FUN, GAMES, LAUGHTER & SMILES Y-GAME ROOM PARENT MANUAL Grades K-5 DOWNTOWN DURHAM YMCA

www.YMCATriangle.org

Welcome to the Durham YMCA’s Game Room! Thank you for choosing the Downtown Durham YMCA’s Game Room for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. We hope this manual will help you and your child plan for a fun and exciting experience. Please read the manual carefully so you and your child are prepared and have appropriate expectations. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Shamonna Thomas at the Downtown Durham YMCA. She will be more than happy to help. Shamonna Thomas

Lucinda Lathan

Playhouse & Game Room Coordinator Membership Experience Director Downtown Durham YMCA Lakewood YMCA 919-667-9622 919-667-9622 [email protected]                                                                        [email protected]

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DOW NTOW N DURHAM GAME ROOM HOURS: Monday - Friday: Saturday: Sunday:

5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

BREAKFAST CLUB HOURS: *Monday, Wednesday, Friday:

9:00 a.m. – Noon

*Breakfast Club is held on weekdays when Durham Public Schools are closed for teacher workdays, holidays or summer break. We need to have a minimum of 7 children to open Breakfast Club. On days we have less than 7 children; the children will have the opportunity to stay in the Playhouse.

Staff and Training We are very proud of our Game Room staff. Each staff member is a kind and caring individual. We do an extensive background and reference check on each staff member. In addition, we have trainings throughout the year including First Aid, CPR, Blood Borne Pathogens and Oxygen Administration. What to Bring Please make sure that all items are labeled including jackets. • • •

Due to allergies we do not allow any outside drinks or snacks. We do not allow toys from home or the use of electronics in the Game Room. Clothes to be active in – we will sometimes play active games or attend the Fit Kids class held in the Group Fitness Room.

Games Played in the Game Room While in the Game Room, children will have an opportunity to play the Y’s many video game systems. All games played are rated G or are approved for all audiences. For this reason, we ask parents not to send games from home to be played on the Y’s game systems. Check-In When you bring your child to the Game Room, be sure to bring your member card or driver’s license for ID check-in. You will be asked to sign in your child on a clipboard at the door of the Playhouse. Please complete your name, child’s name and age, time of check-in, estimated time of return and your location in the facility (parents must remain on the YMCA campus while children are checked in). When you are checking in your child, please let us know this important information about your child: •

Allergy or medical concerns

Children are allowed one visit, up to two hours, per day to the Game Room. Special Needs The Y strives to be an inclusive environment for all children. If your child has any medical, physical or behavioral needs that we need to know, please inform us. We do our very best to accommodate all needs. 3  

Please note that if your child requires an Epi-Pen or asthma, we must have a current medication form filled out. We are required to hold the medication at the Game Room desk for the duration of your child’s visit.

Security Procedures Please release your child to a Game Room staff member at the room door. Parents/guardians coming into the childcare room can create unnecessary safety issues. Should your child need to use the restroom before entering the room, please take them to the bathrooms in the hallway outside of the Wellness Floor at the Downtown YMCA. Due to the nature of our program, it is incredibly important that our members be reachable in the event of an emergency. Any member observed off-site, not participating in a Y-organized fitness program, may no longer be allowed to use the Game Room. Check Out When you arrive to pick up your child, we will check your YMCA membership card or Driver’s License, that you checked your child in with, against the number on your child’s wrist band, prior to cutting it off. Only a staff member may cut your child’s band, as this is our only way to ensure that the person picking up has permission to do so. Please note that the same parent/guardian must drop off and pick up the child, unless the parent dropping off states otherwise. If a different individual will pick up the child, the appropriate identification must be filled out on the sign in sheet at drop off. We appreciate your understanding, as we ID every parent to ensure the safety of all children. Guest Fees Children not covered under a membership or non-members purchasing a Day Pass will need to purchase a Day Pass for their child at $5.00 per child per visit. Visitors utilizing a Tour Pass will be able to use the facility including the Game Room and Game Room free of charge. Babysitter or Nanny Policy In order for a babysitter or nanny to bring children to the Game Room, the child must be a member. The babysitter or nanny must also be a member or have purchased a Day Pass from the front desk. Tardiness It is expected that all children be picked up before the Game Room closes and that members follow the 2 hour maximum visit time limit. If a parent is late picking up his/her child, a late fee of $5.00 will be charged for the first 10 minutes and $1.00 for each additional minute the parent is tardy, per the YMCA policy. Parents will receive two reminders with late fees regarding these policies. Following the third reminder, the child will not be allowed to return to the program for one week.

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Illness and Sick Children The staff cleans toys and equipment, wipes surfaces with disinfectant cleaners, and follows good hand washing procedures on a daily basis to prevent and lessen the spread of contagious illnesses. In order to maintain a clean, healthy environment for all children and our staff, we ask that parents/guardians bring only healthy children into the Game Room. Staff will not admit children with the following symptoms: • • • • • • •

Nose that runs consistently Undiagnosed rashes, sores, or other skin conditions Sore throat Excessive coughing Diarrhea or vomiting Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) Any other contagious diseases or symptoms

In addition, a child must be non-medicated fever free and have stopped diarrhea and vomiting for a full 24 hours before returning to the program. If a child exhibits any of the above symptoms, we will ask the parent to check the child out of the Game Room immediately. If a parent is not sure if their child is well enough to come to the Game Room, it is probably best not to bring him or her. Children that are kept home from preschool or school for illness will not be admitted to the program. Discipline Policy The Game Room uses positive discipline techniques. If a child misbehaves, staff will talk to that child about the behavior. If misbehavior continues, staff will put a child in a short time out. If a child is placed into time out 2 times during a Game Room stay, the parent/guardian will be asked to check the child out for the day. If misbehavior continues to occur in future visits, a parent-staff conference may be necessary to come up with strategies for making Game Room visits more successful. Biting/Pinching Policy The first time a child bites, pinches or intentionally hits another child, the parent/guardian will be notified immediately and will be asked to check the child out of the Game Room for the day. The same discipline policy will be enforced for the second occurrence. If the child bites for a third time, the child will not be allowed to return to the program for one week. A discipline report will be filled out for each biting incident and kept on file. Holiday Hours/Inclement Weather Throughout the year the Game Room may be closed during our regular hours of operation due to inclement weather or holidays. We do our very best to alert members of changes to our schedule as soon as possible. Any changes to our schedule will be posted outside of the Game Room and can be found on our website or by calling the Registration Desk.

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