Senior community wellness majors teamed up with the Peoria YMCA and the Peoria Park District to host Healthy Kids Day at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the Proctor Recreation Center.
Healthy Kids Day is a national initiative of the YMCA. As a result, YMCAs in cities all over the country hold their own Healthy Kids Day.
“Healthy Kids Day helps the [YMCA] kick start their summer by getting kids and their families active and excited to go outside,” senior community wellness major Eva Book said. “Showing and teaching them different sports and games to play will hopefully help them stay active, even when they don’t have specific time set aside for it such as during the school year.”
Paul Larson works at the Greater Peoria Family YMCA and teaches a community wellness course called Leadership and Advanced Community Wellness. Larson had the seniors plan and execute the event to learn how to develop health programs and to include children’s health and wellness in the course curriculum.
“Senior community wellness majors here at Bradley have been responsible for contacting vendors to attend Healthy Kids Day, supplying needed materials, coordinating volunteers and just overall making sure this community event runs smoothly,” senior community wellness major Catie Grey said. “We’re hosting this event in hopes that families from the Peoria community gain knowledge about healthy eating and implementing an active lifestyle in their homes.”
Healthy Kids Day will include games, face painting and bounce houses, and it is aimed towards children ages five to twelve. Book said starting healthy habits early means lowering the risk of obesity, diabetes and other preventable conditions.
“They are at the perfect age to learn more about why being active will keep you healthy and why being healthy is so important,” Book said. “We saw the perfect opportunity through Healthy Kids Day and are looking forward to working with our community vendors in order to make this year’s event the best ever.”
