Adventure Guides & Princesses
The YMCA has a long history of bringing parents and children together for life enriching experiences. This history has left a legacy of strengthened relationships and close bonds in many families and communities around the country. The YMCA of Northwest North Carolina has been a part of the Y-Indian Guide/Adventure Guides program for more than 30 years. Adventure Guides & Princesses currently serves 20 tribes with over 400 participants in Forsyth, Stokes, Davie, Yadkin, and Wilkes Counties. Collectively, these tribes form the Adventure Guides Saura Nation.
This Web site provides information about upcoming events and serves as a resource for planning tribal activities. On behalf of the Chiefs and the program staff, we welcome you to our family.
What is Adventure Guides & Princesses?
The early elementary school years are a time of discovery and rapid learning. Children are becoming much more aware of the world around them. They are beginning to see things differently and to ask questions about who they are, where they came from, and why things are as they are. As parents, we are sought out as guide, teacher, and hero during this time. We protect and nurture our children. We learn how to talk with our child more than at them. We learn to ask open-ended questions that allow our child to think and move beyond simple yes/no responses. We learn to invite our child into challenges and opportunities and allow them to choose to enter in, face a fear, and celebrate an accomplishment.
The YMCA father-child programs are purposefully designed to accompany the parent and child on this journey of discovery. While we do not dispute the importance of whole family activity, we see tremendous value in supporting and strengthening the ability of father and child to communicate at an early age in ways that are respectful, responsible, honest, and caring. We seek to encourage you as a parent to “get to know your kid while your kid is still a kid.”
The Adventure Guides & Princesses Program aim is to foster the father/child relationship through activities that allow them to spend quality time together. Based on strong traditions of the Native American Culture including: dignity, patience, endurance, spirituality, concern for the Earth and family values, these programs are tools that will help build memories that will last a lifetime.
What do Adventure Guide & Princesses participants do?
The Adventure Guides & Princesses program is action oriented! Fathers and their children form tribes. Tribes contain anywhere from seven to nine pairs of fathers and their sons or daughters. One father is selected as tribal chief, and the various tribal positions are delegated to the fathers. The tribes meet twice a month in a member’s home with fun activities including: games, crafts, stories and tricks. The tribes also organize monthly outings such as: horseback riding, community service projects, camping, hiking, and cookouts. Father and child attendance together is mandatory for participation in activities.
In addition to the activities of the tribe, the tribes of the Saura Nation participate in various “Nation” events throughout the year. Nation events include a Fall Outing at Camp Hanes in Stokes County, Summer Shindig show at First Presbyterian Auditorium in downtown Winston-Salem, Polar Bear swim nights, Kite Day/Rocket Launch, Daddy/Daughter Valentine’s Dance, Boy’s Lock-In, and the Spring Outing weekend at Camp Hanes.
But best of all, the Adventure Guides & Princesses program is just plain fun for both father and child!
What are some benefits to participating?
Through Adventure Guides & Princesses, the YMCA provides the following benefits to father and child:
- Foster companionship and understanding and set a foundation for positive, lifelong relationships between father and child
- Build a sense of self-esteem and personal worth
- Expand awareness of body, mind, and spirit
- Provide a framework to meet a mutual need of spending enjoyable, constructive, and quality time together
- Enhance the quality of family time
- Emphasize the vital role parents play in the growth and development of their children
- Offer an important and unique opportunity to develop & enjoy volunteer leadership skills
- Opportunity to meet other families with children the same age
For further information, please contact the Adventure Guides Program office at (336) 721-2100 x 6267.