Day of Play encourages kids to turn off the TV
On Saturday, the popular children's cable channel Nickelodeon, along with the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association and the Dundee Township Park District, will call for all youngsters to put down their video game controllers and remote controls and go outside to play.
The fourth annual Worldwide Day of Play encourages families to power down their electronics and power up their bodies in an effort to fight childhood obesity.
The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that childhood obesity, reaching alarming levels, can cause high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. Along with recommending a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, they also say that children should be exposed to no more than one to two hours of quality TV and videos a day. Children under 2 should not be allowed any screen time at all.
To bring awareness to the issue, Nickelodeon is sponsoring the Worldwide Day of Play through many recreation organizations around the country.
From 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, they will give Sponge Bob and Dora a few hours off and instead encourage kids and their families to get up, get outside and play together. They will be broadcasting a list of specific places families can go to play that day.
One of those places will be Liberty Elementary School, 6500 Miller Road in Carpentersville.
Organized by the Dundee Township Park District, there will be various stations of games and activities for the kids to get their bodies moving and their minds clear.
Jennifer Peterson, supervisor of adult programs and special events at the park district, invites all kids to come to Liberty from 1 to 3 p.m. where they can visit a number of sports- and fitness-related stations such as a moonwalk, blowup obstacle course, jump rope, soccer, basketball, baseball, group games and a half-mile walk/run. No advance registration is required.
"It's to raise awareness about childhood obesity and try to get the kids motivated to get up and move instead of sitting in front of a television or video game," Peterson said. "We're going to be exposing them to all different forms of physical activity. We're really looking forward to this and trying to encourage the kids to get up and move and start doing physical activity."
The West Dundee Target will provide volunteers to work the stations as well as a girl's and a boy's bike to be raffled. First Midway Bank in Carpentersville also will provide volunteers and contribute a $50 savings account certificate for the raffle. They will also give each child who participates a $5 gift certificate to open a savings account.
Other raffle prizes will include various sports equipment and certificates for park district programs such as swimming lessons.
The park district encourages parents to stay for the play.
"That would be our preference because we will not specifically be supervising each child. And, it's kind of a joint venture with the parents and the kids to help them to learn healthy lifestyles," Peterson said. "You don't need to be in the Dundee Park District area. Just come in and pledge to move."