YMCA Healthy Kids Day Coming Soon

On Saturday, April 20, the Merrimack Valley is celebrating YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day® with a free community event that encourages kids in the Merrimack Valley to get moving and learning, and families living healthier. Healthy Kids Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being, takes place at 1,900 Ys and kick-starts healthier behaviors now and throughout the summer, a critical out-of-school time for children’s health.

Many U.S. children do not get the daily recommended hours of physical activity and reading, and daily amounts of healthy foods. According to the latest findings of the YMCA’s Family Health Snapshot – a survey of parents that gauges their children’s activity levels during the school year – only 19 percent of children get 60 minutes of physical activity, only 17 percent read books for fun, and only 12 percent eat at least eight fruits and vegetables daily.

“At the Merrimack Valley YMCA we know parents struggle to keep their kids physically and intellectually active every day. We want to help ensure fewer kids are at risk of childhood obesity and more kids excel in school,” said Julian Villegas, Executive Director, Lawrence YMCA. “YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day will get kids moving and learning while also helping families get a jump on creating a healthier summer, and ultimately a healthier future.”

Research shows that without access to out-of-school physical and learning activities, kids fall behind academically and gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year. On April 20, YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day will help parents begin thinking early about what their kids need to grow and achieve all summer long.

The Merrimack Valley YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day takes place at Lawrence Veteran’s Memorial Stadium from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features fun, active play and educational activities. The day will conclude with a group-wide zumba dance. In the event of rain, Healthy Kids Day will be held at the Lawrence YMCA (40 Lawrence St. in Lawrence, Mass.). 

The YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day is supported by the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club, La Alianza Hispana, the Mayor’s Health Task Force, and Groundwork Lawrence.

The YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day is also supported by national media partners Sprout and Lazy Town, who are committed to encouraging kids to lead a healthy lifestyle.  

For more information, contact Julian Villegas at 978-686-6191 or visit www.mvymca.org/healthykidsday.