#NNPA BlackPress

Exercise and Young Children: An Expert Educator’s Advice and Ideas

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — While movement looks different for infants than it does for older children — focusing more on exploration and natural development — it’s important to incorporate opportunities for movement as early as possible to support healthy growth, motor skill development, and brain development.

Published

10 months ago

July 14, 2025

Oakland Post

We interviewed Michelle Carter, the Director of Educational Content and Programs at the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America). The nonprofit serves as the voice for over 200,000 health and physical education professionals across the United States.

Michelle says that movement for young children doesn’t need to be structured workouts or expensive programs; it’s all about creating safe spaces for play, exploration, and joyful movement each day. She says movement is a natural part of how babies and young children learn about their world, build strength, develop confidence, and lay the foundation for lifelong health. Michelle is deeply passionate about promoting healthy, active lifestyles from the very start of life.

When should a new parent begin thinking about exercise/physical activity for their baby? Is there a period one should wait?

Thinking about physical activity truly starts in infancy, right from birth. For example, tummy time is one of the first forms of physical activity we give babies to build their neck, shoulder, and core strength. While movement looks different for infants than it does for older children — focusing more on exploration and natural development — it’s important to incorporate opportunities for movement as early as possible to support healthy growth, motor skill development, and brain development.

The Active Start guidelines from SHAPE America emphasize that physical activity should be encouraged daily from birth, with infants needing supervised floor-based play throughout the day in safe environments.

Where can a new parent go to learn best practices/guidelines? What does SHAPE America offer?

SHAPE America offers the Active Start: A Statement of Physical Activity Guidelines for Children From Birth to Age 5, which outlines how much physical activity young children need and what it should look like at each stage of development. These guidelines are grounded in research and provide practical recommendations that parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators can easily implement in daily routines to promote lifelong healthy habits.

How can parents motivate and encourage young children to be active if they’re not inclined to do so?

The biggest thing is allowing kids to play and explore. For children, movement doesn’t need to be a structured exercise program; play is their natural form of physical activity. Parents can motivate their children by:

Being good role models and showing enjoyment in being active themselves
Joining in their play, whether it’s dancing together, building obstacle courses, or exploring outside
Creating a supportive environment by providing time, space, and simple equipment or toys that encourage movement

Remember, children are more likely to be active if they see their caregivers enjoying movement and if it feels fun rather than forced.

What if a parent worries exercise will overly excite a child who already might have “too much” energy?

It’s understandable to think that physical activity might make an energetic child even more wound up. However, research shows that regular movement helps children manage their energy levels better. Physical activity provides a healthy outlet to release excess energy in a structured way, which often results in children feeling calmer, more focused, and better able to regulate their emotions and behavior afterward.

This is why SHAPE America promotes integrating physical activity throughout the day, including calming cool-downs or stretching at the end to help children transition smoothly back to quieter tasks.

Are sports drinks and nutrition bars helpful or needed?

Generally, no. Children get the nutrients they need through a well-balanced diet. Sports drinks are only necessary if a child is participating in high-intensity activity for an extended period of time, such as competitive sports tournaments in hot weather. Otherwise, water is the best choice for hydration during physical activity.

Nutrition bars are often unnecessary for children unless advised by a healthcare professional for specific dietary needs.

Do parents need a certain type of gym equipment? Or what everyday items can be used for activities?

Absolutely not. You don’t need special gym equipment to encourage physical activity at home. Many everyday household items can be used creatively:

Empty milk jugs as lightweight weights
Plastic grocery bags for tossing or balancing games
Pillows or couch cushions for obstacle courses
Painter’s tape or sidewalk chalk for balance beams or hopscotch on the floor

Many PE teachers create equipment out of recycled materials, and SHAPE America has a free resource called Move and Play at Home, which provides parents with easy activity ideas to keep their children active and engaged:

How can a parent assess a pre-K program for its exercise/physical activity offerings?

Parents can use SHAPE America’s Active Start guidelines as a benchmark to ensure their child’s Pre-K program:

Provides daily opportunities for structured and unstructured physical activity
Encourages a variety of movements that support motor skill development
Uses developmentally appropriate practices

Asking about how physical activity is integrated into the daily routine and whether educators receive training in physical development can also help parents assess quality.

Is there a credential that SHAPE America offers for early childhood educators?

SHAPE America does not offer a credential specific to early childhood educators. However, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers accreditation for early childhood programs to ensure high standards.

SHAPE America provides resources for early childhood educators to incorporate more physical activity into their curriculum, such as the Moving with Words and Actions book, which integrates movement with literacy development.

Michelle Carter has experience as an educator in the District of Columbia Public Schools. She now serves as an internal subject matter expert for SHAPE America, where she provides guidance, resources, and professional development to support educators in promoting lifelong physical activity and well-being for all students.

Michelle is passionate about empowering teachers to help children build the skills and confidence they need to lead healthy, active lives. Michelle lives in the Northern Virginia area with her two children, ages 7 and 10.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Epstein Memo Ignites MAGA Backlash Against Trump and Top Allies

Don't Miss

Florida Lawmaker Blasts Alligator Alcatraz as ‘Concentration Camp’

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.
How to use the channel:

Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

Live talk show “AutoNetwork Reports” — Thursdays 3:00 PM ET.
AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

Excerpt:

Photo Captions:

Website Tags and SEO Keywords:

Twitter (X) Tags and Handles: