Alice RD
You’ve stocked up on school supplies, the backpacks are loaded and you’re bidding farewell to summer with a Labor Day picnic. Why not kick-off a new season for family health and fitness? Give your kids a healthy head start for life – help them learn to make smart eating and physical activity choices, both important to lower risk for many cancers and other chronic diseases.
On Tuesday, Melissa Halas-Liang shared terrific ideas for getting kids involved in healthier eating – try some of those tips at your picnic. And you can get your children moving more this weekend with just a little planning and equipment that you probably have on hand.
Family Backyard Triathlon: gather enough jump ropes for each participant, a whistle and a timer. Spread everyone out in your yard or the park, issue a jump rope to each participant and begin:
- Blow the whistle to start the rope jump event. Aim for an age appropriate number of minutes, then blow the whistle when time is up. Cheer and applaud!
- Demonstrate how to do a plank (or push-ups or yoga pose if you prefer). Whistle to start and challenge everyone to hold the pose for as long – or do as many push-ups – as they can. When everyone is done, stand up and do some deep breathing before exchanging high fives.
- Finally, start the timer and blow the whistle for the jumping jack event. You can set a time, or allow everyone to do jumping jacks as long as they are able.
Completing a triathlon deserves a prize! Let the kids keep the jump rope or give them something like sidewalk chalk and show them how to play Hopscotch.
What will you do for family fitness this weekend?
