By Ellen Kuker
Guest Columnist
July 19, 2008 08:41 pm
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The Cass County Family YMCA reminds parents to find balance between academic and recreational activities for children after school.
As kids across Cass County head back to school — to sitting at their desks for six or more hours per day — it is critically important that parents find additional ways for their children to stay active before, during and after school hours. According to the YMCA of the USA, “experts agree that school-aged children need to be moderately to vigorously active for a minimum of 60 minutes a day. While increased focus on academic testing has prompted many organizations to focus their afterschool programming solely on academics, the alarming rise in childhood obesity and the elimination of physical education at many schools, make it increasingly important for parents to strike a balance between academic enrichment and playful, recreational activities for their children before, during and after school.”
The Cass County Family YMCA’s Kids Crew Afterschool Program is here to help parents with a solution in finding that balance for their children. The Kids Crew program focuses on developing the whole child through programs that support children’s social, emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual development. Our program incorporates the four core values that are the cornerstone of all YMCA’s: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. These core values are implemented in all aspects of the program and are designed to help children in the development of the tools they need to be happy and productive in life.
The nation’s YMCA’s have been engaging children in safe, quality afterschool programs that complement and supplement children’s lives for more than 50 years. Today with more than 9,000 afterschool programs across the country, the nation’s YMCA’s are a leading resource for parents looking to find meaningful and fun afternoon activities for their children. The Cass County Family YMCA offers an array of afterschool programming for youth, including arts and crafts, homework help, outdoor exploration, tutoring, games and activities that incorporate the Catch Kids Club Activity set, field trips, guest speakers and much more.
The Kids Crew programming has something for everyone and encourages an environment of inclusion. With the recent donation from the Logansport Memorial Hospital Foundation, the Catch Kids Club Activity set allows our program to offer even more physical activity than before. YMCA’s recognize that “like adults, children need physical activity to help manage stress, reduce frustration, create energy and ensure they do not become one of the rising numbers of inactive, out of shape and overweight kids.” By offering a physical component with our Kids Crew curriculum, this helps combat the rising problems with obese children. For more information on or to register for the Cass County Family YMCA’s Kids Crew Afterschool program, please call Staci Love at 574-753-5141.
Ellen Kuker is executive director of the Cass County Family YMCA.
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