YMCA Healthy Kids Day: Free Activities, Open to the Public, on April 30 encourage kids to stay active and learn all summer long

For 25 years, the YMCA has been using Healthy Kids Day to promote kids keeping their minds and bodies active throughout the year.  On April 30, this year, Healthy Kids Day will be celebrated at over 1,300 Ys across the country in which more than 1.2 million will take part in finding the Wow! factor in each and every kid.

Kids in Oakland, Richmond, Hayward, Fremont and Castro Valley will mark the 25^th annual YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day^® with day-long events featuring activities such as community health fairs, games and classes to motivate and teach families how to develop healthy routines at home.  Last year, over 1,200 people participated in the YMCA of the East Bay’s activities.

“Healthy Kids Day is one initiative that promotes a variety of means to help kids to find the Wow! factor inside themselves,” said Robert A. Wilkins, President & CEO of the YMCA of the East Bay.

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 kids 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,” said Wilkins.

Here are the locations in the East Bay where activities will take place. In most locations, activities will start in the morning and run throughout the afternoon:

* The Downtown Oakland YMCA (located at 2350 Broadway in Oakland) will host community resource booths, a healthy eating station, fitness obstacle courses, spin bikes, basketball, dance & Zumba classes, a jump rope challenge and more from 9am-2pm.

* The Hilltop YMCA (located at 4300 Lakeside Drive in Richmond) will host community resource booths, carnival games, activities, food, crafts, special performances and more from 10am-3pm.

* The EM Downer YMCA (located at 263 S. 20^th Street in Richmond) will host health & wellness vendors, community benefit organizations, a free healthy lunch, a community walk, jumpers, Zumba and more from 10am-2pm.

* The Fremont YMCA (located at 41811 Blacow Road in Fremont) will feature local businesses/partners and promote the Y’s summer day camps from 10am-1pm.

The YMCA of the East Bay’s Healthy Kids Day is supported locally by KRON 4.  Stay tuned for moreinitiatives that encourage healthy habits to build a better us.

For more information on the Healthy Kids Day events in the East Bay, click here.