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7 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,June 25,2020 theifp.ca Creating great smiles New Patients Welcome Family and Cosmetic Dentistry marketplace Dental Centre Georgetown Marketplace Mall 905-877-CARE (2273) • www.georgetowndental.com HOURS: Monday & Wednesday 8:00am - 8:00pm • Tuesday & Thursday 8:00am - 6:00pm • Saturday 8:00am - 3:00pm Proudly Serving Georgetown Since 1994. more challenging. "We've definitely seen a huge drop in physical activ- ity, which is to be expected with these kids not in school, they're not with their friends, they're not in sports," she said. In its 2020 report card, ParticipACTION -- a non- profit that promotes healthy and active lifestyle in Canada -- gave children and teens a D+ grade for overall physical activity. According to the report, only 39 per cent of those aged 5-17 met the physical activity recommendation within the Canadian 24- hour movement guidelines for children and youth. The guidelines provide a holis- tic look at daily exercise, sedentary behaviour like screen time, and sleep hab- its. Extended screen time from being cooped up in- doors could keep them from achieving the benefits normally associated with being physically active, Obeid said. BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR PLAY "When you're active, you're going to have better heart health. You're going to build stronger bones. You're going to maintain a healthier body weight," she said. She added that being ac- tive outdoors is associated with improved mental health outcome and im- proved cognitive outcome for decision-making and problem solving. There are also benefits to playing outdoors with friends, according to Obeid. "It improves their ability to co-operate better with people, to get along with their friends, to build rela- tionships, to feel a sense of belonging," she said. "As they grow up, they will also need those skills to get along at school and then in work and in life." MODIFIED SUMMER PROGRAMS Cathyann White, re- gional vice president of health, fitness and aquatics with Oakville YMCA, said that "it's been a difficult pe- riod of isolation" for many. "Summer camps are very important for chil- dren, and I think particu- larly right now, we know our families are looking for ways for their children to re-engage in the communi- ty," she said, adding that they're still looking into the possibility of running "a modest" camp program. The same goes for mu- nicipal-run programs. The Town of Halton Hills will roll out virtual summer programming through an online platform starting June 29 that fea- tures daily activities for children aged 4-12, focusing on physical activity, healthy choices, creativity, exploration and apprecia- tion. In Milton, regional councillor Mike Cluett said in a recent Facebook post that the Town camp pro- grams give opportunities for children to "learn new skills, meet new friends, and create lifelong memo- ries." A spokesperson with the Town said the decision to offer a scaled-back camp- ing experience is still being considered. The City of Burlington is planning to gradually in- troduce summer youth pro- gramming, including a smaller version of day camps (consisting of eight participants and two staff) at some community cen- tres. The details are still be- ing finalized. Similarly, the Town of Oakville is contemplating running modified camps at select community centres -- with details to be shared soon. WHAT PARENTS CAN DO When it comes to en- couraging children to be more active, Obeid says that parents are doing their best during the pandemic. While everybody's cir- cumstances are different, the best advice she can give for parents is to regularly go out for walks with their kids and take advantage of the green spaces that are available -- either on the trails or just around the block. And if things get too hec- tic to take a stroll, she says: "Tomorrow's a new day; don't beat yourself up." STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much with us, local parents are no doubt anxious to find ways to keep their children active, especially with the summer officially here. NEWS Continued from page 1 REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY VITAL TO CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING: PARTICIPACTION The ActiveEasy Chalk Challenge is one of the initiatives the Town of Halton Hills introduced to encourage children and youth to stay active. Halton Hills photo • Spacious and comfortable accommodations • In room microwave, mini fridge and coffeemaker • Complimentary WIFI • Ample FREE Parking • "WE care clean" is the new standard 100% SMOKE FREE HOTEL Halton Hills - 365 Guelph St., Georgetown Tel: 905.877.6986 • Toll Free: 1-800-563-2476 • www.bestwestern.com