YMCAs Across New Jersey Hold Healthy Kids Day to Inspire Families to Plan for a Healthier, Happier Summer

To motivate families to have a healthy summer, YMCAs across the state are hosting a Healthy Kids Day over the next month, a free community event offering fun, creative and educational activities for kids.

From cities to suburbs, more than 10,000 children and families in New Jersey are expected to visit their local Ys on Healthy Kids Day to play games, exercise, dabble in arts and crafts, sample healthy snacks and discover that fun and fitness go together.

Healthy Kids Day nationally will be celebrated April 25, although some YMCAs in New Jersey will hold them earlier, and others have scheduled them for May.

Nationwide, more than 1,500 Ys will be celebrating Healthy Kids Day, an initiative that aims to close the summer learning gap by inspiring kids to stay active and engaged after school lets out.

“Healthy Kids Day is more than a day of fun, active play and learning. It’s designed to get kids started on a lifetime path to healthier living by emphasizing the importance of good health and nutrition,” said Bill Lovett, Executive Director of the Trenton-based New Jersey YMCA State Alliance. “Part of our mission is supporting families in their efforts to instill healthy habits at home.”

Healthy Kids Day is held annually to improve the health and well-being of families through fun and educational activities. This year, activities at local Ys range from African dance and a master chef competition at the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity, to a block party with games and swimming at Metuchen YMCA, both on April 25. On Sunday April 26, the fun includes free giveaways at Mount Laurel YMCA, and rock climbing and drum circle at Somerset Hills YMCA in Basking Ridge.
Make healthy the healthy taste test!
In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y offers the following tips to help families form healthy habits:

• Try, try, repeat – There are many great tasting fruits and vegetables that 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.

Ys hosting Healthy Kids Day can be found below, or at www.njymca.org/hkd.

YMCA of Montclair - May 2 http://www.montclairymca.org/browse-events/healthy-kids-day

YMCA of Newark and Vicinity – April 25 http://www.newarkymca.org/polYNews.cfm?doctype_code=Y-News&doc_id=33311

Ridgewood YMCA – April 25 www.ridgewoodymca.org/healthy-kids-day
YMCA of Greater Bergen County, Hackensack – April 18 http://www.ymcagbc.org/child-care-camp/healthy-kids-day-2015

Westfield Area YMCA – April 25 www.westfieldynj.org

The Community YMCA , Red Bank, Marlboro and Wall – April 25 http://cymca.org/healthykidsday

Plainfield YMCA – April 25 http://www.plainfieldy.org/

YMCA of Paterson – May 16 www.ymcaofpaterson.org

Hamilton Area YMCA-April 15 hamiltonymca.org

Greater Morristown YMCA- April 25 http://greatermorristownymca.org/

Raritan Valley, East Brunswick YMCA – April 25 www.raritanvalleyymca.org

Madison Area YMCA – April 25 http://www.madisonareaymca.org/events/2015/04/25/default-calendar/health...!

Trenton YMCA – April 25 www.trentonymca.org

YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge and South Amboy – April 25
https://www.ymcaofmewsa.org/node/1334/%20

Garfield YMCA- April 25
http://www.garfieldymca.com/

Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges – May 2 http://www.metroymcas.org/news/2015/03/01/west-essex-ymca/healthy-kids-d...

Princeton Family YMCA –April 26
www.princetonymca.org/events/2015

Raritan Bay Area, Perth Amboy – April 25 http://www.rbaymca.org/
YMCA of Gloucester County, Woodbury – April 25 http://www.ymcagloco.org/Assets/flyers/events/hkd2015.jpg

Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA – April 25
www.ccaymca.org

Ocean County YMCA, Toms River – April 25 http://www.ocymca.org/get-involved/healthy-kids-day

Old Bridge – April 25 http://www.ymca-bc.org/content/events/ehtvents.asp?Show=event&month=4&ev...

Mt. Laurel YMCA –April 26 http://www.ymca-bc.org/content/events/events.asp?Show=event&month=4&evtI...

The Gateway Family YMCA – April 25
Wellness Center Branch, Rahway Branch, Elizabeth Branch, Five Points Branch http://www.tgfymca.org/node/497

Somerset County YMCA -April 26,
Bridgewater, YMCA Hillsborough YMCA , Somerville YMCA and Somerset Hills YMCA http://ymcasomersetvalley.org

http://somersetcountyymca.org

Frost Valley YMCA- April 26 http://frostvalley.org/about-us/local-events/healthy-kids-day/

Meadowlands Area YMCA, East Rutherford – April 25 www.meadowlandsymca.org

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of hildren and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors.