BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Local children are out of school, and the Central Texas summer heat will keep more kids indoors — the break from the classroom also shows a gap in physical fitness.
A study by the Society of Behavioral Health found that physical activity among kids dropped by more than 50 percent during summer break.
According to the CDC, this can increase the chances for health risks and that includes mental and emotional health — something summer camps like the one at Texas Tumblers can help prevent.
”Texas Tumblers is a gymnastics facility that also offers camps during the summer,” said Melissa Voreh, Program Director for Texas Tumblers.
“We also have a preschool and after school program during the school year.”
The summer camp isn’t just gymnastics.
”A couple days a week we do water days,” said Tatum Coulter, Facility Manager for Texas Tumblers.
“We have water slides outside — a couple days a week we'll do gym time, so they'll do different stations like trampolines, foam pits, ropes, beams, bars, and then we have a movie day as well.”
For children like Riley Jones, Texas Tumblers is a chance to keep playing with friends.
”Three of my friends actually come here and they’re in my class,” Jones said.
Some of the children are even trying to get more friends to come.
”They should be able to enjoy it, because the teachers provide lots of fun stuff for us to do,” Haley Germann said.
”It’s really fun,” Mya Einsler said.
Texas Tumblers is just one of many summer or day camps in Central Texas.
Making sure your children stay physically active over the summer is about more than keeping them in shape.
It will avoid unnecessary health risks, increase their cognitive ability, keep them learning, and improve their mental and emotional well-being.
