History comes to life!

Starting July 26th, the theme of the week at Kids Can is history. For many, it may seem like a strange theme since most of us associate learning about history with the classroom - certainly not something most kids want to do on summer vacation! But history isn't just a classroom activity; far from it, in fact! Our kids will be visiting everything from exciting historical sites like John Brown's Cave to Lincoln's Nebraska History Museum and Omaha's own Durham Museum. There they will experience history the way kids learn best - as a hands-on learning experience. Learning about history is important for kids. As many scholars say, it provides us with identity, models for good citizenship and leadership, but most importantly, it can be fun! Want to know how to make history even more fun for your kids? Click the following link to our website's Parent Resources section for some fun websites that both you and your kids can enjoy! http://www.kidscanomaha.org/kidscanprograms/parentresources.aspx

Childhood obesity

We've all heard the news reports: childhood obesity is bad and is getting worse. But just how bad is it? According to the Centers For Disease Control, in 2008 19.6% of children aged 6-11 were obese and 18.1% of adolescents aged 12-19 were obese. Compare this to the figures as they were 30 years ago (6.5% and 5% respectively) and you can see the concern. Effects of obesity can include high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, poor self-esteem, and an increased likelihood of being obese as an adult (to name a few). Despite the bad news, there are things that you, as a parent, can do to combat your child becoming part of the statistics. A proper diet, regular exercise, and time together as a family can do wonders! For more information, check out our latest update in the Parent Resources section of our website - http://kidscanomaha.org/kidscanprograms/parentresources.aspx