There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the Greater Wichita YMCAs.

Six of the branches are actually in the city of Wichita: North, South, East, West, Northwest and Downtown Wichita. The other two branches are located in El Dorado and Andover.

Each branch has a fitness floor, usually located on the second floor, that is home to exercise equipment available for members and guests to use. Brandon Brugger, fitness director of the Andover Y, said the floors have between 200 to 250 machines.

“On any given day, a good chunk of them gets used,” Brugger said.

The YMCA also has places for children to play, if they are not old enough to be on the fitness floor — children under 7 aren’t allowed on the floor. Each branch has a KidZone and a family center.

The KidZone is designed like a babysitting area for young children. They each have large, open areas for children to run around and play while mom and dad exercise. The KidZone is also responsible for hosting birthday parties, in some cases.

“We typically host several parties a day,” said Amy McKenna, KidZone director in Andover.

The Family Centers at the Y are for older children who don’t want to go work out upstairs. They feature ping-pong tables, gaming systems, air hockey and other activities to keep children occupied.

Each area YMCA is open for most of the day. On Monday through Thursday, the branches are open from 4:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. On Fridays, the branches open at the same time, but close at 9:30 p.m. Weekend hours are different. On Saturdays and Sundays, the branches open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

The YMCA also offers something for college students that most students are not aware of. Many college students qualify for assistance with their membership based on an income-based need.

“If you are a full-time college student and not working, you qualify for up to a 60 percent discount off of your membership,” Stephanie Brewer, Andover Y membership director, said. “However, if you are working and still need assistance, all you have to do is show the Membership Staff your tax information, and they will use that information to see how much of a discount you could qualify for.”

Brewer encouraged all college students to look into the discount offered. She said it can’t hurt to just have a look.

“It’s amazing how many college kids don’t know about the discount they qualify for,” she said. “I say every student should look into using the discount. You save money and get a gym membership. What beats that?”