Celebrating National Fitness and Sports Month

May is National Fitness and Sports Month, and HOST members have lots of ways to celebrate.

• The Afterschool Alliance offers a number of ideas for engaging children and parents and spreading the word about the importance of physical activity.
• The National AfterSchool Association offers some facts from the World Health Organization about the impact of physical fitness on young people.
• The American Heart Association shares its Recommendations for Physical Activity in Children and suggests ways of promoting physical activity.
• Alliance for a Healthier Generation is partnering with the Clinton Foundation to highlight the disparities between girls’ and boys’ physical activity rates and "to inspire a new generation of strong, active women."
• May is also National Bike Month, and Safe Routes to School tells us what the health benefits are for children who bike or walk to school.
• Youth Today explores "The Outdoor Adventure Gap: We Must Help Young People Spend Time in Nature," citing numerous studies that link spending time outdoors to better physical, mental and emotional health.