Keeping Active in Every Season
No matter the season, it’s important for you and your family to stay physically active. Here are some ideas for fun things you can do together to stay healthy and fit.
Colorful Fall Activities
A cool breeze and falling leaves are the perfect setting for a family walk. Have your children point out flowers or birds, and stop every now and then to pick up a pretty leaf. Even if you don’t live in an area where the leaves change colors, you can take the time to tell young children a story or ask older children about their day.
Make a date to be active! Get together with other parents who have children the same age as yours and go for walks or meet at a local playground. Younger children may enjoy a simple game of chasing bubbles in the backyard. If you find a buddy to help plan family activities with, you’re more likely to do them.
Enjoy Winter Fun
When it gets too cold to exercise outside, turn up the radio and dance. Get your family involved by sharing favorite songs and dance moves.
If it is too cold or wet to be active out of the house, set up an indoor obstacle course. You don’t need a lot of equipment or a lot of room. A simple course could include things like jumping over pillows, crawling to a specific spot, spinning in a circle, or zigzagging around a line of shoes.
Spring Into Action
Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to get moving. Your entire family can help plant, weed, water and harvest. Whether you join a community garden, have space in your yard, or start a container garden, you can help your family get active while teaching them where their food comes from.
You don’t have to enroll your child in a sports team to get them moving. Just get a ball and practice the basics. How many times can they kick it back and forth between their feet? Can they bounce it on their knees?
Play All Summer Long
Take advantage of the extra hours of daylight with a family trip to the park as the day begins to cool off. Hop, jump, swing and toss around a ball to show your little ones how much fun physical activity can be.
Bring your family on a walk though a local farmers’ market. Talk to your children about the colors, shapes and textures of the different fruits and vegetables and visit with farmers about how you can prepare something you’ve never tried before. Don’t live near a farmers’ market? Find out if there are any community gardens in the area that your family can tour or join.
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