Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA

Sometimes getting off the couch is tough, but getting up and outside may be one of the most important things you could ever do.

“We want to increase physical activity because technology and demands on parents have led to an increase in sedentary activity,” said Leon Pogach, senior program director for the Raritan Valley YMCA.

On Saturday, the YMCA will play host to a variety of ways to get your kids, and yourself, up off that couch and outside during Healthy Kids Day. The day will begin at 8 a.m. with a community wide yard sale and a Red Cross Blood Drive. At 9 a.m., guests will be invited to take part in a variety of YMCA activities and programs for free, and beginning at noon, a full slate of kid’s activities are planned. On hand will be a  Jumping Jungle inflatable ride; a Cheer Factory Tumbling and Cheer Workshop; samples from Muscle Maker Grill; tips from Road Runner Sports; youth sports demonstrations and much more.

“It’s been an ongoing national event for the YMCA,” said Pogach. “The deal was just to get kids to be active, outdoors and moving, and Healthy Kids Day was an opportunity to highlight a lot of opportunities in the community for children to be active. You combine the activity portion with healthy nutrition, healthy eating and information home to the parents.”

Pogach said one of the day’s goals is to teach kids and their parents how to live and eat healthier, and how to cut down on “screen time,” time spent in front of Smart Boards, televisions, computers and games.

“Smart Boards, as a component of education have increased dramatically, so they’re getting screen time at school, playing games, monitor based games, TV, social networking, messaging, texting, all that screen time, then watching TV on top of that, they spend an average of seven hours a day in front of some form of screen," he said.

Pogach said that just because a child takes part in a variety of activities doesn’t necessarily mean they are staying healthy. Over scheduling can mean having to find fast food alternatives to healthy meals and less time with the family.

All of this, of course, can set young people on a course to poor health. 

“More and More children are being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and there are severe health risks that are happening more and more in young children that have to do with inactivity and poor nutrition,” he said. “If we can get that message to kids and families, we can see a difference.”

A schedule of the day’s events follows.

Community Wide Yard Sale 8 a.m. 3 p.m.

Vendor spaces available for $20. Proceeds go to YMCA scholarship fund.

Red Cross Blood Drive 9 a.m. -3 p.m.

Walk-ins welcome, pre registration preferred.

Free Saturday Morning at the Y 9 a.m.-noon

Free to members and this week only free to guest when parents donate blood.

Free Healthy Kids Day Events Noon - 3 p.m. Jumping Jungle Inflatable, Cheer Factory: Tumbling and Cheer Workshop, Muscle Maker Grill, Road Runner Sports, Silver Spurs Line Dancing and DJLes Mills Body Combat/Body Pump Demos, Face Painting and Crafts, Ice Cream, Free Membership Raffle, Youth Sports Demos

Easter Egg Hunt 1 p.m. with the Easter Bunny

Summer Camp and Childcare Open House noon - 3 p.m. 

Free Group Exercise Classes 

Body Pump at 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Yoga/Meditation at 9:45 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Free Open Wellness Center for Adults and Teens 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

For more information, call the Y at 732-257-4115.