P.L.A.Y. makes an impact in the community!

With more and more local schools without the resources to provide children instruction on the benefits of physical activity, and with the average American child devoting 6.5 hours of their day to sedentary forms of media, the North Valley Family YMCA has stepped in with P.L.A.Y.

P.L.A.Y. — Physical Learning Activities for Youth — helps fight childhood obesity and ensures that Hollywood’s youngest residents have access to school-based fitness that emphasize the importance of overall well being—physical, emotional, and mental.

During P.L.A.Y. time, specially trained YMCA coaches teach the elements of safe and effective exercise—while ensuring that students have fun—encouraging positive associations with physical activity. Offering games from street hockey to tennis, Frisbee to juggling, from dancing salsa to running track, children are challenged as individuals and as part of a group, in a non-competitive, age-appropriate, safe, and respectful environment.

PLAY increases physical fitness in youth by focusing on teamwork, fun, fellowship and skill building. It nurtures peer support and family involvement, partners with teachers for training and classroom development and contributes overall to a school experience for students that includes well-being. YMCA coaches provide positive role models and create meaningful connections with their students, encouraging children at every skill level to get outside, to run, to jump, and to PLAY.

The schools listed below have P.L.A.Y. programs:

Andasol Elementary School

10126 Encino Ave. Northridge

Beckford St. School

19130 Tulsa St. Northridge

Bertrand Ave. School

7021 Bertrand Ave. Reseda

Canoga Park School

7438 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Canoga Park

Cantara St. School

17950 Cantara St. Reseda

Capistrano Ave. School

8118 Capistrano Ave. West Hills

Carpenter Ave. School

3909 Carpenter Ave. Studio City

Castlebay Lane School

19010 Castlebay Lane Northridge

Cohasset Elementary School

15810 Saticoy St. Lake Balboa

Danube Ave. School

11220 Danube Ave. Granada Hills

Dearborn Street School

9240 Wish Ave. Northridge

Harding St. School

13060 N. Harding St. Sylmar

Hart St. School

21040 Hart St. Canoga Park

Justice Elementary

23350 Justice St. West Hills

Knollwood School

11822 Gerald Ave. Granada Hills

Langdon Ave. School

8817 Langdon Ave. North Hills

Lockhurst Dr. Elementary School

6170 Lockhurst Dr. Woodland Hills

Morningside Elementary

576 N. Maclay Ave. San Fernando

San Jose Magnet

14928 Clymer St. Mission Hills

Sherman Oaks School

14766 Greenleaf St. Sherman Oaks

Sylmar Elementary

13291 Phillippi Ave. Sylmar

Topeka Dr. School

9815 Topeka Dr. Northridge

Valley Alternative Magnet

6701 Balboa Blvd, Van Nuys

Vena Elementary

9377 Vena Ave Arleta

Victory Elementary School

6315 Radford Ave., North Hollywood

Vintage Magnet School

15848 Stare St. North Hills