Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Thursday, April 23: Turn off Your TV and Join the Family Fun @ Your Library

The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., is encouraging families to become "screen free" from April 20-24 for National Turn Off the TV week. The library will host a family activity night on Thursday, April 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Families may drop in at anytime that evening to participate in board games, arts & crafts projects, and special reading events; or may just relax and browse the many items available for checkout. The library's Ruff Reader listening dogs will be on hand for kids to visit with and read to, and special reading areas will be set up for families to share books and other material together.

Turn Off the TV Week is a semi-annual event emphasizing the importance of spending time away from television media. First established in 2001, the event is supported by the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association and the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Research has shown that, on average, people in the United States watch over four hours of television daily, while spending another four hours of recreational time on the use of computers, videos, personal audio devices and cell phones. Excessive use of electronic screen time can be considered a cause of obesity in adults and youth, as it cuts into active family recreational time and can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle. Turning off the screen encourages time to think, read, and create; and allows people to connect with families and engage in community activity.

The Turn Off Your TV Family Night is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. For more information about activities to share with your family, visit tvturnoff.org. Contact the library at 262.636.9245 for information about the library's program.

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