Spring into Good Health with the Whole Family

During this spring holiday season, get into the habit of planning activities at family gatherings that will get everyone moving. It’s a great way for kids to burn off all those Easter treats and Passover macaroons, and it helps keep you active and healthy at the same time.

AICR’s Second Expert Report found that physical activity reduces cancer risk on its own while helping to maintain a healthy weight, which is also cancer protective. So why not try some of these holiday games and outdoor activities the next time the family gets together?

Easter Egg Relay Race

Organize an outdoor egg relay race for a post egg-hunt activity that is fun for all ages.

Divide players into two teams, and hand out plastic spoons to everyone.
Give the first player on both teams a plastic egg. Balancing the egg on the spoon, the first player races to a chosen destination and back to her team, where she passes the egg to the next player. The race finishes when everyone on the team has run the course.
Keep or set a time limit. Encourage the other team to finish its relay so everyone has an opportunity to get active.
For a more challenging relay, create an obstacle path that weaves between plants or requires players to step in tires or hula-hoops.
Instead of rewarding the winners with more candy, try stickers or stationary as prizes.

For the younger kids:

Choose a clear path toward one destination, such as a tree.
Have the children pass the entire spoon with the egg instead of each child having her own spoon.

Passover Afikoman Scavenger Hunt

Give this time-honored game of “find the hidden matzah” a twist. Instead of having the children run aimlessly around your home during the Seder in search of the afikoman, try a clue-based scavenger hunt.

Break the participants into small teams and give each team a different starting point in the house.
Use clues that lead the groups to different parts of the home and ultimately, the hidden matzah.
Based on the ages of the participants, the clues can be as easy or difficult as you prefer and can relate to the story of Passover. The more clues and different places to go, the more active the participants will be.
Reward the winning team with small toys, stickers or other non-candy prizes.

Outdoor Activities for Any Day

Instead of eating a huge meal and then falling asleep watching television, get outside and organize games that get everyone off the couch and having fun. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Take a group after-dinner walk around the block.
Get your children or grandchildren to help you build a kite and head to the park.
Teach your kids how to play hopscotch or four square in the driveway.
Set up a limbo line, a big hit for all ages.
Play kickball in the backyard with mixed ages teams.
Play “Red Rover” or “Duck, Duck, Goose.”
If you’ve got a net and a back yard, start a volleyball match or badminton game.
If you’re feeling adventurous, set up a tee-ball, baseball or softball game.
Set up your own bowling alley on the sidewalk out of empty plastic bottles.
Take a bike ride around the neighborhood.

Make it a priority to organize activities at every gathering so that your friends and family can enjoy a healthy and active spring season this year.

Last month we asked you to tell us how you work more activity into your day. Here’s a great idea from Melissa Levine:

Don’t worry about making housework efficient if it’ll help you move more. Go ahead and take two trips to the basement for laundry. And why not carry grocery bags from the car to the kitchen one at a time?

Follow Melissa’s advice and you’ll get more activity – and be safer, too.

Got a good tip for slipping more activity into your day? Send a note to communications@aicr.org, and write “Move More!” in the subject line.

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