Body Walk begins Monday at Main Library

The Yuma County Main Library will host the annual Body Walk event with the Yuma County Public Health Services Department from Monday through Friday this week.

Body Walk is an educational event for young children that teaches them how the body works and how to remain healthy, including nutritional advice, physical activity lessons and safety tips.

“We’re excited about the events we have, which we planned to keep kids active, having fun and learning,” said Suzanne Cooper, the YCPHSD program coordinator who is helping organize and plan the event. “Aside from being a good opportunity for kids to learn more and to reinforce the healthy habits we teach throughout the year, it should also be a nice change of pace for them.”

YCPHSD is receiving help from multiple county and city departments including the Yuma Main Library, which is promoting the event as well as hosting it; the Yuma Fire Department, which is teaching some of the lessons, and the Yuma Police Department, which is providing resources for some of the stations.

The first session each day begins at 9 a.m., followed by a second session at noon. Kicking off the lessons is YFD’s Mike Erfert, who will teach kids fire safety tips and exit drills for homes.

Participants then travel through seven stations in the body, starting with the brain and ending with the muscles. At each stop along the way, they learn about how to keep that part of the body healthy. At the mouth they learn dental hygiene. While going through the esophagus, they learn the digestive process and nutritional advice like the importance of eating superfoods. Costumed characters at each part of the body with names like Lady Sara Bellum at the brain and Mickey Molar at the mouth will educate kids by using short scripts.

After the kids walk and crawl through the body, they end up at the Body Walk Safety Boot Camp. The boot camp will teach them injury prevention and safety advice with setups that simulate crossing an intersection and a space to practice some of Erfert’s fire safety tips.

Most of the students attending will be third-grade students going with their schools. However, public sessions will be held on Thursday, during which parents can bring their children. If planning to attend, an RSVP needs to be made. The event has drawn more than 1,480 participants, which includes 22 schools, and is almost full.

Cooper said she’s still seeking volunteers to help with the Thursday sessions. The Body Walk traditionally gets around 200 volunteers to help, and this year she needs a few more to help deliver some of the lessons for the event on Feb. 6.

“We’re looking for someone who wants to engage with the kids in an enthusiastic way and can help them go through the stations,” Cooper said. “The volunteer opportunity would help kids establish healthy habits, and with the help of volunteers, the event truly can be a community event.”