First 5 LA encourages outside activity for children
Take a walk after the rain
With warmer weather and longer days, it’s time to get your family active. Beginning in infancy, regular physical activity improves a child’s health and well-being, and establishes a healthy habit for life.
While exercise is great for everyone in the family, it is crucial for a young child’s developing body and mind. Experts advise that young children be active an hour a day, and research shows that youth who get exercise do better in school and have less risk of heart trouble later in life.
Regular, unstructured play time in nature also makes kids smarter, calmer, more self-disciplined, more cooperative and happier, according to several studies.
Through physical play, young children discover the things their bodies can do. And as they increase their skills of running, climbing and throwing, children gain confidence in themselves and become more motivated to try new things. Playing outside is one of the best ways to boost self-esteem in young children.
Outdoor play tips for parents:
- • Parents possess a powerful ability to model healthy outdoor behaviors. Skip the gym in favor of an hourlong walk with your kids. Choose daycare that makes outdoor time a priority.
- • Sandboxes offer a favorite outdoor activity for children because they enjoy exploring how the sand feels and how it moves. Older children learn to use their fine motor skills to dig, bury, and build.
- • Today even preschoolers spend many hours indoors using electronic toys. Reverse that trend in your home with a rule that every hour of screen time be balanced by at least one hour outdoors—and stick to it.
- • Some kids who aren’t very familiar with unscripted play are more likely to think the natural world is boring compared to TV. Take a walk after the rain and point out how precipitation changes the environment. Teach them how things grow (preschoolers may not realize plants and trees are alive) and offer tools such as a ball or a magnifying glass to encourage creative outdoor play.
First 5 LA is committed to helping babies, toddlers, preschoolers and parents “Get Out and Play” this summer. Remember, it is never too late—or too early—to improve health and have a great time with exercise. For tips, activities and resources on staying active, visit ReadySetGrowLA.org, First 5 LA’s website for parents.
Four months after becoming a flashpoint in the presidential campaign, Big Bird is back in the political spotlight.
The White House announced Thursday that the longtime character from public television’s “Sesame Street” teamed up with First Lady Michelle Obama to film two public service announcements that encourage kids to eat healthy and get active. The White House said the PSAs will help mark the third anniversary of the first lady’s push “to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential.”
Feeling and looking good has become one of the fitness focal points of the modern era. As a result, billions of dollars are poured into chic franchise gyms that offer everything from yoga classes to freshly squeezed juice after a workout. And a barrage of infomercials that promote the next big thing in weight-loss or muscle enhancement is constantly being streamed.
Combine that with people’s annual New Year’s practice of making vows to change—most often beginning an exercise or fitness routine—and you have a recipe for potential disappointment.
The SouthBay Pavilion in Carson is hosting its third annual Back-to-School Health Fair from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4, following its one year Zumba fitness anniversary party from 8:30-10 a.m.
The SouthBay Pavilion is located at 20700 Avalon Blvd. in Carson.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Over a four-year period, more infants in Los Angeles County died from suffocation due to unsafe sleeping arrangements than all other accidental deaths of children under 14 combined, health officials said today as they announced an education campaign aimed at preventing the deaths.
“It has become clear that the tragic deaths from unsafe sleeping practices are completely preventable,” according to Deanne Tilton Durfee, executive director of the Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect.
You walk into a fast food restaurant and examine the menu. You could get a salad with grilled chicken and dressing on the side. Or you could get a double cheeseburger.
Seeing the calories listed next to each item isn’t likely to affect your decision, according to a new study being presented at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting this week. But seeing the amount of time it would take you to work those calories off at the gym just might.
The study
