METUCHEN — As spring turns to summer, the annual Healthy Kids Day is a powerful reminder not to let children idle away their summer days.
The YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge and South Amboy (MEWSA) will hold free community events this week as part of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families.
The events will occur from 1-3 p.m. April 24 through April 29 at the Metuchen YMCA, 65 High St., the Edison YMCA, 1775 Oak Tree Road and the South Amboy YMCA, 200 John T. O’Leary Blvd., South Amboy.
The events feature activities such as games, arts and crafts, obstacle courses and samplers to motivate and teach families how to develop healthy routines at home.
The YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day is celebrated at over 1,600 YMCAs across the country by over 1.2 million participants.
The initiative’s goal is to get more kids moving and learning, creating habits that they continue all summer long.
“When a child is healthy, happy motivated, and excited something amazing is inevitably going to result,” says Rose Cushing, YMCA of MEWSA’s President and CEO. “We believe in the potential of all children and we strive to help kids find that potential within them.”
Cushing added that 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.
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.
In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y offers the following tips to help families develop healthy habits, which include the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, foster an early and ongoing passion for books, team up for athletic events, volunteer together and make sleep a priority.
For a complete listing of the day’s scheduled events visit http://www.ymcaofmewsa.org/about-us/events