By Alezandra Aleman, Program Supervisor | alezandra.aleman@itstimetexas.org

While the recommended play time for any child is at least an hour a day very few meet this goal. Although schools do their part in encouraging kids to be active it remains a hard task to overcome. Stronger Austin Kids is one of many organizations taking on this challenge. Through working with various afterschool programs, instructors get hands-on with kids to teach them about a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and good nutrition with team engagement and fun!

Encouraging Physical Activity in After-School Programs
As an instructor, we impact a kid’s life for the better. We introduce exercise as games, and the task of getting enough exercise becomes energizing! This small success is only the start of the changes we bring to kids. Simple games allow instructors to teach kids how to use their body to be faster or stronger. Nutrition lessons teach what types of healthy foods they can eat to go with it. Seeing kids make the connection and develop their physical abilities to be better at any game they choose empowers kids to be more active and confident.

How We Make Exercise Fun Through Team Engagement
One accomplishment at Stronger Austin Kids is the ability to engage an entire class as a team for games. Every kid has their own personality, and some may not always be eager to join an activity. In one class at {SITE} over the course of several classes, a group of students started to understand the importance of teamwork. There was one student who never felt comfortable enough to participate. instructors encouraged her to get involved but her outlook changed when the class asked her to play one day. She became inspired to participate after that. When the game was over, all the kids in the class were talking as one team and everyone was included.

Right now, Stronger Austin Kids is at locations all across Austin. You can find a complete list of locations here and even request Stronger Austin Kids classes at your school!