With obesity rates in King County on the rise, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department launches its “Healthy Parks, Healthy You” initiative Aug. 22 to encourage parents and children to be active for 30 minutes a day.
One in every two King County residents is overweight or obese (54 percent), according to the most recent local public health data from 2004. Fifteen years ago, about 37 percent of adults in the county were overweight. The national statistics on kids' health are discouraging. An estimated 32 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 19 are overweight, while 17 percent of those are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Local health and parks departments are working together on the fitness and nutrition campaign which includes:
Promoting “green calorie” programs such as walking, which do not leave a carbon footprint
Making fitness programs more affordable with the “$2 try it” option where anyone can try a Seattle Park and Rec class for two dollars
Providing healthy alternatives in vending machines
Teaching healthy cooking classes at community centers
Creating community gardens and partnering with organizations to expand farmers' markets throughout the area.
My son's first word was “ball.” Before he could walk, he spent his days playing with dozens of balls - soft and squishy, big and bouncy, round and rubbery. I remember thinking, “He's going to be an athlete.”
Though athletic, my son has never been interested in team sports. I didn't push him into T-ball or onto the soccer field. I wonder now if I should have encouraged him to participate in a sport, and at age 9, is it too late? Is it important for kids to be involved with sports?
With no hesitation, Jean Orvis says it's never too late to get involved with sports, and participation in athletics is essential for a child's development.
“Kids develop so many skills and capacities through sports,” says Orvis, who retired this year after serving as director of Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences for 26 years. “They learn about team work, strategic thinking, creative thinking and discipline.”
The private middle and high school on Capitol Hill encourages all students to participate in a sport or extracurricular activity. Orvis says between 85 and 90 percent of students at the school play sports, and it could even be 100 percent because everyone in grades 6-12 “has tried something at some point.”
Every student who tries out for a sport at the Seattle Academy makes a team. There are several teams to accommodate any student's ability - from beginners to highly skilled players. While they're a “no cut” school, they're also competitive and have won state championships. The school has created a culture that allows and encourages kids to take risks.
“Our hope, and certainly it's been something I've been trying to do for students all my life, is to help kids move beyond self-imposed limitations,” she says. “Anyone who can fog up a mirror can participate in some sport or activity.”
Kayaking in P.E.?
A new P.E. curriculum that the Seattle School District will use, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, will put a bigger emphasis on nutrition and fitness, while introducing kids to a greater variety of physical activities so that they can discover a sport or fitness routine they'll enjoy for life.
“It used to be if you were an athlete, P.E. was great. Now we want to make it valuable for every student,” says Lori Dunn, manager for Seattle Schools K-12 P.E. program.
Remember your P.E. classes? Mine were about getting hit in dodge ball and being the last person picked for any team. Today, kids in some schools have Taekwondo, weight lifting and yoga as options. Dunn says kayaking will also be part of the new P.E. curriculum.
Only about 15 percent of students have an interest or aptitude for traditional sports, according to Karen Cowan, CEO of Focused Fitness. The Spokane-based company developed the “Five for Life” P.E. curriculum Seattle Schools adopted this year. (The “five” components of fitness are: cardio-respiratory endurance; muscular strength; muscular endurance; flexibility; and body composition.)
“Team sports might not be natural for everybody, or affordable for all families, but body movement is,” Cowan says.
Try It, You Might Like It
There are dozens of nontraditional sports and activities for kids to consider: Karate, break dancing or ballroom dancing, fencing, hiking, swimming, squash and netball.
“All kids, whether they think they're athletically inclined or not, should try something. They'll become more comfortable and confident with the way their body moves,” says Katie Gray, a Seattle Parks and Recreation manager.
The Seattle parks department is making it easier for kids - and less expensive for parents - who want to try new sports. This fall (in September and October) they'll debut a promotion called “$2 try it” where kids pay that minimal amount to attend one class. If they like it, they can sign up for the whole session of classes. If not, parents are only out two bucks.
“When it comes to sports, I think parents should encourage kids with these simple words,” Gray says. “Try it, you might like it.”
Here's a link to the Seattle Parks and Recreation Web site, which will have the fall class schedule soon:http://seattle.gov/parks/centers.
Linda Thomas is a freelance broadcast and print journalist and parent of two children in Seattle Public Schools. Write to her through e-mail: Linda@lindathomas.com.
Parents and Kids - Move It, Move It With obesity rates in King County on the rise, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department launches its “Healthy Parks, Healthy You” initiative Aug. 22 to encourage parents and children to be active for 30 minutes a day.
One in every two King County residents is overweight or obese (54 percent), according to the most recent local public health data from 2004. Fifteen years ago, about 37 percent of adults in the county were overweight. The national statistics on kids' health are discouraging. An estimated 32 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 19 are overweight, while 17 percent of those are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Local health and parks departments are working together on the fitness and nutrition campaign which includes:
Promoting “green calorie” programs such as walking, which do not leave a carbon footprint
Making fitness programs more affordable with the “$2 try it” option where anyone can try a Seattle Park and Rec class for two dollars
Providing healthy alternatives in vending machines
Teaching healthy cooking classes at community centers
Creating community gardens and partnering with organizations to expand farmers' markets throughout the area.
