Fun-in-the-Sun “Fitness” Component
The “Fun in the Sun” summer camp has been a popular program for more than 20 years. The camp has included many fun activities such as sports games, arts and crafts, swim days, excursions, drama and talent shows and visits from entertaining guest speakers. This summer Staff added a new daily activity to the Fun in the Sun camp entitled the “Fitness Hour”. This is part of the Department’s strategy to implement healthy living campaigns that teach and incorporate healthy habits into existing programs. Each day the Recreation Leaders guide group exercises, stretches and calisthenics in a fun and motivating environment. During this hour, participants:
• Engage in physical activities
• Receive nutrition education
• Learn about the food pyramid
• Learn how to read food packaging labels
• Complete a healthy habits workbook provided by the California Dairy Council
One of the activities the participants enjoyed the most during the hour was “Fitness Dice”. Each day campers would roll the “Fitness Dice” and this would determine which exercise they would take part in during the hour. The Recreation Leaders strive to make fitness fun. Rather than just having the campers run laps, they might play a game of tag with the Recreation Leader’s being the targets. The “Fitness Hour” has been embraced by the Recreation Leaders, participants and parents. One parent wrote in an evaluation: “The fitness hour is a great addition to the Fun in the Sun program and it has helped increase my child’s physical activity during the summer months.”
With the success of the “Fitness Hour,” Staff plans to incorporate this element into the After School Recreation program this fall. Due to the limited amount of time elementary school students spend in physical education classes compared to prior generations, offering the Fitness Hour helps fight the rise of childhood obesity and diabetes.
