TIME FOR KIDS FAMILY A GUIDE FROM THE EXPERTS AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES’ CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) Help your children play their way to a healthier lifestyle! 60 minutes of activity every day is all it takes. Image of children playing football Help your children play their way to a healthier lifestyle! 60 minutes of activity every day is all it takes. 60:Play Every day. Any Way. Logo CDC Logo: Safer Healthier People At least 60 minutes of activity is necessary to ensure balance in your child’s life, and it’s as easy as “play.” 60:Play is a reminder that play can happen anytime and anywhere, even if it’s 30 minutes here or 20 minutes there — and you control the clock. A child’s mind can be refreshed and energized by play to enrich the important things in life, including friends, family and school. can help inspire you to be creative with the time you have with your child even in the busy world we live in. It is about carving out options in life for your child — every day and any way. Here are 4 ways to think about 60:Play: Surprise your kids with spontaneous play Liven up play Always be prepared for play Support playful environments Here are some examples to get your child’s play started: Pick a family member to be “coach of the day.” He or she can choose what game the family will play (be it kickball, hoops or a danceathon). The family member can even make up his or her own game, complete with rules. Take turns and see who can be the most creative. School Sports Teams or Community Clubs: Encourage your child to join an athletic team, an intramural team at school or a community program. Team sports are a great way to make friends, relieve stress and improve social skills. Furthermore, research indicates that participation in sports can help build a foundation for cooperative play, teamwork and good sportsmanship while helping to refine gross motor skills in children’s rapidly developing bodies. Check out your local Boys & Girls Club, Park and Recreation or YMCA for programs they may have. Resources: 60PLAY.com is a great resource, providing lots of information on how our family can stay physically fit. What can you find there? Weekly health polls Daily 60:PLAY tips o Activity Finder — An easy way to find activities and programs in your area Fitness calendars for your family and more Resource for children: VERBnow.com What will they find there? Game Generator — A cool way to mix and match games to create their own Sports tips from celebrities or sports heroes A place to create virtual reality characters, ViRTS™, which are powered by your kids’ physical activity. Look to the East for the mind body connection: Judo originated in Japan and represents a “gentle way.” It is a softer form of another martial art, jujitsu, and was developed in the nineteenth century. Judo emphasizes wrestling-type moves and is considered one of the safest martial arts styles for kids. Because its founder was also a prominent educator, judo places great emphasis on moral and mental development. The emphasis in this sport is not on physical size or strength but on agility and balance. Yoga first appeared more than 3,000 years ago in what we now call India. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word, which means “to bind, join, attach and yoke.” Yoga can help kids develop better body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination. Many teachers and parents have seen children carry these skills beyond class and into their daily routines. Learning yoga moves can also help improve your child's snowboarding technique! Tai Chi is a centuries old Chinese discipline for health, relaxation, balance, flexibility, strength, meditation, self-defense and self cultivation. It improves circulation, balance and coordination and helps relax and strengthen the muscular and nervous systems. For more information about where to get your child involved in these activities, check out the Activity Finder at 60PLAY.com. Classes aren’t the only way to go; some everyday activities for your child can include: Encouraging your child to form a club for games like kickball Using music to liven up any activity Having sit-up or dance contests during television commercials Taking walks with grandma or grandpa VERB™ is an engaging program created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help get your kids active. The campaign was developed to generate excitement for your kids around activity and it invites them to jump in and play. 60:PLAY is where you fit in, helping encourage your child to participate. There are many creative ways to bring play into your child’s day. Take a look at the examples below: Create games with pets that encourage running around, like fetch or just taking them for a walk Hold a “Build a Snowman Relay Race” in the front yard Carry a football or flying disk in the trunk of your car Have a family track meet, including long jumps, sprints and longer distance races Make an effort to use stairs more often, ride a bike or walk to destinations with your child Hire babysitters who say, yes, they like to play tag Go to zoos and museums instead of movies, to encourage walking Physical fitness is as important to children’s health as providing a balanced diet and caring for them when they’re sick. Every child, athletic or not, can benefit from at least 60 minutes of PLAY a day. It can… Help your child's overall mental wellbeing Increase energy and endurance inside and outside of the classroom Help kids sleep better Relieve everyday stress and anxiety Provide a sense of accomplishment Help lower the risk of type2 diabetes Promote a better sense of self Help boost confidence Establish productive habits that will last throughout adolescence and adulthood Improve leadership and social skills Teach good sportsmanship Help improve overall health Promote self-expression 60Play.com CDC Logo