YMCA PLAY (Physical Learning Activities for Youth) is designed to prevent childhood obesity and diabetes. Standardized for easy measurement and outcome assessment, PLAY experts visit campuses every week of the school year to deliver a high quality, research-based health and wellness curriculum. Aligned with the California Physical Education Content Standards, PLAY is making a major impact at underfunded schools in communities throughout Los Angeles.
Program Components
- Warm-Up: Every PLAY session begins with stretching exercises that gradually increase children’s heart rates. Games and other warm-up activities also teach the importance of basic fitness, health concepts and character development.
- Flexibility: PLAY exercises help children maintain or increase their range of motion of all joints and to stretch muscles.
- Cardiovascular: Games and exercises elevate the heart rate so children can achieve cardio-respiratory conditioning.
- Muscular Strength & Endurance: Devoted coaches design specific activities to strengthen and increase muscle endurance.
- Skill Development: Exercises focus on fine and gross motor skills as well as sport-specific skills.
- Cool-Down: PLAY time ends with activities that slow down children’s heart rates and re-stretch the muscles.
Set your students on the path to health and well-being.
