For more information contact:
Madison Area YMCA
Marketing & Communications Department
973.822-9622 ext. 2241 
For Immediate Release through April 30

The Madison Area YMCA Aims to Bring Out the Wow! Factor in Local Kids During 25th Annual Healthy Kids Day®

(Madison, NJ) April 1, 2016—On Saturday, April 30, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Madison Area YMCA is holding a free community event on the fields and in the parking lot of the Madison Area YMCA on Kings Road in Madison, to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active. This year marks the 25th Annual YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day®, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families. The day-long event is designed to motivate and teach families how to develop healthy routines at home.

Healthy Kids Day will include: a DJ, Zumba dance party, field games for all ages run by the Madison Area YMCA Sports Department, a bounce house, arts and crafts, face painting, healthy snacks, raffles and races. Races will be held for crawlers; walkers to age 2; ages 3-4; ages 5-7; ages 8-9; ages 10+. “Gameville” at Healthy Kids Day will include: Ga-ga, hopscotch, giant Jenga, ride-along toys & more. Local organizations and businesses as well as the Colgate mobile dental van will join the festivities. Additional parking for attendees is available in the Commuter Lot and on Keep Street. 

Additionally, a ribbon cutting ceremony will take place for the Grand Opening of the Madison Area YMCA’s The Zone, located in Kids Central at the Family Center at 12:30 p.m. The ribbon cutting ceremony for this new tween center geared to 8-11 year olds will take place at The Zone. The Zone features games, books, Xbox Kinect, rock wall climbing and more..

Throughout the day, the Y will also collect donations for Terra Cycle, Footwear Recycling Drive for the Madison Environmental Commission and Diapers/Wipes Baby Item Collection for Moms Helping Moms.

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, celebrated at over 1,300 Ys across the country by over 1.2 million participants, works to get more kids moving and learning, creating habits that they continue all summer long, which is a critical time for kids’ health. 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 physical and learning activities, kids fall behind academically. Kids also gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year. As spring turns to summer, Healthy Kids Day is a powerful reminder not to let children idle away their summer days. Instead, the Y hopes to focus on wowing them with their potential and make this their best summer ever by staying active and learning.

In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y offers the following tips to help families develop healthy habits:

* High Five the Fruits and Veggies – Make sure kids get at least five servings a day, the minimum number nutritionists recommend to maintain healthy childhood development. And to keep kids’ taste buds evolving, have everyone in the family try at least one bite of a new fruit or vegetable at least once a month.

* Foster an Early and Ongoing Passion for Books – Read to and with your kids. Help children read at every age and every stage of their development.

* Team Up for Athletic Events – Set a family goal of great health by teaming up for community or charity events like races, walks, fun runs, bike rides, etc.

* Volunteer Together – Find a cause that matters to the kids. Open their eyes to a world beyond themselves and the rich rewards that come from making a difference.

* 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.

As part of the Y’s commitment to addressing critical gaps in health and education, the Madison Area YMCA is encouraging kids to stay physically and intellectually active during the summer. Helping bring families and kids together to have fun, be active, learn more and create lasting, healthy habits for the entire family, Healthy Kids Day is just one more way the Y works to strengthen community.

Volunteers are needed to assist with event set-up, various activities, food/giveaways distribution and event clean up. To sign up, contact Lauren Hendry, 973.822.9622 x2266 or lhendry@madisonymca.org

For more information about Healthy Kids Day, please contact Madison Area YMCA Community and Member Engagement Manager Gwen Riddick at 973-822-9622 x2235 or griddick@madisonymca.org.

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