Active Play, Balance My Day


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Healthy Kids Challenge makes healthy habit building easier. Choose each of the Healthy6 links below for helpful classroom, community, or family activities and tips. The suggestions on each page are updated frequently, so come back often. Order Healthy6 handouts for health fairs and family events.

Healthy, more physically active kids learn better!

"Energy In = Energy Out " Tips for School or Home

Have you ever thought about how much ‘energy in’ would equal how much ‘energy out’. A calorie is a measurement of energy. To be in healthy balance, our ‘energy in’ (calories we eat) must equal our ‘energy out’ (calories we burn). Here’s some food for thought:

Energy In = Energy Out

  • 1 M&M® = walk across the length of 1 football field
  • 14 gummie bears = 14 minutes of swimming
  • 9 Hershey’s Kisses = 16 minutes of running
  • 4 cups microwave popcorn = 48 minutes of yoga
  • Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino with whip = 72 minutes of dancing

(These are approximate values as exact ‘energy out’ depends on an individual’s height, weight, age, and activity level.)
*These types of fun trivia tips are found in the HKC Balance My Day™ curriculum.
Move

Spring Training" Wherever You Are

While baseball players are in Spring Training in Florida, your family or classroom could be in spring training in your state. Here are some things to do to get you prepared, moving in the right direction, and ready to enjoy Active Play:

  • Be prepared with refillable water bottles and quick and easy healthy snacks to ‘grab and go’ when you are running outside to play
  • Gather balloons, balls, chalk, bubbles, jump ropes, shovels – all fun items that will lead to Active Play
  • Stockpile 1 or 2 liter bottles, empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls, gather mismatched socks or old sheets. Let your kids use their imagination to come up with fun games to play while stuck indoors. 

If your children play organized sports, be sure that they have had a check-up before they join the team, stretch before playing, and stay hydrated before, during and after games and practice.

Marathon Walking Challenge For Everyone

A marathon is about 26.2 miles or approximately 52,400 steps. A woman’s stride is about 2.2” and a man’s is about 2.5”. To break it down, this would mean it would take just over 2,000 steps to walk 1 mile. Here’s a challenge - see how far your class or family can walk! Take movement breaks throughout the day and count how many steps students/kids are taking. Keep a running tally…how many days, weeks, or months, does it take to walk a marathon? How many steps does it take to walk across your state? country? 

Looking for ideas to keep your classroom moving? Check out the Balance My Day™  curriculum. With 30 lessons, each including movement activities and hands on learning, BMD is an easy-to-use tool to incorporate nutrition education and physical activity into your classroom.  

Kids Jumping