Healthy Kids Day promotes healthy habits leading into summer months

(West Chester, PA) – The YMCA of Greater Brandywine (YGBW) invites families to celebrate Healthy Kids Day from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 20 at seven locations across Chester County. Healthy Kids Day is a free event that is open to the public and is celebrated by YMCAs across the nation.

Attendees can engage in a variety of family-friendly activities such as corn hole, field games, inflatable obstacle courses or moon bounces, wellness demos and more. YMCA staff will provide a preview of Summer Camp activities to inspire children to stay active this summer.

A Healthy Summer Starts Now
Over the next eight weeks local students will begin summer break, a time when their routine changes substantially. With less structure, unhealthy habits can settle in with increased screen time and decreased supervision.

YMCAs across the country will band together on April 20 to inspire families to adopt healthy habits heading into summer. Staff will showcase the variety of resources that the Y offers throughout the summer.

“Summer is my favorite season at the Y because of the energy of Summer Camp,” shares Bridgette Barbera-Byrne, Senior Association Director of Camp and Family Programs. “Healthy Kids Day allows families to preview and experience the energy and spirit behind Summer Camp.”

“It’s a big responsibility to inspire healthy habits in our community. Many people don’t realize that Summer Camp is year-round for our staff. Team YGBW has been busy planning Summer Camp activities since last September to prepare for the thousands of campers who will join us this year. Our hard work always pays off when we see our campers engaging in healthy summer fun.”

Camp for All
YGBW offers a variety of camps that suit a range of ages, interests and developmental needs. YGBW camps serve children between the ages of 3 and 15 – with new teen camps added this year to serve the developmental needs of older youth, including a field-trip focused camp called Teen Trek.

In addition to Teen Camps and Traditional Day Camps, YGBW offers a wide selection of sports and specialty camps that also serve younger youth and teens. Sport camps include gymnastics, pickleball and sports samplers. Specialty camps include art, dance, theater, STEM and environmental, cosmetology and more.

YGBW’s Camp Bumblebee meets the needs of children with disabilities and developmental delays. Despite having a higher staff to camper ratio, YGBW does not charge a higher price for Camp Bumblebee, thanks to the generosity of donors and sponsors. It’s all part of their mission to include all and ensure accessibility.

Partnering for the Health of the Community
Nationally, Healthy Kids Day is sponsored by Peanuts. Through their Take Care campaign, Snoopy and friends provide tips and lessons to help us each take care of ourselves, each other and the planet – a theme that complements the intent of Healthy Kids Day.

Locally, Healthy Kids Day is sponsored by S&T Bank, a YMCA Community Partner who is committed to community wellness and building a shared future. This year marks the 3rd year that S&T Bank has sponsored Healthy Kids Day at YGBW.

Each year over 100 Community Partners support and extend the mission of YGBW through generous financial contributions that directly benefit our local community, enabling healthy habits during summer months – and all year long.

To learn more about Healthy Kids Day: https://ymcagbw.org/blog/celebrate-healthy-kids-day
To learn about camp: https://ymcagbw.org/summer-camps-ymca
To learn more about YMCA Community Partners: https://ymcagbw.org/give/sponsor
To donate to the Y’s Financial Assistance Program: https://ymcagbw.org/give/waystogive

About the YMCA of Greater Brandywine   
The YMCA of Greater Brandywine (YGBW), an association of nine YMCAs and Program Centers serving Chester County, is a leading non-profit organization committed to building community. We strive to nurture the potential of every child, promote healthy living and foster social responsibility through life-changing programs for all. YGBW raises funds to provide financial assistance to those unable to pay the standard rates. In 2023, $2.2 million was provided to more than 11,000 individuals to ensure they had access to childcare, summer camp, programs and memberships at YGBW. Nearly 80,000 people are members of YGBW. To learn more, visit ymcagbw.org.