Keeping kids healthy and fit is no easy task. With the Internet being a part of homes across the globe, kids are spending more time looking at the screen rather than being outside playing and having fun. However, if you can find websites that encourage children to actually go outside and play, you may have a win-win situation. The Activators is one such website that promotes healthy habits in children aged 2 -8 years. Using videos that feature fun exercises, games, songs and dance, Activators inspires children to get up, exercise, and stay fit and healthy.
The Activators – Encouraging Healthy Habits in Children
The website is very interactive and offers free printables for parents to give to their kids to make them feel involved with The Activators. The Printables section has a complete Activity Book filled with coloring pages, paper crafts, and exer-sillies. The site also offers parents a downloadable Activators Pledge and Membership Card.
The Videos section is the real section that shows how kids can stay healthy with the help of a website like The Activators. It has videos of the Activator team acting out the funny yet energetic exercises and games. Children would surely enjoy watching the team have fun while working out and it will inspire them to follow suit.
An Interview with Eric Grindler aka The Activator
UTH: First of all, thank you so much for taking out time to talk with Untrained Housewife and its readers. Let’s begin by understanding the idea behind The Activators? What is it all about?
The Activators is an interactive comedy show for preschoolers – focused solely on fitness. Featuring actual teachers from My Gym Children’s Fitness Center, the series revolves around four friends whose mission is to engage children in physical activity. Through web videos, mobile videos, and live performances that feature exercises, games, and dances, The Activators inspire kids to get up, move around and have tons of fun. The ultimate goal is to help children develop a love of fitness at an early age, so that we can play a major role in the fight against childhood obesity.
UTH: What or who motivated you to start The Activators?
The show was created by Gregg Lichtenstein, a screenwriter and father, who was frustrated with the lack of children’s content that encouraged physical activity. We met when he took his kids to a birthday party at My Gym in Encino, CA. He saw me perform that day and approached me about his idea. Then he contacted My Gym’s corporate management team and pitched them the idea of the interactive series that would use comedy to keep kids active. My Gym loved the concept and became the sponsor of the show.
UTH: Why use a website to encourage an active lifestyle?
The US Department of Education reported in September of 2006 that 2/3 of all preschoolers and 80% of kindergartners use computers. The reality is that children today are growing up surrounded by screens.
Our goal is to leverage technology to actually motivate children to get up and moving. The website has been a successful first step for The Activators in gaining exposure and developing an audience. Our recent developments include: a mobile video campaign, a children’s obstacle course in the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, CA, and a live tour this summer in southern California. We also have plans for a national tour and TV series.
UTH: How can parents and children make the best possible use of a website such as The Activators?
We know that parents have practical problems related to keeping their kids active, such as long work hours, a lack of neighborhood playgrounds, and the fact that the majority of children under age 6 use screen media for an average of two hours per day. And when you consider that less than 4% of elementary schools have daily physical education, it’s clear that children are simply not getting enough exercise. The Activators website is not just entertainment; it’s also a utility that inspires children to be physically active at home.
UTH: What tips and advice do you have specifically for parents of toddlers and preschoolers to help them create an active and healthy lifestyle for their children?
Make fitness fun and allow your children to feel good about themselves! We don’t simply want kids to exercise; rather, we want kids to love to exercise. The way that happens is if they feel empowered and develop confidence and self-esteem. And that’s what The Activators are all about.
Find out more about how to encourage children to get active and have fun exercising at www.theactivators.net. I found the site fun and interesting and am sure children will have fun learning to stay healthy with the Activator team.
