Note: We’re still waiting to see if this program will be brought back for 2020. 
Okay, hold on to your hats because this is awesome for Wichita kids.
Related: A Kid’s Guide to Summeron the Cheap in Wichita
For a second year, several City of Wichita departments have collaborated to offer access to a summer of free Youth Enrichment Services (YES!). It’s a FREE SUMMER PASS.
The goal is to help Wichita youth live well by participating in recreational activities, increasing educational growth, enjoying balanced nutrition, and free bus transportation that will allow Wichita youth the freedom to explore many of the services in the community.
This year there’s a free kickoff party on June 4 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Downtown Wichita Transit Center. The event is called SayYES! Day and includes:
- FREE lanyards for the first 100 youth to register for a sayYES! pass
- Sponsor booths with information on summer activities
- Popcorn and lemonade (water will also be available)
Music - Games for all ages and activities with the Park & Rec recreation station
- The opportunity for kids and adults to receive free individual training on how to read route schedules and maps, use the bus locator app, where to find bus stops, how to know what bus they need to board, how to request a stop and any other questions
During the SayYes! kickoff event, parents/guardians will also be able to open a Wichita Federal Credit Union savings account. You’ll need some info and $25 to get it started. (See the link at the bottom of this article for all the details.)
Related:
Free Swimming Days at Wichita Pools
Free Teen Late-Night at the South Y
Free and cheap things to do with kids this summer in Wichita, KS
Here’s how it works:
Young people ages 5-18 and a parent or guardian can visit the Wichita Transit Center at 214 S. Topeka to register for a summer ID card that grants access to the YES! services at no cost. The ID cards will be available from June 1 to August 31, 2018. “You can register any time now through August 1st at Wichita Transit located at 214 S Topeka, Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm.”
The SayYES! summer pass includes:
- Unlimited Wichita Transit rides. Route and schedule info can be found at WichitaTransit.org
- Free “restart borrowing” program at the Wichita Library for anyone who has outstanding fees. The fees will be removed and YES! participants can check out two books at a time. Also, make visits to any library location during six different weeks during the summer and be entered to win an end-of-summer prize.
- Free entry to Wichita Public Pools during regular pool hours.
- Free golf or foot golf at L.W. Clapp golf course at 4611 E. Harry Street
- Free tennis at Riverside Tennis Center
- Access to 5 summer meal sites.
Be sure to see the terms and conditions for each activity, which include things like what ages need parent or adult to accompany them, hours of availability, how to reserve a tee time or tennis court, etc.
Click here for more details, along with contact information if you still have questions about the Say YES! program.
Please do share this with anyone you think would benefit from the Say YES! card this summer. What a neat thing to do for kids in our community!
4 Responses
Thank you for this service!
Carolyn – Will there be any possibility of getting a child in who will be 7 in October? This sounds wonderful! And she LOVES to read! – Thank you! ?
Hi Barbara. That’s a good question, but I don’t know the answer. In the pdf they do give a phone number for questions – you can contact Wichita Park & Recreation at 316-268-4628.