Off the Beaten Path: Fun Outdoor (and Indoor) Activities
You've heard it before: Eat right and exercise for better family health. So you've cut down on the sugary drinks and managed to sneak more veggies and fruit into the kids' meals. But prying them away from the tube and actually moving their bodies is a whole other challenge. It used to be as simple as "go outside and play." When that's not possible, or your kid's not a sports nut, try these creative approaches to exercise.
Great Ways to Get Outdoors
- GPS Treasure Hunt
- How to Climb a Tree
- Games for the Great Outdoors
- 10 Fun Outside Activities for Kids
- Active Adventure Vacations
Ideas for Inside and In the Neighborhood
- Take walks and bike rides together, or take kids to a local park.
- Enroll in a fun activity like a swimming class at the local YMCA.
- Walk to the store instead of driving. Or let the kids loose in the mall. Shopping can be exercise, too, as long as you're moving.
- More indoor activities...
More Tips & Tricks
- Use technology. Kids love gadgets and tracking things. Give them a pedometer that measures how many steps they take, or make it an in-house competition to see who can clock the most. Text messaging is a great way to send reminders or have the kids report what they did.
- Give non-food rewards. Kids will be more likely to get on board with achieving a specific goal if they know a fun activity, special day trip, or vacation is in it for them.
- Reduce screen time. Even if your kids aren't super active, cutting back on the amount of time they spend on their rear ends watching TV or playing video games can go a long way toward better health. Get ideas on how to cut down screen time.
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