| Facts on Kid's Health | | | | chocolate or candy). |
| 1.The average child gets less than 15 minutes of | | | | Halloween |
| vigorous activity a day. | | | | Parents who are concerned about the amount of |
| 2.The average U.S. child gets approximately 43 | | | | candy their children receive on Halloween might try |
| minutes of moderate physical activity a day. | | | | this alternative. Design a flyer suggesting that families |
| 3.The average U.S. child spends 20% of his/her | | | | hand out alternatives to candy. This flyer could be |
| waking time watching TV. | | | | distributed in the neighborhood or an article could |
| 4.Obesity and superobesity are up 36% and 98%, | | | | appear in the local newspaper. Some suggestions for |
| respectively, in the past 20 years. | | | | alternatives are: |
| 5.The average child consumes at least 20 ounces of | | | | crayons |
| soda pop a day. | | | | line puzzles |
| 6.The child of today is less fit and more fat than the | | | | pencils |
| child of the 60's. | | | | cut outs |
| 7.Thirty-six percent of the children get daily physical | | | | marbles |
| education; 36% get two or fewer days. | | | | raisins |
| 8.Nine out of ten parents think their children are fit, | | | | crossword puzzles |
| when only one out of three are. | | | | balls |
| 9.At age 10, 45% of young people say they | | | | sugarless gum |
| participate, or intend to participate, on a non-school | | | | erasers |
| team. Among 18-year-olds, the figure is 26%. | | | | paintbrushes |
| 10.Thirty percent of youths (10-19 years) have | | | | toothbrushes |
| negative or neutral attitudes towards physical activity. | | | | gift certificates |
| 11.In a typical physical education class, only 27% of | | | | peanuts |
| actual physical education time is devoted to motor | | | | word puzzles |
| activity. | | | | Participating parents could place their garbage pail on |
| 12.The average heart rates in a typical 30-minute | | | | the front lawn as a sign that they offer an |
| physical education class range between 90 and 129 | | | | alternative to "garbage," letting the children would |
| beats per minute. | | | | then know to which houses they should go. |
| 13.The older girls get, the less likely they are to work | | | | Mother's Day and Father's Day |
| out. | | | | Provide Mom or Dad with a list of clues as to where |
| 14.Grade school students are 24% more active than | | | | to find their gift. Actually, the gift will be at a |
| high schoolers. | | | | neighbor’s home, and Mom or Dad will |
| 15.Asian and Hispanic girls are notably less active than | | | | have to walk one or two miles before they can |
| girls of other backgrounds, including | | | | receive it. Clues may be hidden all over the |
| African-Americans, Whites and girls of mixed heritage. | | | | neighborhood and the whole family will want to |
| 16.Children exercise less as they get older, boys | | | | accompany Mom or Dad on their hunt. Examples: |
| about 3% less each year; girls, 7.5%. | | | | 1. Your next clue can be found where you meet the |
| 18.The two biggest reasons kids participate in sport | | | | 7:05 bus (bus stop near home). |
| and exercise are fun and socialization. | | | | 2. Your next clue can be found beside the neighbor's |
| 19.About 42% of middle school students consider | | | | hound (beside the neighbor's dog house). |
| themselves more fit than their peers. Sixteen percent | | | | Television Time |
| rate themselves as not as good. | | | | If you are concerned about the amount of time your |
| 20.Thirty-six percent of middle school students say | | | | children watch television, try the following formula for |
| that they think that kids who exercise do better in | | | | limiting their TV time. Tell your children that time for |
| school, about one-third are not sure, and 28% | | | | watching TV must be earned. Here are a couple of |
| disagree. | | | | sample rules you could establish: |
| 21.Fifty-four percent of students claim that their | | | | 1 hour of reading or studying = 1/2 hour TV |
| physical education class is very important to them. | | | | 1 hour of active play = 1/2 hour TV |
| 22.About 50% of all students report that physical | | | | You may want to keep a tally sheet for each child, |
| education class time should be increased in the middle | | | | but be careful not to make other activities appear to |
| school. | | | | be punishment. Instead, explain that there are a lot |
| Family Exercise Ideas | | | | of fun things to do besides watching television that |
| Birthday Walk | | | | you would like them to enjoy. |
| Children love to do things with their parents. What | | | | Valentine's Day |
| better way, then, to celebrate your child's birthday | | | | Everyone associates the heart with Valentine's Day. |
