Sussex County YMCA to host Healthy Kids Day

Sussex County YMCA will host its annual Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its facility on Wits End Road in Hardyston.

The event is free and open to the public, with no membership required. Nationally sponsored by Peanuts and Gatorade, Healthy Kids Day is the YMCA’s annual initiative aimed at encouraging children and families to stay active, spend time outdoors and develop healthy habits ahead of summer.

Activities planned for the event include train rides, an obstacle course, a bike raffle, family swim sessions, swim lesson evaluations and facility tours. Families also can attend a live animal presentation by Rizzo’s Reptiles, explore summer camp offerings, and visit the Sussex County Library System mobile library. Representatives from the Hardyston Township Police Department and other local organizations will provide community wellness resources throughout the day.

New members who join during or around Healthy Kids Day will be eligible for a limited-time membership promotion that waives the joiner fee and offers 50% off the first month of membership. Attendees who register in advance will also be entered to win a three-month family membership.

“It is so important for kids to stay active over the summer, both physically and mentally,” Corey Brown, executive director of the Sussex County Y, said in a statement. “Healthy Kids Day is a fun, free community-wide event that encourages families to take advantage of all the great summer resources that the Y has to offer.”