Program teaches kids how to stay active

Manulife Canada donation to help local YMCA develop a physical literacy program for children

WATERLOO REGION — Kids should be naturally active. But many children aren’t. And many don’t grow into active adults.

The local YMCA wants to change that. It’s developing a physical literacy program for children, to promote basic motor skills, confidence and motivation meant to help people stay active all their lives.

The program got a boost Tuesday with a donation of $150,000 from Manulife Canada.

“At Manulife we believe that a healthy, active lifestyle goes hand-in-hand with living a long and happy life,” Mike Doughty, Manulife Canada’s president, said in a statement.

The idea is to help youths get a head start on healthy habits.

The YMCA sees a need, saying local youths are less active than they have ever been.

Only one in 11 children is active for 60 minutes a day, a recommended threshold.

The challenge as the YMCA sees it is that if children aren’t taught how to be active, many withdraw from sports and other physical activities in their spare time.

They fall behind in movement skills, in part because not all children have equal access to recreational facilities.

“Empowering children and youth is foundational to our work,” Peter Sweeney, chief executive of the Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo YMCAs, said in a statement.

Manulife’s donation will enable the YMCA to “empower more children and youth in our community to live healthier and stronger lives,” Sweeney said.