NFL Play 60 gets kids moving and exercising

Many kids today live a lot differently than their parents did. Gone are the days when Moms and Dad would push their children out the door on a summer morning with the words "Go play!" and not see their children until lunch time. After lunch, it was outdoors until dinner, with possibly a game of  tag or hide and go seek  until the evening lights come on. Today's kids play video games, watch cartoons and kid's programs that are available all day, and are shuttled from one activity to another .  I try to get my boys outside as much as possible plus they do several sports including soccer, basketball, baseball and karate.  My oldest likes to run/walk  with me on the weekends  Also, we have a lot of boys in our neighbor  that  are often playing soccer, street hockey and just hide and go seek.! . However many other moms don’t do the same. Many of my  kids classmates are overweight.

The NFL has gone public with a solution called PLAY 60, a program created to encourage children to get a minimum of 60 minutes of active play per day.  My sons elementary school has partnered up with  them to start a  weekly fit club before and after school.  My kids who are in elementary school go twice a week to this and during the summer one participated in a  6 week morning program . They even received a visit from Tim Green a  former NFL player  and got a special visit to Patriots training camp because of high participation.

NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Resources will include: 

• Details on the six-week Challenge and how to get students to sign up
• Ideas on how to promote the Challenge within your school in fun, creative ways
• Information about additional resources to help get students up and active
• Ideas on how to incorporate physical fitness in the classroom year-round

If you school doesn’t have a fit club or a NFL play 60 challenge-go and push the school to do it! They offer grants  so it  shouldn’t really be a money thing for your school.