| than to go for a walk together! You may wish to try | | | | How about doing something that will strengthen the |
| the following: | | | | heart and improve cardiovascular fitness? Challenge |
| 1. When your child is one year old, walk one kilometer | | | | your family to a "hearty" Valentine's Day. Between 8 |
| (.624 miles) together. You may have to push your | | | | a.m. and 8 p.m., family members should try to obtain |
| child in a stroller. If he or she can walk, you might | | | | as many heart points as possible. Select a Saturday |
| have to do one-quarter kilometer in the morning, | | | | or Sunday close to Valentine's Day, or disallow |
| one-quarter kilometer at noon, one-quarter kilometer | | | | activity during Mom and Dad's working hours. |
| before dinner and one-quarter kilometer in the | | | | multiply the total score by 1 |
| evening. | | | | The winner at the end of the day receives a token |
| 2. When your child is two years old, walk two | | | | prize such as new shoelaces for their running shoes. |
| kilometers together. Again, you may not want to go | | | | Parental Support of Child's Physical Education Program |
| the entire two kilometers all at once. | | | | How do you know if your school is doing a good job |
| 3. When the child is three years old, walk three | | | | teaching physical education? Ask yourself these |
| kilometers together. | | | | questions to see how it shapes up. |
| 4. Continue until your child is five or even until the | | | | Does your school provide at least one period per day |
| age of 21. | | | | of vigorous exercise (heart rates above 160 beats |
| In order to add some fun to the walk, bring a ball | | | | per minute) that lasts at least 20 minutes? |
| along and either kick or throw it. If you live in a cold | | | | Does your school offer at least 75% of physical |
| climate, a nearby shopping mall is a great location for | | | | education instruction in lifetime activities such as |
| winter walking. | | | | walking, running, swimming, bicycling, aerobics, tennis, |
| Christmas | | | | badminton, skiing, weight training, stretching and the |
| Make a rule that there should be a small note | | | | how and why of fitness? |
| attached to every gift given. This note should be | | | | Does your school provide tests to determine children |
| read before the gift is opened. The note will describe | | | | who are unfit - lack flexibility, strength and |
| an exercise that must be done by the person for | | | | cardiovascular endurance? The testing should take up |
| whom the gift is intended. The exercises cannot be | | | | no more than one week of the school year. |
| too difficult, although they may be unusual. For | | | | Does your school provide physical activity |
| example: Gift for Dad, "Do five sit-ups with hands in | | | | opportunities for the obese, unfit and unskilled? |
| pockets." Gift for Mom, "Lift Junior off the ground | | | | Does your school provide physical education |
| five times." | | | | programs for the mentally and physically |
| Easter | | | | handicapped? |
| Organize an Easter Egg Hunt for several families in | | | | Does your school have a prescribed source of study |
| the neighborhood. Color the eggs first and number | | | | for physical education that the teachers are required |
| them from one to 100. Use as many eggs as you | | | | to follow? Is their delivery monitored? |
| like, but we suggest two for every child. Do not | | | | Does your school's physical education program |
| allow the children to see where the eggs are being | | | | emphasize fun, participation and relevance (fitness |
| hidden. Hide the eggs in a large field, playground or | | | | and motor skills), rather than sport skill development |
| school yard. Once the eggs are hidden, the children | | | | and competition? |
| are brought to a starting line. On the signal, they | | | | Does your school put physical education first and |
| search the field for eggs. Once they find an egg they | | | | athletics second? |
| return it to the designated area where their name | | | | Do your physical education teachers look fit and |
| and the number of the egg is recorded. Once a child | | | | participate in personal fitness programs? |
| finds two eggs, that child can help the other children | | | | Do your children enjoy, speak highly of and look |
| find their eggs until everyone has found two of | | | | forward to physical education? |
| them. | | | | Does your school not threaten to drop physical |
| Once all the eggs are found, you may want to give | | | | education when budget cuts are considered? |
| the children prizes such as coloring books, crayons, | | | | Does your school integrate physical education |
| balloons, Frisbees®, puzzles or comic books (no | | | | concepts with classroom concepts? |