Hockomock Area YMCA Healthy Kids Day® May 13

Kids from Franklin and surrounding towns are invited to come on down and join the fun at the Hockomock YMCA Healthy Kids Day® on Saturday, May 13th, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Patriot Place in Foxboro at NRG Plaza, outside The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon.
The event is one of over 1,000 such events nationwide, and it ties into the local YMCA’s Healthy Futures Initiative.
“Healthy Futures is our work outside of our YMCA walls with our 15 local school districts –and various community partners in those 15 towns as well,” says Caitlin Gibbs, Director of Health Innovation at the Hockomock Area YMCA. “We work on programs and policies related to improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, and healthy communities.”
A few of the Healthy Futures initiatives include partnering with the community in a program for third graders called “Nutrition Detectives,” as well as the community “Walk to School” day, which will take place on May 3rd this month and on the first Wednesday in October.
The goal of Healthy Kids Day, which gets some funding through a generous grant from Stop & Shop, reinforces the idea of encouraging kids and families to keep their minds and bodies active, and enjoy healthier lifestyles.
The theme of this year’s Healthy Kids Day, says Gibbs, is “Charge into Summer.” The event will feature active play and engaging activities for young children through about age 14 throughout the NRG Plaza and parking lot, including:
youth and family fitness challenges
gymnastics obstacle courses,
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning activities
an interactive photo booth
fire and police safety
air brush tattoos
arts and crafts
garden and planting activities,
food samples
camp activities, such as tie-dye, led by Hockomock Y Summer Camp staff
Gaga Pit ball games
Appearances by Elmo and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
coupons and goody bags
Caricature artist /airbrush tattoos
How to’s for a healthy
family home
Community partners include Healthy Kids Day event sponsors Norwood Hospital and Stop and Shop and the following Patriot Place businesses: Bass Pro Shops, Brigham and Women’s Rehabilitation Services, Brigham and Women’s/MGH Health Care Center, Five Wits, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, and the New England Revolution. Additional community partners include: CBS Radio 103.3 AMP Team, Chestnut Dental, Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation, Enable Inc. Early Intervention, Franklin Food Pantry, Fuel Up to Play 60, Hulafrog, Kind Snacks, Macaroni Kids, Mansfield Community Garden, Medway Community Farm, New York Life Insurance, Pediatric Dental Healthcare, RWL Weightlifting, Sturdy Memorial Hospital, and Tufts Health Plan.
The Dana Farber Blum Family Resource Center Van will be on site to provide sun safety and skin cancer-related information and screening at no cost.
The New England Revolution’s street team will also be on-site with giveaways, soccer accuracy kicking for kids and additional activities that include a life-sized Jenga game, beanbag toss, and the opportunity to win tickets to attend a Revs match that evening or on May 21.
“We’re up to probably about 30 vendors or community partners that will be there that day as well,” said Gibbs, in an early April interview. Community partners from the Franklin area include the Franklin Food Pantry with their food truck. The YMCA has partnered with the Franklin Food Pantry for a few years on an effort to bring healthy food donations to needy neighbors.
“What we encourage families to do is bring healthy food options and “stuff the truck” and that will end the month-long food drive in which we encourage people to give healthy food Suggested items include whole grain products, brown rice/quinoa, lower sodium hearty soups, canned vegetables/fruit, beans, oatmeal, nuts, spices, and household/personal care items.
Others from the Franklin area participating include Chestnut Dental, Medway Community Farm, and RWL Weightlifting.
All participants will be required to display a Healthy Kids Day wrist band which will be provided at no charge when you visit the check-in tents located at the entrance to NRG Plaza,near The Hall.
All attendees MUST register in order to sign a waiver and receive a wrist band. Easy pre-registration is offered at https://www.hockymca.org/foxboro/social-responsibility/events/healthy-ki... by May 11th. Participants who are not pre-registered will have to register at the check-in tents.