SHERMAN OAKS, CA--(Marketwire - July 26, 2010) - Summer has arrived, and with it comes school holiday, family vacation, hot weather -- and a renewed focus on fitness. The fitness experts at My Gym Children's Fitness Centers say that summer also provides an opportunity to make fitness a fun activity for kids. Registrations are now being accepted at all My Gym locations for summer fitness classes, special programs, and unique birthday parties. And, My Gym is ready to offer families some advice on making fitness a family affair.
"Parents need to be proactive about fitness," says Matt Hendison, Chief Marketing Officer of My Gym Children's Fitness Center. "Limit television, computers and videogame screen time to less than two hours a day -- total! Encourage healthy eating habits, and keep a variety of fruits and vegetables readily available. And insist that children get the rest they need for growth and development. Children between the ages of 6 and 12 need about 10 to 11 hours of sleep per night, and preschoolers and toddlers need even more."
"Being active is the secret to fitness success," adds Hendison. The fitness experts at My Gym offer the following tips to help families keep kids engaged in healthy, fun activities at home.
- Be a good role model. Kids do what you do, so the more physically active you are, the more active your children will be.
- Walk whenever possible -- to parks, to the library, to school, etc. If you must drive, park at a distance and walk the rest of the way to your destination. Make walking fun for kids by collecting different objects (flowers, leaves, etc), playing Eye Spy or the color game, making tree bark rubbings, counting different objects, singing songs, or taking a favorite teddy bear or doll along with you in a stroller or wagon.
- Play fun outdoor games in your own back yard. Time-tested favorites like Follow the Leader, Hopscotch, Jump Rope, Hoola Hoops, Hide and Seek and Tag turn fun into a workout.
- Dance. Dancing is a fun way to get kids moving. Put on their favorite songs and let them cut a rug!
"Summer can be a very physically active season for kids -- and a real challenge for parents. Each year, we assemble a list of summer fitness tips for families, with the hope that kids and adults alike will elect to apply these fun and effective exercises throughout the summer weeks. There is an exciting nationwide emphasis on children's fitness, brought to the forefront by the First Lady. My Gym locations are in neighborhoods from coast to coast -- all staffed by caring and nurturing fitness experts -- to bring the message of fitness and fun to children everywhere. Most importantly, healthy and fit children are much more likely to become healthy and fit adults," said Hendison.
For more information, please visit www.mygym.com.
About MY GYM Enterprises:
Established in 1983, MY GYM is the #1-ranking fitness center destination for children with 200 locations worldwide, including such international locations as Hong Kong, France and Brazil among others. More than 30 additional locations are planned to open worldwide in next 12 months. For more than two decades, MY GYM has combined innovative, early physical education/pre-gymnastics classes with state-of-the-art facilities to empower children -- ages 6 weeks to 13 years -- by helping them acquire the skills, confidence and positive self-image needed to become healthy young adults. My Gym's award winning, structured, noncompetitive and age-appropriate classes enhance children's overall physical development through games, music, exercise, sports, gymnastics, puppets, special rides and fun! The children gain strength, balance, coordination, fine and gross motor proficiency, agility, flexibility and social skills. Mymo's Adventures earned the 2006 iParenting Award for Outstanding Children's DVD. The My Gym television show, My Gym At Home airs on BabyFirstTV, a 24/7 commercial-free channel focusing on children's development. My Gym is located on the Web at www.mygym.com. MY GYM is also the home of The Activators, an entertainment troupe comprised of actual MY GYM teachers designed to encourage children with messages of fun and fitness. The Activators is located on the Web at www.theactivators.net.