Healthy Kids Day- April 17 at the YMCA

The Culver-Palms Family YMCA encourages families to put some play in their day on April 17 – Healthy Kids Day.

As part of a nationwide effort to encourage kids to get moving, the Culver-Palms Family YMCA will host YMCA Healthy Kids Day, the nation’s largest health day for kids and families. Filled with fun, engaging and creative activities that foster healthy living, this event will be 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 Culver-Palms Family YMCA will provide resources to help educate grown-ups about making healthy choices for their families every day. There will be activities such as a rock climbing wall, inflatable obstacle course, basketball, soccer, swimming and games.

“Keeping kids healthy is at the core of what the Culver-Palms Family YMCA stands for,” said Kylie Meyer, Membership Director, Culver-Palms Family 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 Culver-Palms Family 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 Meyer. “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.”

The Culver-Palms Family YMCA is proud to host representatives from the Los Angeles Clippers, Chivas USA, performances by Birdies Playhouse and The Hollow Tree, a pancake breakfast to support the Culver-Palms Swim Team and demonstrations from the programs at the YMCA. Sign-ups for summer day and resident camps will also take place.

YMCA Healthy Kids Day is also supported nationally by Northwestern Mutual Foundation and Tropicana.

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 Culver-Palms Family YMCA at 310-390-3604 or visit www.ymcala.org/cp.

The YMCA is a non-profit membership organization with a 165-year history of helping people become stronger in spirit, mind and body.

Whatever you are interested in — a stronger body, a sports program, after-school care for your kids, or a closer connection to your community — the Culver-Palms Family YMCA is here to help you and your family live balanced, healthy lives.

The facility is approximately 50,000 square feet and is equipped with the latest cardiovascular and strength training equipment. A full healthy lifestyles center, 25-yard indoor heated pool, aerobics and cycling studios, and multi-purpose family room are just some of what is here for you at the Culver-Palms Family YMCA.

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