Child Health Day- October 5

Child Health Day has been around for quite some time. The federal holiday was introduced to Congress in 1928 and was celebrated for the first time in May 1929. Now it falls on the first Monday of each October, which is Oct. 5 this year.

Why Celebrate Child Health Day?

Children’s wellness depends on so many factors, making it possible for everyone to make a positive impact today whether you have children of your own or not. Children’s organizations are encouraged to help raise awareness for kids’ well-being on Child Health Day, but there’s plenty that parents, neighbors, teachers and communities can do every day to make life safer and healthier for kids.

Here are five ways to get involved today and make a positive difference:

• Learn about child well-being in your state. Knowing the status of education, community and healthcare in your state is interesting, but it can also motivate you to get involved when you see where your state can improve.
• Volunteer with a local youth center. Many communities have youth centers that do incredible work to enrich kids’ lives. Whether it’s through your faith group or a local activity center, you can likely find a cause to get involved with. Positive role models at youth centers can be a great influence on kids.
• Help your kids make healthy choices. Choices made for your children’s health can affect their disease risk later in life. Eating lots of fruits and veggies and getting plenty of exercise are important for kids’ health now and in the future.
• Clean up the environment. Whether it’s a local park, lake or walking path, making your community cleaner benefits everyone in it, especially children. Cleaning up trash makes the environment safer for children who play there, but it also sets a great example for kids.
• Support a children’s charity such as Children’s Miracle Network! Child Health Day is a great opportunity to support organizations that promote children’s health and well-being. A great way to support your local CMN Hospital is through a car donation to a local Dance Marathon event!