Press release from YMCA of WNC:
On Saturday, April 27, the YMCA of Western North Carolina is hosting three community events to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active. Healthy Kids Day® is the YMCA’s annual national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families. Local Healthy Kids Day events will be held at the YMCA Youth Services at Beaverdam in north Asheville, Patton Park in Hendersonville, and Corpening Memorial YMCA in Marion.
Healthy Kids Day is an opportunity to ignite children’s imaginations so thay they can imagine what they’ll accomplish this summer. The day-long event features activities such as games, healthy snacks, music, face painting, inflatables, community vendors, and more to motivate and teach families how to develop and maintain healthy routines at home throughout the summer months.
The YMCA of WNC’s Healthy Kids Day takes place at the YMCA Youth Services at Beaverdam from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Patton Park from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and Corpening Memorial YMCA from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Healthy Kids Day, celebrated at over 1,500 Ys across the country by more than 1 million participants, works to get more kids moving and learning, creating habits that they continue all summer long. When kids are out of school, they can face hurdles that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Research shows that without access to out-of-school learning activities, kids fall behind academically. Kids also gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year. As spring turns to summer, Healthy Kids Day is a powerful reminder not to let children idle away their summer days. Instead, the Y wants families to focus on helping children imagine what they can accomplish over the summer.
“When a child is healthy, happy, and supported they can make great things happen,” says Melissa Wiedeman, vice president of operations for K-12 child care at the YMCA of WNC. “We believe in the potential of all children, and we strive to help kids find that potential within themselves. A child’s development is never on vacation and Healthy Kids Day is a great opportunity to educate families and motivate kids to stay active in spirit, mind, and body throughout the summer.”
Keeping Kids Healthy All Summer Long
In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y offers the following tips to help families develop healthy habits this summer that can have a lifetime impact.
- High five the fruit and veggies – Make sure kids get at least five servings of fruit and veggies each day, the minimum number nutritionists recommend for healthy childhood development. And to keep kids’ taste buds evolving, have everyone in the family try at least one bite of a new fruit or vegetable at least once a month.
- Read together – The summer is a great time to enjoy books with summer program participants and 30 minutes a day goes a long way! Take trips to the local library or create a family reading challenge to see who can log the most minutes of reading. Encourage youth to create their own stories as well.
- Get Moving! – Activities that require movement also help kids flex their mental muscle. Use materials in unique ways: ask youth to build models, manipulate tools, or develop their own theatrical scenes.
- Play together – Play may be the best way to prevent childhood obesity. By putting more play into your family’s day, you will soon find yourself getting the activity that will have your family feeling energized and strong.
- Make sleep a priority – Doctors recommend 10-12 hours of sleep a day for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours for adults. Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, and learning.
Howard Johnson has been a proud national partner of the Y for the past two years, and three out of every four Howard Johnson hotels are located within 10 miles of a local Y. In addition to supporting Healthy Kids Day, the brand offers all Y members up to 20 percent off stays at participating hotels across the country, with 10 percent of every booking benefiting the Y nationally.
The YMCA of WNC’s Healthy Kids Day takes place at the YMCA Youth Services at Beaverdam from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Patton Park from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and Corpening Memorial YMCA from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Locally, Healthy Kids Day is sponsored by McDowell Hospital, Blue Ridge Orthodontics, Chick-fil-A, and Norm’s Minit Mart.
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