One in three U.S. children is obese

Learning batting techniques was part of Healthy Kids Day at the Y. Photo by Michael Gordon

Importance of keeping kids’ bodies and minds active when out of school was presented by the YMCA on Saturday, April 21. One in three U.S. children is obese, and when summertime hits, kids will be more idle. Research shows that without access to out-of-school physical and learning activities, kids fall behind academically and gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year. Healthy Kids Day was an opportunity for the community to focus on what kids need to grow and achieve all summer long.

Healthy Kids Day is the Y’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being. The event featured activities to motivate and teach families how to develop and maintain healthy routines at home throughout the summer months. The event organizers decided to invest in some baseball chalk machines, as well as four football goals, to prepare for the fun-filled day. Children who were attending the event were encouraged to bring their own equipment such as footballs, tennis rackets, etc.

This year’s Healthy Kids Day was had a pirate-theme and included a treasure hunt, a drawing for prizes, arts & crafts, and games. This year’s activities included football, Pitch Hit & Run® competition, rock wall, baseball and Jolly Jumps.

Kids also had a chance to see and thank the Police Department, the Fire Department, and the EMT for their work helping the community during the Thomas Fire.

The YMCA is located at 3760 Telegraph Road

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