On Saturday, April 27, the Kosciusko Community YMCA will be celebrating YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day® with a free community event that encourages kids in Kosciusko County 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 Kosciusko Community 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 Tonya Douglass, Senior Program Director. “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 27, YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day will help parents begin thinking early about what their kids need to grow and achieve all summer long.

The Kosciusko Community YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day will feature a one mile fun run for kids up to age 14. Pre-registration is going on now and race day registration starts at 8:30 a.m., and the first 50 to register will receive a t-shirt. The race is at 9 a.m. at the YMCA.

The Kosciusko Community YMCA is proud to host representatives from Warsaw Breakfast Optimists, who will be offering the Optimist Safe Assured program in the lower level meeting room from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This program creates a mini-CD that provides details about each child including personal identification information essential for location efforts in the case that a child is missing. There will be activities and vendors in the gym including a craft, Martin’s food tasting, KCV Cycling Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Fire Department, Purdue Extension and Premier Safety.

There will be a Zumbatomic, Zumba for children, class from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The climbing wall will be open from noon to 1 p.m. Open Swim hours will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. All events and activities and admission to the Y on April 27 will be free and open to youth and families.

To register for the fun run or with any questions please contact the Y at 574-269-9622 or see the website.