Jump into action with the whole family!
Finally, after months of being cooped up indoors, spring is on the horizon! Fresh air, sunshine, warmer temperatures…a chance for my kids to run and play outside to release pent up energy they’ve been building up all winter.
More than that though, I appreciate the opportunity to shed a few extra “winter” pounds. I’m embarrassed to say that half an inch of dust has settled on the treadmill. Gloomy winter days just haven’t provided much motivation to hop on and hit the trail. Television and the computer have been much more attractive. But now that I’m starting to think about “shorts and bathing suit season,” exercise is making its way into my mind. And even my kids, while not overweight, could use some physical activity that requires more than pressing buttons on their video game controllers.
So I’ve decided it’s time for us to get off the couch and walk out the door into the beautiful and flourishing world that God created. Do you want to join us? Here are some fresh ideas to get your blood flowing, your heart pumping, and your metabolism revving up. The best part is that these are all activities that the whole family can enjoy together:
o Shed the pounds: Next time the kids slip on their rollerblades, why not join them? Show them a trick or two as you run around the block. If it’s been a while, you may want to use some extra padding and maybe even strap a pillow to your waist. It may look funny, but if he falls over without the pillow in place, he definitely won’t be laughing.
o Practice the hula (hoop) – Revisit your younger years and try your hand (or hips) at hula-hooping. Even if it takes you an hour to master, think of all the exercise you’ll get just bending over to pick up the hoop.
o Hop, Skip and Jump – HOP: Grab some sidewalk chalk and draw some hopscotch squares. The hard part will be remembering how the game is played, but your kids will quickly remember it. SKIP: Forget your inhibitions and jump around the house. You’ll feel muscles you forgot you had. If your neighbors give you weird looks, just wave and ask them to join you. Obviously, they also need to release their inhibitions. JUMP: Take out the jump rope that is tangled in your pile of toys. How many jumps can you do in a row without failing? Mix it up by hopping on one foot, backwards, and criss-cross.
o It’s easy (and fun!) to be green. Pickle was a favorite game when I was a kid and now it’s one of my kids’ favorites. Set up two bases (ball mitts or chair cushions work well) a few yards apart. One person stands at each base and tosses a tennis ball back and forth with the other “base” person, while one or two runners try to get to the other “safe base” before being eliminated. Be sure to take your turn as a runner to get your fair amount of exhaustion (I mean exercise). Bonus: everyone will sleep well that night!
These are just a few ideas for getting outside and exercising this spring. The important thing is that you find a fun activity that you can enjoy with your children to get the whole family healthy.