THE CAPITAL DISTRICT YMCA ENCOURAGES FAMILIES TO PUT PLAY IN THEIR DAY ON YMCA HEALTHY KIDS® DAY, APRIL 17
4/9/2010 11:20:46 AM
As part of a nationwide effort to encourage kids to get moving, the Capital District YMCA will host YMCA Healthy Kids Day, the nation’s largest health day for kids and families, on Saturday, April 17. 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.
As
part of a nationwide effort to encourage kids to get moving, the Capital
District YMCA will host YMCA Healthy Kids Day, the nation’s largest health day
for kids and families, on Saturday, April 17. 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 at the Capital District YMCA will provide resources to help educate
grown-ups about making healthy choices for their families every day. Each branch
of the Capital District YMCA will host different events geared towards the
communities they serve.
“Keeping kids
healthy is at the core of what the Capital District YMCA stands for,” said David
Brown, President and CEO of the Capital District YMCA. “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
grown-ups 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 Capital District 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 Brown. “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.”
More than 700,000
kids and families are expected to participate in YMCA Healthy Kids Day events at
nearly 1,500 YMCAs nationwide. For more information about YMCA Healthy Kids Day,
call the Capital District YMCA at 518.869.3500 or visit www.cdymca.org.
Healthy Kids Day Event Schedule
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