As a way for families to stay active in the new year, the Discovery Museum recently launched Fit Fridays, when visitors are invited to participate in dynamic, educational fitness programs.
This past Friday, Vicki Forman from Yoga for Mankind led participants in a family yoga session. Other activities have included a lesson on the body’s muscle groups and proper stretching techniques; a group walk along McClelland Street; and a jumping-jack contest.
The goal of the Fit Fridays program is to inspire families to live healthier, happier lives by offering a safe and supportive place to work out, according to Amy Blasco, program director.
“Physical activity is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it can be a real challenge because of how much time children and their parents spend in front of a TV or computer screen,” Blasco said. “We’re launching Fit Fridays to show families how easy and fun getting fit can be.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
The Friday program is also designed to augment Nutrition Expedition, a free monthly program developed by Kohl’s Cares and Marian Regional Medical Center to educate local families and their children about healthy eating and exercise habits.
Nutrition Expedition is offered the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at the museum and includes a free snack.
Fit Fridays will be held at 3:30 p.m. through March 1; then the program will move to 11 a.m. In fact, all museum programs will move to the 11 a.m. time slot to help visitors remember when activities are offered, according to Blasco.
Located at 705 S. McClelland St., the Discovery Museum has 13,000 square feet of “please touch” exhibits, weekly programs and special events.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.