At Kids in the Game, we prioritize and focus on safe play for all of our young athletes. In order for our kids to have the best performance possible on and off the field, we want to highlight the importance of taking care of our bodies and give you five tips to do so properly! The following tips are a culmination of actions to take before, during, and after any athletic play and practice to give our athletes the best chance of recovery and injury prevention.

Tip #1: Proper Stretching Before and After Activity

An important but at times overlooked part of injury prevention is stretching before and after play, and making sure our bodies are loose and warmed up. In order to best avoid injury, athletes should first warm up the body before intense activity, including stretching by doing light exercise such as running in place or jumping jacks. Once loose, proper and safe stretching is crucial because it keeps the body flexible. When stretching, make sure to hold for 10-20 seconds but never to the point of pain. After exercise, cool down for 10 minutes by decreasing the intensity. Cooling down helps the muscles by decreasing soreness.

Tip #2: Proper Technique and Training

Another major cause of injury in youth is the improper technique used when working out, training, and participating in sports activities. It is important to always remember to listen, follow directions, and not be reckless on the field for not only your safety, but for your peers as well. This includes but is not limited to wearing all equipment the proper way, not taking reckless actions during play, and always having proper form when working out or stretching.

Tip #3: Refraining from Overuse of Body and Muscles

Muscle overuse can cause injuries and have long term effects on the body. Some signs of overuse are severe joint or muscle stiffness, not being able to put weight on a certain body part like the ankle or wrist, favoring one side of the body over the other, and experiencing unusual weakness. In order to best prevent this, young athletes should rest, stretch, hydrate, and have a health and wellness evaluation. These evaluations can identify possible health concerns that may lead to overuse injuries.

Tip #4: Staying Hydrated

In our daily lives outside of sports, it is extremely important that we stay hydrated. Drinking water prevents dehydration which is very common for athletes to experience, especially in sports played outside during hot weather. Additionally, staying hydrated helps prevent cramping and spasms, another common experience for athletes. Some additional benefits of staying hydrated are: improved muscle function, regulated blood pressure, and improved circulation.

Tip #5: Taking Mental Breaks and Rest

Lastly, it is crucial for all athletes to take breaks both physically and mentally and engage in interests outside of the sport. At times, one may feel pressure or psychological strain causing stress or burnout. In order to combat this and reduce fatigue, having a focus on maintaining a healthy life balance, taking a mental break from sport, and taking a physical break from physical activity is most important. Our mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. 

Kids in the Game is excited to officially announce our seventh summer camp location is opening in 2021! We are expanding our reach in Brooklyn from one to two locations with the addition of a Greenpoint / North Williamsburg location at our host site the Ardor School. This camp joins six other summer camp locations spanning from Riverdale in the Bronx throughout all of Manhattan and into Brooklyn. (Riverdale, Inwood, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, East Village, Park Slope) 

Our summer camp activities include swimming, creative and performing arts, outdoor adventure, and of course team sports and games, all in the same day! We also have creative theme weeks and exciting field trips that you won’t want to miss, like a trip to Governor’s Island or a Mets game! Through these summer camp games, campers gain new experiences, develop friendships outside of their school communities, and learn from kid-approved, adult mentors who make each day more adventurous than the last. We can’t wait to join the Greenpoint community for the best summer ever! 

Our Greenpoint camp location will run for six weeks, kicking off on July 5th and running through August 13th. This location will be available for kids entering Pre-K4 through 5th grade! 

At Kids in the Game, we pride ourselves on offering the highest quality day camps in New York City at an affordable rate. Our Greenpoint camp is $490 per week, and that includes early drop off at 8:00am. The camp day runs until 3:00pm for Kindergarten through 5th graders, and our Pre-K kids end their day a bit earlier at 2:30pm. After-care is available for all campers from 3:00-5:00pm for an additional $20 per day. We also offer a 10% sibling discount to make sure the whole family is on in on the fun. 

This summer more than ever, safety is top of mind. In 2020 we successfully ran four of our camps for over 400 campers, and we had 0 COVID cases. More importantly, we created a space for kids to be kids again. We wore our masks, shifted our programming, and tapped into our creativity. And this summer, we can’t wait to do it again, making memories that will last a lifetime at our new Greenpoint camp! 

About the Ardor School

At the Ardor School, Kids in the Game will utilize newly renovated classrooms, a gymnasium, dance studio, kitchen, playground, as well as a stage for creative and performing arts. Nearby campers will spend time in the yard each day for sports and outdoor camp games, as well as McCarren Park for larger activities and special events.

The school is three blocks away from the G Train at Nassau Ave. Station and directly across the street from McCarren Park!

REGISTER TODAY!

“How are you running camp this summer? Are you really going to be able to effectively promote social distancing in your facility? How can groups manage during these unprecedented times? What activities can we expect to see with all of these new guidelines?”

These are just a handful of the questions we received in the months leading up to Summer Camp 2020. This year has been a wild ride. You know that. The whole world knows that. And in New York City, we’ve felt that. At the end of the day, as an organization our mission is to provide positive experiences and opportunities through sports and creative play. After months spent cooped up in houses and apartments around the world, we knew that kids and adults alike needed to move. We needed to get outside. We as human beings needed engagement, activity and social interaction. 

We spent the months leading up to June on a rollercoaster of possibilities, but when it came down to making a final decision on summer camp, we saw the risk. And not for one second did our team take COVID-19 or the fact that we are in the midst of a global pandemic lightly. But we also saw the reward. We saw the opportunity to go the extra mile and to plan and prepare for every possible scenario to ensure a safe camp. We saw the opportunity to trust our highly trained and experienced team of coaches and staff to perform under pressure. We saw the chance to give kids a chance to play, move, grow and learn. According to the Aspen Institute 73% of parents report that sports improve their child’s mental health. We felt like this was our most important summer yet for kids’ social, emotional, mental and physical health. 

Our team at Kids in the Game recently finished up four summer camps in Riverdale, the Upper East Side, the East Village and Park Slope in Brooklyn, serving 400 families for 10 weeks with about 100 staff members. 

We had 0 COVID cases. 

More importantly, we created a space for kids to be kids again. We wore our masks, shifted our programming, and tapped into our creativity. 

Now we’re preparing for the fall, launching remote learning centers, after-school programs, and opportunities for our youth to join basketball teams, soccer programs, and track and field – safely. Some may be leaving NYC, but we are staying put and doing the work. We’re still here, still playing, still NYC strong. See you on the field.

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