climbing wall has many challenging rock formations to tackle. A parent must accompany children under age 10, and all climbers under 18 must have their liability waiver signed by a parent. The YMCA also has a game room with billiards, pingpong, table hockey, a flat-screen TV, interactive bikes, and a Nintendo Wii.

Other youth programs include:

• Tiny Tot Sports for ages 3 to 5 promotes the enjoyment of seasonal sports and teaches age-appropriate skills, such as following directions, taking turns, and standing in line.
• Iron Kids is a training and exercise program for children ages 8 to 12.
• Sports of All Sorts introduces a variety of games and sports to your preschooler to help them develop coordination, motor, and social skills. Classes are coed and divided by age group.
• Y-Dribblers teaches basketball to children ages 7 to 10.

You and your child will also find karate and other programs to explore at the Lakota Family YMCA.

Find the Perfect Local Club for Your Family

The Crème de la Crème of West Chester team encourages you to get out and have some family fun today. With so many local groups and activities in the area, you’ll surely find something you and the kids will enjoy. When looking for the best in day care, child care, and preschool, call us at 513-440-4975 or schedule a tour here. Crème de la Crème offers exceptional care, amenities, and all-inclusive tuition.

Painting by Jim Pennucci is licensed with CC BY 2.0