Getting kids off the couch is play day's goal

On a typical Saturday morning, 10-year-old Mia Sowers of Elgin says she usually sleeps in until 9 or 10 a.m. and then either watches television or talks to her friends on the phone.

And if 10-year-old Antonio Alvarez of Elgin isn't playing games with his cousin, he says he's watching television.

Antonio's cousin, Areli Acevedo, 10, of Elgin says she likes to play soccer or other outdoor games with her friends on Saturday morning.

This Saturday, however, Antonio, Areli and Mia joined dozens of other youngsters for fun and games at Wing Park and Lords Park in Elgin for the city's first Worldwide Day of Play event.

Sponsored by children's television giant Nickelodeon, Worldwide Day of Play promotes active play for children in the fight against childhood obesity.

About 35 park districts across the state held events Saturday, including ones in Elgin and Lake in the Hills.

"My cousin wanted to come, and we were planning on coming to have some fun," said Areli, who had a black-and-white bird painted on her right cheek and a butterfly painted on her arm. "I like the jumping castle, and I think we will go to the soccer station next."

Kone Chansey, the community outreach and special events coordinator for the city's parks and recreation department, said the idea is to get the kids outside and away from the television or computer.

"It is to promote health and fitness for kids," Chansey said. "We want to get them out there playing and just being active."

In fall 2005, Nickelodeon, the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation partnered to create the Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge -- to encourage children to make their lives, schools and communities healthier.

Childhood obesity is one of the nation's leading health threats. An estimated 12 million children are overweight and 12 million more are at risk of becoming overweight.

Obesity can lead to conditions in children such as Type 2 diabetes, which is typically associated with adults.