HOME Superpowers! exhibit @ Sea Center | Back to School Guide

From the Editor

YMCA Healthy Kids Day

04/13/2010

As part of a nationwide effort to encourage kids to get moving, the Channel Islands YMCAs will host YMCA Healthy Kids Day, the nation's largest health day for kids and families on Saturday April 17th. YMCA Healthy Kids Day is filled with fun, engaging and creative activities that foster healthy living, and is a part of the YMCA's larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the public.

YMCA Healthy Kids Day will provide resources to help educate people of all ages about making healthy choices for their families every day. "Keeping kids healthy is at the core of what the YMCA stands for," said Lynnette Ferrari, YMCA Activate America program manager. "The word ‘exercise' doesn't sound very enjoyable to many people, especially kids, but getting them to move more through play that requires physical activity is the key to building healthy habits that last a lifetime. On YMCA Healthy Kids Day, both kids and adults will have the opportunity to get moving, to play and to have fun."

Experts recommend that kids engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity, including active play, each day. Studies show that kids who consistently engage in play are happier and healthier, and develop and enhance a variety of skills including motor skills, social skills, problem solving, and creativity. Kids who get 60 minutes of physical play also tend to have higher self-esteem and perform better academically.

To make more time for physical activity, the YMCA offers simple ways to put more play in kids' day, and to get the family moving more, too!

1. Make physical activity a regular part of family playtime - the more active kids are the more likely they are to continue being physically active later in life.

2. Allow kids to have unstructured playtime. All play is not created equal - kids need different types of play, including indoor and outdoor, active and inactive.

3. Reintroduce your child to the basics of active play: play hopscotch or basketball, jump rope, or enjoy games such as Red Light, Green Light and Simon Says 4. Limit screen time and use of electronic media to allow more time for play.

"The goal of encouraging kids to play more is to build a lifetime of love for physical activity," said Ferrari. "Play should not seem like a chore - it is an activity that is fun and brings joy, and allows a kid to just be a kid."

Healthy Kids Day events will take place Saturday April 17th at the following locations:

SANTA BARBARA: Earth Day celebration at Alameda Park from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM hosted by the Santa Barbara and Montecito YMCA branches. Contact Andrea Opfer (805) 687-7727
SANTA YNEZ: The Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA, 900 North Refugio Rd., 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Contact Paula Parisotto (805) 686-2037
LOMPOC: Lompoc Family YMCA, 201 West College Ave., 10:00 AM -1:00 PM Contact Daniel Fabela (805) 736-3483
VENTURA: Ventura Family YMCA, 3760 Telegraph Rd., 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Contact Jake Munyon (805) 642-2131 x 16
CAMARILLO: Camarillo Family YMCA, 3111 Village at the Park Dr., 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Contact Megan Voshell (805) 484-0423

Comments

Post a Comment
You need to be a registered for the newsletter in order to post a comment. If you are not already registered you will be opted in automatically.
(Comments are moderated, and will not appear until they are approved.)

Past Updates: