By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY – Partners in Learning Child Development Center is expanding its wellness program to the community Saturday.
Executive Director Norma Honeycutt said throughout the past year the center has been focusing on the health of its children and staff in hopes of reducing the national obesity epidemic.
“We really want parents and families to focus on their children, how to stay healthy, how to eat right and exercise more,” she said. “It’s really a vital concern and there are no other children’s wellness events in the area.
Honeycutt said the event will include a total of 12 stations including interactive cooking demonstrations for children, zumba, yoga, dance, hay rides, trike races, Native American dances and a family prediction walk/run.
“It’s going to be fun,” she said. “It’s a great way to spend some time outdoors with your children.”
The event, which is for children of all ages, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center at 2386 Robin Road near Catawba College.
The center will also host a Special Olympics Young Athletes event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.
“It’s similar to the Special Olympics, however this is inclusive of all children, children of special needs as well as typical children,” Honeycutt said.
A number of activities will be set up to get children moving and working on their fine motor skills. Honeycutt said the therapists will be able to modify events for children with special needs as needed.
The young athletes event is for children ages two-and-a-half to 7 years old.
Honeycutt said mixing a variety of children together help them understand differences so that they will “grow up to have respect and compassion for all.”
“Children who are typically developing get so much out of being with children with specials needs because in the real world there are people with disabilities,” she said. “Children with special needs learn from typically developing children.
“It’s a good way for children to interact with other children who are different and to see that everybody has value and something to add.”