Its Getting Cold...... Get active Please! As the cold weather starts to roll in and stay in for months to come, you might find that your children are getting less exercise than they did in the summer months. Gone are the days of swimming, playgrounds and entire afternoons spent playing outside. Just because Jack Frost is starting to nip at little noses, however, doesn’t mean that your child can’t stay physically active. There are lots of activities to do indoors to keep your kids physically active during the fall and winter months, some of which you can even do at home. With a little creativity your kids will be having so much fun they won’t even realize they are also getting the exercise they need to stay healthy. If you have the space in your house, set up an indoor obstacle course. Throw pillows on the floor that your kids have to jump over or run between. Use blankets draped over chairs to create tunnels to crawl through, and include stations where your children have to jump rope, hula-hoop or hopscotch. Building the course is half the fun, so get the kids to help and incorporate their own ideas. Like your mom, you probably have a “no ball in the house” rule, and wisely so. There are probably lots of breakables in your house that wouldn’t fare too well during a game of indoor kickball. But what about balloons? They certainly won’t wreck the furniture if they go astray. Make a game of trying to keep a balloon in the air without letting it touch the floor or furniture. One might be fine for younger kids, but add multiple balloons for older kids for a challenge. It might sound easy, but it can actually be quite a workout. There are a lot of indoor sports and activities that will keep your child active all season long. Gymnastics, dance, or karate classes offer fun ways to stay in shape that usually have flexible schedules. If you can commit to a practice and game schedule, sports like basketball, hockey, or even indoor soccer are also options. If you are looking for something that doesn’t require you to leave the house as often, look into workout videos that are geared specifically towards children. There are a lot of options that include dance, aerobics, martial arts, and even yoga for kids, often featuring some of their favorite television characters. It used to be that parents concerned with their child’s physical health would discourage them from playing video games. Now, however, video games can be an excellent tool in helping your child exercise. Gaming systems like Wii and Xbox Kinect require your children to get up and move around in order to play, and the options are limitless. No more arguing with your kids to put down the video games and go play; they can play sports, run, jump, and dance all as part of the game. Don’t forget about fun activities that you can only do in the winter, like ice skating, skiing, and snowboarding. Take advantage of the chilly weather by planning a day involving one or more of these winter sports. If it’s not too cold out, your children can still play outside during chilly weather. Bundle up and head outside for a game of tag, a game of touch football, or to take the dog for a walk. The fresh air will do them a lot of good. Then take the chill off with a mug of hot chocolate or cider when you return indoors.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:50:48 +0000
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