Following a year of social distancing, virtual school, mask-wearing and endless hours of screen time, Berkshire Family YMCA is hosting their annual Healthy Kids Day® on May 16th at three branch locations in Pittsfield, North Adams, and Bennington VT. Families are encouraged to take a moment to help kids be kids. While the in-person event will feature physically distanced activities and be in accordance with CDC and state/local recommendations, the Y aims to provide a carefree day for children, celebrating what makes a kid, a healthy kid. The day-long event will feature activities to motivate and teach families how to develop and maintain healthy routines at home.
All locations will host the event rain or shine outside!
GIVEAWAY GOODIES at each location while they last...
PITTSFIELD: FIRST STREET COMMON, PITTSFIELD
Activities and booths will be added as they are confirmed.
When you arrive, please visit our check-in table!
- Home Depot
- Housatonic Valley Association
- HVA, the watershed organization for the Housatonic River, welcomes your family to learn what each of us can do to help improve our rivers’ health. Sign up for free, family summer events. Join us for demonstrations about polluted stormwater runoff. And find out what the City is doing to support the health of our rivers.
- The Spot
- WIC
- Berkshire Athenaeum
- DCF
- Pittsfield Fire Department
- Berkshire Pediatric Dentistry
- Guido's Fresh Marketplace
- Berkshire Family Hikes
- Shakespeare & Company
- BFYMCA Information Table
- BINGO
- Cards for the Elderly
- Core Value Scavenger Hunt
- Family Kickball/Homerun Derby
- Berkshires Macaroni Kid
- Home Depot DIY Kits (pending donation)
- Kids Yoga
- Kids Zumba
- Low Ropes & Slack Lining
- Educate children/families about building healthy relationships. Also about low-prop physical activity for summertime.
- Vegetable Planting
- Pool Noodle Tag
- Tie-Dyeing Masks
NORTHERN BERKSHIRE: 22 BRICKYARD CT, NORTH ADAMS
Activities and booths will be added as they are confirmed.
When you arrive, please visit our check-in table!
- BFAIR
- Carver Family Dentistry
- DCF
- Tie-dyeing station
- Seed planting in the community garden
BENNINGTON REC CENTER: 655 GAGE ST, BENNINGTON
Activities and booths will be added as they are confirmed.
When you arrive, please visit our check-in table!
- Seedling Starters
- Card Box / Origami
- Yoga
- Swim Evaluations - tentative
- Rob & Gracie (K9 with Police)
- Bicycle Safety
- Cruiser Tours
- Scavenger Hunt - tentative
- Obstacle Course
- MYO Recipe Card
- Book Giveaway, Library Cards, Craft Kit
- Tooth Fairy piggy banks to decorate, hoola hoop
- Piggy banks & Coloring Totes
- Clean Up & Support 1:30-4:30 pm
- Tie-Dye Masks
- Adult Cookbook Giveaway
- Home Depot Kid Project Kits
- Information about ABC with Library/Bennington Museum
Healthy Kids Day, now in its 29th year, is the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families. The Y hopes to use the day to get more kids moving and learning, creating healthy habits they can continue while they’re away from the classroom. 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 learning activities, kids fall behind academically. Kids also gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year. Following a year filled with numerous changes and uncertainty, Healthy Kids Day is a reminder to families that we can help ensure all children have access to the key ingredients to reach their full potential, even during out-of-school time.
Recipe for a Healthy Kid
In celebration of the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y is focusing on five “ingredients” that make a healthy child:
- Healthy Food – Children need at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day for healthy development. Kids who help make their own meals and snacks are more likely to try the food, so enlist children in meal prep to encourage tasty explorations.
- Physical Activity – From increased screen time to virtual school, studies show that children moved less in 2020 than usual. Help kids get back into physical activity routines by setting at least 60 minutes for fun games and play every day.
- Curiosity – Children who are read to by a family member at least three times per week are almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading compared to their peers. Encourage children to access new wonders with their own library card. Many libraries now offer curbside pick up too!
- Laughter and Fun – It’s important to let kids be kids! Parents should make sure they are joining in the fun with their kids. Close the laptop, turn off the phone and have uninterrupted play time. These opportunities allow adults to model a love for activity while providing invaluable family bonding time.
