Dear Parent,

Don’t be surprised if you start hearing words like “Baskickball,” “Hoopscotch,” and “BasketTag” around the house. Those are just a few of the VERB™ Crossover games your child will soon be playing. When basketball is crossed with other sports and activities, the result is VERB Crossover, and your child’s community-based organization is participating in this exciting promotional program.

VERB is a campaign designed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to increase and maintain physical activity among kids. VERB Crossover is one in a series of VERB promotional programs aimed at encouraging kids to have fun getting and staying active.

Our national goal is 2.5 million hours of activity. And your child will be one of 500,000 kids across the country who will help reach this goal.

Here’s what you can do to help:
- Encourage your child to participate in VERB Crossover games, and to record their hours of activity as points on the VERB Scoreboard provided by their instructor.
- Support your child by playing a version of his or her favorite VERB Crossover game with them.
- Get active in everyday ways: take the stairs, ride a bike, or walk to destinations with your child.
- Check out VERBnow.com with your child, and track his or her progress with a customized ViRT™, a virtual character that tracks your child’s time spent getting active.

Think 60:PLAY. That’s our phrase to help you encourage your child to get active for at least 60 minutes every day. Anytime, anywhere, whether it’s all in one game, during two 30-minute play sessions or even three 20-minute intervals — it all adds up to 60:PLAY. Visit 60PLAY.com for more information and ideas.

When you’re cheering from the sidelines, getting active is a slam dunk.

VERB Crossover. Part basketball. Part anything. It’s your shot.

Sincerely,
Faye Wong
Director, VERB Campaign

In support of VERB™ and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). VERB is a trademark of the DHHS, CDC. ©2005 CDC. All rights reserved.
Kaleidoscope® 2005