×

Summer Unplugged

Hess, YMCA partner to get families playing outdoors

Children play with a parachute at Summer Unplugged 2018.

Set aside the gadgets and get moving. That’s what the Minot Family YMCA and Hess Corp. encouraged kids and their families to do last summer at their first eight-week Summer Unplugged.

Looking to bring more fun to the community, the YMCA and Hess are putting on the weekly event this summer, beginning June 5, at the YMCA.

“Hess is excited to support the second year of a great program designed to engage families in being active outside,” said Brent Lohnes, general manager for Hess in North Dakota, in a prepared statement. “I have confidence that the success and visibility of the YMCA and the Summer Unplugged events will once again benefit children and their families. We hope everyone takes advantage of this organized opportunity to be away from electronic devices and simply have fun!”

Hess had approached the YMCA about sponsoring an event last year that would be free to all age ranges. YMCA aquatics director Alina Olivares and marketing director Tia Klein took on the challenge.

“It was an awesome experience. We’re very lucky that Hess approached us with this idea,” Olivares said. “They wanted something that brought communities outside – children outside to play. Get them unplugged, so to speak, from the tablets and the phones and just TV in general, and get them moving.”

Each Wednesday’s three-hour time block had a theme. The YMCA partnered with other nonprofits and drew on its own resources to offer music, art, tie-dye, waterworks with a large sprinkler and slide, yoga and a zoo day, along with a variety of outdoor activities from hula hoops and tug-o-war to an oversized parachute and a lawn Twister game. Whether bubble making, jumping rope, riding scooters or drawing with sidewalk chalk, there’s always something to do. The YMCA’s outdoor fitness park with a basketball court and playground provide space for free play. Indoor space is available when necessary due to weather.

The kick-off event featured a barbecue, drawing about 150 children. Snacks were included at other events.

Summer Unplugged attracted families with babies in strollers to teenagers. From 30 to 50 children attended each week with parents or caregivers in tow.

“Having parents come out with their kids is also fun to watch because they interact and they unplug,” said Olivares, who noted the activities are designed for family members of all ages to take part.

“This is the fun part of our job as program directors. We get to just use our imagination and figure out some fun stuff for the kids to do, and I really enjoy it. Having the support of Hess and basically getting the ‘go’ from our bosses to just do whatever our minds could possibly come up is awesome,” Olivares said.

Hess also showed its commitment in providing volunteers for the activities.

Activities were broadcast on Facebook Live so family members who couldn’t be there could tune in.

The true measure of the event’s success was in seeing kids unplug.

“They’re not even thinking of the electronics,” Olivares said. “It’s fun to watch them kind of disconnect and just be unplugged for two to three hours out of their day.

They’re out there. They’re playing. We always have balls at hand and chalk and the parachute. It’s just to watch them interact with the other kids and make friends,” she said.

No registration is necessary to participate. Children are simply invited to drop in.

It is not necessary to be a member of the YMCA to participate, although some participants later became involved at the YMCA after seeing the opportunities for their families there. They also were exposed to the outdoor park and facilities, which are free to anyone from the public.

This summer’s afternoon activities will run for two hours and will include both new themes and many of the same themes that were popular last year. Olivares said the YMCA will be working with partners again because of the success with those cooperative ventures last year.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today