Summer is finally here! With the busyness of the school year finally coming to a stop, your kids may be tempted to hole up in the house in front of the television.
Here are a few suggestions to get them up and going so they aren't going back to school as another statistic for childhood obesity.
Limit tv/video game use
Movies and video games can be great educational tools, but can also lead to a very lethargic child. Add the movie snacks and your child could see some major weight gain. A good rule of thumb is to pick a one- to-two hours a day limit. Or you can designate one day a week as a movie/game day. This helps them learn moderation.
Buy healthy snacks/Limit snacking
Snacking is not a bad habit. However, during the summer months when kids get bored they can turn to eating to stay busy. Make sure that snacks and sugary drinks are monitored. We do not keep sodas in our house for this very reason. Our kids would drink them all day. Offer a snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon to hold off the boredom hunger. Also, only stock your pantries and refrigerators with healthy snacks like fruit, carrot sticks, vegetables, cheese cubes and healthy granola bars.
Get wet
Nothing makes kids exercise more than water. If you own a pool or live close to one, go swimming. Consider buying a season pass to the local pool. The pool is a great way to exercise while having a ton of fun. Be sure to pass those healthy snacks-it will save you money from having to buy those snacks at the pool concession. If swimming in a pool is not an option, invest in a slip and slide or sprinkler. The kids can entertain themselves for hours outside when water is involved. Remember the sunscreen.
Check out a local park
Parks offer endless entertainment during the summer months. Pack the bikes and go on a fun family ride. Plan to go hiking on some of the local nature trails. Pack some fishing poles and bait and fish in the lake. Play on the playground equipment such as the slides, swings, etc.
Hold a family/community Olympics
It is an Olympic year and what better way to celebrate than to hold your own. You can come up with fun games to play against each other or divide your family into teams. You can have a water balloon toss, egg relay race, jump rope contest, beach ball volleyball and any other fun games you can think of.
Stay on schedule
Kids can not function without sleep. Most times, kids will over eat to stay awake. They will also take on a vegetable state. Therefore, keep a schedule and make sure your kids go to sleep on time during the summer months. It is for their health.
These are just a few suggestions to get active. If you have any of your own ideas that has been successful for you, please feel free to leave them in the comments.
