With camps and pools closed, it’s time to get creative so kids stay active every day.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a wrench in many family’s summer plans. Camps may be closed and the local pool is likely also off-limits. You may be limiting the number of people your kids can hang around with as you continue to practice social distancing, so pick-up or organized sports are out. And that family vacation you were waiting all year for? That may not go off as planned either.
With so many changes to daily life, it can be difficult to keep everyone active and happy – especially kids. As a parent, it’s important to not only keep kids entertained but to find ways to encourage physical activity so they stay healthy and strong.
Here are 5 ideas if you’ve run out of ways to get kids moving and keep them engaged:
- Schedule a family Olympics. There’s nothing like a little competition to get everyone up and moving! Get the whole family involved in coming up with challenges everyone can compete in. From tug-of-war to relay races, you can spend hours working up a sweat and having some fun.
- Create an obstacle course. Find interesting ways to make moving a challenge. Set up a course using household objects or toys to create obstacles. You can vary the difficulty level to match your child’s age or ability. Even parents can get in on the action!
- Plan an expedition. Just because you need to follow social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t leave your house. So find new places to explore as a family by foot or bike, whether it’s your local park or a new part of town.
- Go back to basics. Remember that feeling you had as a kid when your kite took flight and followed you as you ran for what seemed like miles? Share that carefree feeling with your kids and show them what good ol’ fashion fun feels like.
- Get crafty. Combine physical activity with art. Use sidewalk chalk to create games that can be played on your driveway, like hopscotch. Have kids paint rocks and leave them along a park trail for unsuspecting passers-by. Decorate flower pots and do some gardening.
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Date Last Reviewed: May 20, 2020
Editorial Review: Andrea Cohen, Editorial Director, Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Contact Editor
Medical Review: Andrew P. Overman, DPT, MS, COMT, CSCS
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