Big smiles and laughter, children and parents having fun playing together outdoors — this is what makes for a memorable and healthy start to Summer. This past June at Memorial Park in Santa Ana, we hosted our 2nd Annual Healthy Day of Action Event — an action-packed day designed to raise awareness (and heart rates!) for local children and their families about the importance of living a healthy and active lifestyle.

Thanks to sponsor Johnson & Johnson and nearly 100 spirited volunteers, the day began with a vigorous aerobic warm-up for 200 eager participants. But this wasn’t just a boot camp for physical activity. Fun games, activities, a raffle and sports equipment giveaways kept everyone moving. And after a morning in motion, we provided everyone with a free lunch and tips on healthy eating options.

Getting the whole family involved in events like this helps kids and their parents understand the value of exercise, the importance of having fun and ideas on how to eat healthier. By changing behaviors, it turns out what’s good for the kids is also good for the parents and family as a whole. ‘Play together, stay together’, as the saying goes.

United Way is dedicated to increasing the number of healthy Orange County youth by one-third by 2024. Educating families — especially young people — about protecting their health, as well as the importance of developing healthy eating habits, lifestyles and skills, is essential in reaching this goal.

To see a park filled with happy kids and families in their blue “Health Day of Action” t-shirts, check out these photos and a short video capturing the day.

Want to help out with next year’s Healthy Day of Action? We have several ways for you to get involved.