Guest post by Rodney
Being a parent is a busy, crazy job.
Parents tend to run and run and run so much for their families that when given the chance to sit down and veg out, they sure want to.
Instead of becoming a couch potato (so tempting!), check out these ways get active with you kids!
1. Don’t just watch — play with your kids. When they run around outside, run around with them!
2. Go hiking and have a nature scavenger hunt. Come up with a list of things that might be found outdoors during a hike and give it to the kids. Encourage them to find and check off (but not take) the items on the list.
3. Take a “Mommy and Me” exercise class with your child. Check around in your area for any classes that are geared toward parents and kids exercising together.
4. Have a tournament of active Wii games like bowling, tennis, or some other active game. Let every member of the family take a turn.
5. Do your older kids like those cool Nerfshooters? Grab some and go outside with them for a declared Nerf war. Play “Last Man Standing” or split into teams and play “Capture the Flag” as the Nerf darts fly!
6. Volunteer to coach a youth team your child plays on. Get into the middle of the activity while the team is practicing and demonstrate principals.
7. Take the whole family to the bowling alley and bowl a few rounds together.
8. Take your kids camping! Let them help with setting up the tent and the camp site. Take bicycles for everyone to ride and plan to go on hikes during your camping trip. Put away the cell phones and electronic games and enjoy the great outdoors.
9. Choose at least one day during the week in which the family will turn off the television, the computer, and the electronic games and instead go outside. Throw the football around, bump the volleyball, jump rope, play a round of kickball, or just run around the yard together.
10. Set up an outdoor obstacle course for the whole family. Make the course so that it includes a “station” for hula hooping, a station for blowing soap bubbles, a jump rope station, a slip and slide station, and more. Be sure that you participate with the kids or it won’t be as much fun!
It doesn’t take a lot of extra supplies or planning to get active with your kids, and it doesn’t need to be expensive. Spending time together being active will create memories and encourage better health.
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