Last Saturday the lawn — and the indoor pool — at the Hampshire Regional YMCA in Northampton offered a little preview of summer, as the “Y” hosted its version of a nationwide happening billed as “Healthy Kids Day.” As children arrived for the free event, they picked up “passports” to visit the 30 or so tables of activities and local resources geared to help them stay healthy over the school summer break.
Erin McDonald, YMCA communications coordinator, hoped that experiencing the activities and ideas on hand Saturday could “plant a seed” for an active summer — physically and intellectually — to help kids avoid the “summer learning slide” that might put them at a disadvantage come fall. Along with a bounce house and an obstacle course, there were booths on safety, wellness, arts, garden vegetables, science and imagination. There was even an outdoor reading area nestled near the local library tables, spread with a blanket and books.
Topping the day off, in a real tip to summer, was the “Splash and Dash” in which the kids, depending on age, swam one to three lengths of the indoor pool, then donned their clothes and raced around the outside of the building to the cheers of the parents and volunteers who made the day a success.
Kevin Gutting can be reached at kgutting@gazettenet.com.