By RACHEL CLAIRE PERKINS
On Saturday July 13, Children’s Healthcare of Mississippi is hosting Fitness Fest, an interactive event where families can participate in easy, fun activities to improve their fitness and health choices. We’re showing families it is fun to be fit!
This fantastic full-day event, held inside downtown Jackson’s beautiful and spacious (and air conditioned!) Convention Complex will feature countless attractions and activities for kids of all ages, and parents too!
Once inside the event, families will embark on a fitness themed adventure trail, spread out over the course of an indoor one-mile walking track. Kids can play and learn through almost 30 fun activities, such as a jumping jack station, a jump rope workshop, a hand-washing competition, relay races, beanbag tossing and more.
Kids can “shop” on their own in a kid-sized grocery store, fully stocked with healthy and nutritious food by Jackson’s Rainbow Whole Foods Co-Op. Kids can learn basic meal-planning and discover food and produce options they might not have discovered yet. Soon, your kids might be asking you to pick up some kale or broccoli for dinner tonight!
Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s Ed Said, a high-energy show featuring kid-friendly raps and sing-alongs on fitness and nutrition, will film three live shows at Fitness Fest. Kids can get moving while they learn. There will be room for 1,000 hopping, dancing, grooving kids moving in time to Ed Said’s catchy rhythms.
Dr. Rick, of MPB’s Southern Remedy, will be onsite all day addressing children’s health topics and taking nutrition and health-based questions from parents. Celebrity Chef Rob Stinson from TV’s Fit to Eat will be onstage giving healthy cooking demos to parents.
When you combine learning and fun, kids can gain twice as much! At Fitness Fest, kids can learn all about cardiac health by exploring a giant walk-through inflatable heart featuring interesting and easy to understand information. It’s an awesome experience for kids and adults alike!
Throughout the day, kids can play and watch sports being taught by some of the state’s best coaches and professionals. Kids can learn the rules and new tips and tricks for their favorite sports, such as basketball, tennis, soccer, and track and field.
We will have some of Jackson’s most avid cyclists riding through Fitness Fest, giving kids bike safety tips and advice on incorporating cycling into every family’s daily life.
On stage, fitness and exercise demos and shows will provide entertainment and exercise all day. Kids can learn Zumba, yoga, Pilates, aerobics and more, as well as dance along to music provided by a DJ playing their favorite songs!
Admission for Fitness Fest, which will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, will be $2 per child. Families will pay no more than $10 total.
Keep an eye on the Parents & Kids website (www.parents-kids.com) for more information on Fitness Fest as well as giveaways and offers.
Those interested in participating as a sponsor or volunteer at Fitness Fest can contact Rachel Perkins, at Rachel@parents-kids.com or call (601)-366-0901 for more information.
Fitness Fest will be a fun, fit, and informative your family won’t soon forget! We can’t wait to see you there!
