"Pick up your glove" came the order from Griffin Lassiter.

"Now put your glove on your foot," he said.

No, this isn't the start of a Dr. Seuss book. Lassiter is an instructor at the Rhode Island Fencing Academy and Club (RIFAC), located in the former American Tourister building in Warren. He was trying to give some local kids the chance to develop their lunging technique.

This year, RIFAC has teamed with the Bayside YMCA to offer summer fencing camps for kids from 8 to 15, and on Thursday afternoon, 16 were learning some of the beginning skills to become successful fencers.

RIFAC's manager, Mike Sweet, said fencing is known as "physical chess, because it's good for both mind and body."

Sweet said he was happy to be collaborating with the YMCA, providing more opportunities for kids to stay active during the summer.

"It's a good workout, and it teaches good sportsmanship," said Sweet.

For Michael Squatrito, who runs the summer camp programs at the YMCA, fencing fits the bill perfectly for his self-imposed mandate to provide programs that are "physically and mentally challenging."

A relative newcomer to the Bayside YMCA, Squatrito was with the Old Colony YMCA in Brockton, Mass., before moving to Bayside in January.

Immediately after arriving, Squatrito began making connections in the community to increase the activities that kids could try out when participating in summer camp at the 'Y'.

This summer, campers enjoy archery, swimming lessons, art, and nature activities in the morning, before taking a break for lunch. In the afternoon, more specialized activities follow, with kids being able to choose from kayaking, band, art, fencing, or extreme sports (with BMX biking and skateboarding), depending on the weeks that they are attending.

With the exception of the extreme sports camp, all equipment and materials are provided for campers, which gives them the chance to try out new things, with minimal outlay from parents.

"It's an opportunity for the kids to learn a new skill, or develop an interest in an area they otherwise might not have had access to," said Squatrito.

Both the YMCA and RIFAC are still accepting registrations for further sessions of summer camp. Contact the Bayside YMCA at 245-2444 or RIFAC at 245-7902 for more information about camp dates and prices.