To kick-start physical activity and learning now and throughout the summer – a critical out-of-school time for kids – the West Suburban YMCA is celebrating Healthy Kids Day® with a free community event for kids and families. Healthy Kids Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being, features:
- healthy activities and games
- arts & crafts
- curious creatures petting zoo
- concert by food allergy musician, Kyle Dine
- bike helmet fitting and giveaway from Farina’s Bicycle Center
- visit from Elroy the Elk
- Kid’s ID
- skate park demonstration
- free and open to the community
Saturday, May 2nd, 12 noon – 2:00 pm
The West Suburban YMCA’s gymnasium, 276 Church Street, Newton
In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y offers the following tips to help families develop healthy habits:
· Try, try, repeat – There are many great tasting fruits and vegetables that many kids have never heard of, let alone tried. Grab a new fruit or vegetable and encourage
everyone in the family to try at least a bite.
· Play around town – Challenge the family to play on a different playground every week. Identify playgrounds at a variety of parks; expand definitions of playgrounds to
include nature trails, a nearby stream, and a bike path.
· Families at play for an hour a day – From walking to gardening, swimming to shooting hoops, make playful movement a part of your family’s day. To get 60 minutes of
moderate activity throughout your day just add 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there.
· Foster a passion for reading – Read to and with your kids. Help children read at every age and every stage of their development.
· Make sleep a priority – Doctors recommend 10-12 hours of sleep a day for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours per night for adults. Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining
our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, learning, and other vital functions.