Keeping the kids busy when they've can't go outside



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- When the bitter cold forces school to close, parents have to figure out where they'll bring their young children. The people who work at the Tri-County YMCA in Menomonee Falls plan for times like this.

"Friday, when we got word the schools closed, we sent out a mass e-mail to our parents; Saturday, phone calls were to the families, letting them know we're here for them and quite a few have taken advantage of it today," said Chris Przedpelski from the YMCA.

While most of the older school-age children work up a sweat in the gym, the younger ones glue and glitter little crafts -- something they might normally do in school or during camp.

"Just like in summer, so when we get here, projects, science, art, games in the gym, character development, exercise, so the kids are tired when they're done," said Przedpelski.

Donna Nash, director of the Menomonee Falls YMCA, said the staff Monday was comparable to a normal January day. Of course, the difference is those workers were watching children all day as opposed to the usual hours before and after school. Nash expects staff to be even busier on Tuesday.

"We probably anticipate having more kids because now, we had a little more knowledge of what schools are closed and we can maybe contact parents ahead of time and let them know we have availability for their kids today," said Nash.

The kids who visited the YMCA on Monday did not take part in any swimming at the facility. That's because there weren't enough life guards on hand. That's expected to change for Tuesday.