CATCH Kids Club is fun and enjoyable and is intended to provide students with 30 minutes of physical activity daily with 50% of it being moderate to vigorous physical activity. During CATCH lessons, students are provided with many opportunities to participate and practice skills. CATCH Kids Club also encourages students to participate in a variety of physical activities in school, afterschool and with family and friends.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, physical activity is important in so many ways. It improves attention and memory; builds strong muscles and endurance; improves blood pressure and aerobic fitness; helps maintain normal blood sugar levels; reduces the risk of several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity; and strengthens bones. And if that is not enough, it is so much fun too! Click here for more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the health benefits of physical activity.
During this two-day training, participants learned about the importance of physical activity, why eating primarily healthy foods is vital, and how to lead CATCH games in an afterschool setting. At the first training on November 10th, the focus was on CATCH concepts and objectives and activity demonstrations. On November 17th, each participant had an opportunity to teach their colleagues various CATCH games. A Nutrition component was also added to explain the importance of making healthy food choices. A few nutrition games were also taught to the leaders as a fun way to teach the importance of good nutrition to the children.
At the conclusion of the training, the participants felt ready and prepared to teach CATCH to their students. They had learned about the importance of structured physical activity, the CATCH philosophy and how to lead the activities at their sites. Feedback on the training was overwhelmingly positive with one participant stating, “I will teach the kids some fun activities where everyone can get involved.”
