I feel like I have heard a lot about intervention programs that target adults to be heart healthy but not necessarily children. This article discusses a program "Fresh Air and Warm Hearts" which allows a kid from the city to visit a rural family for 2 weeks during the summer. This allows them to be more active and participate in many more outdoor activities that are not available or safe for them in their home neighborhood. Without too much preaching this teaches these kids a more healthy lifestyle. They will spend more time running around outside than they will inside on the computer or playing video games. I am not sure where the program started, how far it reaches or how many people are involved but it sounds like awesome opportunity. The family was able to see the impact they were having on this child's life as they noted that when they first met 7 years ago he was growing outwards but now he is just growing upwards.
http://waynetimes.com/community/fresh-air-and-warm-hearts-in-macedon
Liz,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love the name of this program "Fresh Air Warm Hearts." I think this is a great idea, I can definitely see how spending some time outside in a rural area can have a deep impact on one's life both physically and emotionally. Spending time outside for a couple weeks may prompt children to spend even more time outside when they return to the native urban areas.
I have heard about this program before! I think it is a such a neat idea! Everyone involved can learn so much from each other, especially for the city kid who will be shocked to see the country life most of us know so well. It could also foster a really great relationships between both families involved. The health benefits are really quite amazing and are a reminder of how much one's health can be impacted by their environment. It would be great to allow opportunities like this to more children and I would love to see the program expand. It would also be great for the program to take the positive benefits they have witnessed from this program and try to find ways to bring the country to the city, maybe by encouraging the formation of more parks and playgrounds.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an amazing program. The rural lifestyle is so different from the city lifestyle, and it's great that this program highlights some of the best aspects of rural living. As a kid, there are so many more opportunities in a rural area to be outside and running around and doing things in a safe environment than there are in the city setting. In the rural setting, kids don't necessarily have to rely on an adult supervising them or driving them somewhere in order for them to be active. In addition, being around a farm gives children more insight into the food that they put in their bodies. Planting and then watching fruits and vegetables grow is a really great way for kids to learn about healthy food.
ReplyDeleteLiz
ReplyDeleteI read your blog and above mentioned article. I think that this program is execellent idea to promote healthy life style. This program has many immediate health benefits for children from big cities. More important this program gives these young children opportunity to make more heathy choices later in their homes.