YMCA of the East Bay's Healthy Kids Day(R) Aims to Help Kids Stay Active and Keep Learning

Free Activities, Open to the Public, to Take Place on April 25

[East Bay Area, CA] – On Saturday, April 25, the YMCA of the East Bay will be holding free community events to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active in Oakland, Richmond & the Tri-Valley. YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day®, the Y’s ongoing national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families, features activities such as a health fairs, community activities, 5k runs and more to motivate and teach families how to develop enduring healthy routines at home.

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, celebrated at nearly 1,300 Y’s across the country, aims to get more kids moving and learning, so they can keep up the habit all summer long – a critical out-of-school time for kids’ health. When kids are out of school, they can face hurdles – or gaps – that prevent them from reaching their full potential, related to hunger, water safety, learning, safe spaces to play, and health. Each year, the Y helps over 9 million youth nationwide “hop the gap” and achieve more, providing a safe to place to learn, stay healthy and build friendships.

“The YMCA of the East Bay is proud to teach and encourage kids and their parents to live a healthy lifestyle with engaging, active play and educational activities – not only at Healthy Kids Day, but year-round,” said Robert A. Wilkins, President & CEO of the YMCA of the East Bay.

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, or 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.

The YMCA of the East Bay will host their Healthy Kids Day on April 25 at the following locations/times (while several other locations will celebrate all week long at their childcare locations):

• The Downtown Oakland YMCA: Healthy Kids Day 5K Run/Walk, meeting at the historic Bandstand in Lakeside Park off Bellevue Avenue (near Children’s Fairyland) at 9am (registration for the 5k run can be found here: http://oakland.ymcaeastbay.org/healthykids)
• The EM Downer YMCA (located at 263 S. 20th Street in Richmond): Free community health fair and activity block party with games, activities, prizes, raffles, arts & crafts, food and more from 11am-2pm.
• The Eden Area YMCA: Festivities will be held at Adobe Park (20395 San Miguel Ave.) in Castro Valley from 10am-1pm in partnership with the Hayward Area Recreation & Park District (HARD).

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day is supported locally by KRON 4 and nationally by Humana.

For more information, visit: http://www.ymcaeastbay.org or http://kron4.com/2015/04/15/ymca-of-the-east-bay-healthy-kids-day/ 

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About the East Bay Y:

The YMCA of the East Bay is one of Northern California’s largest non-profit trainers and deployers of volunteers. Last year, the East Bay YMCA trained more than 500 volunteers in programs ranging from childcare to teen enrichment, health and wellness and cultural harmony. With nine branches and almost 50 childcare centers in operation from Fremont to the Yolo County, the East Bay YMCA Association also has the largest geographic reach of any YMCA operation in North America. Formed as a 501 (c) (3) corporation on July 20, 1879, the not-for-profit East Bay YMCA operates branches in downtown Oakland, Fremont, Newark, Hayward, Castro Valley, Richmond, and Dublin, as well as camps in Livermore, Pescadero (San Mateo County) and Redway (Humboldt County). All locations are for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

About the Y

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 22 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. ymca.net