Just Keep Swimming

With the middle of July comes, you guessed it, swimming. While children would swim from the time the sun comes up until the sun goes down it isn't really feasible. But a few hours a day will do the body good! And don't forget a suit for yourself! An easy way to laugh and have fun while getting the body moving is noodle races. Straddle a pool noodle like a horse and start bicycling your legs. That's all there is to it. Race older children the length of the pool and younger children the width. You can even have a relay race! Just enjoy, keep the legs moving, and keep the mouth laughing. Now get moving!

Batter Up!

Spring has definitely sprung which means it must be time for...baseball! So why not play a modified version of it in your backyard! Get your wiffle ball, bat, mitts, and bases out and get moving with your kids! Name your teams, coordinate your shirts, and start pitching! Remember, ACTIONS speak louder than WORDS!

Dance the Night Away!

Turn off the tv and turn on the music -- whatever kind of music that gets you moving. The children may be a little hesitant at first but they will be laughing and moving with you in no time at all. Start out with something a little slow and then really turn it up. Use iTunes to create a playlist and make it a weekly family night. Need a few new moves? Watching 'So You Think You Can Dance' always helps here! It premiers in a few short weeks on Fox. What a great way to connect with your family and get moving with your children. Enjoy and dance the night away!

A Good Old Fashioned Walk

There is nothing like a good old fashioned walk to get moving and spend some quality time with your family. A wonderful time to head out is after dinner while it is still light. Make sure everyone is wearing appropriate foot wear and has a bottle of water! Get your body moving and enjoy nature, regardless of where you live. Listen for the sounds of birds and other animals, breathe in the aromas of your area, look for different leaves, interesting rocks, beautiful flowers, and animal tracks if you are on a trail. Talk about your day, your hopes, your dreams. Connect with the world around you and with your family. It is a wonderful way to wind down your day. Collect some items from your walk and make a collage or a shadow box. Just get out there and get moving!

Rain, rain, go away!

What to do on a rainy day? Can't really play outside (well, yes you can but...) so blow up a balloon and play balloon tennis. All you need is a space to play, a blown-up balloon, and a line to make the "net" -- that's it! Flip a coin to see who will be the server (the person to start the balloon in motion). Once you determine the server, throw the balloon up and hit it over the net to the other person. See how many times you can bat it back and forth. See how high you can hit it, then how low. Set a timer and see how long you can volley (volley means hit the balloon back and forth without it touching the floor). See if you can spin around and then hit the balloon back. There are plenty of 'tricks' to try.

For the more competitive, keep score. The first person to 10 or 12 wins. You score a point if the other person fails to hit the balloon before it drops to the floor or if the other person fails to get it over the 'net'. Just make sure to have fun and MOVE AROUND! Now grab your kids and get moving!!

An Oldy but a Goody!

Break out your hula hoops! It doesn't matter the weather, you can do it indoors or out! Hula hooping is a fun way to get moving. Shake those hips, rock your arms, swing your neck, wherever you decide to hoop the hula you will be moving and laughing with your kids! It's not just for girls, boys will take on the challenge as well. Get out a timer and see if you can hula hoop for 1 minute or 2? Line everyone up and see who can hula hoop the longest. Can you do it on your knees? Play some music and see how fast you can hula hoop! Just get a hula hoop, your children, and get moving!

A Slave to Your Blackberry or iPhone?

Are you a slave to your Blackberry or iPhone? Do you have a list of things to do or some type of schedule you keep? Then be sure to schedule "30 minutes of quality active time with children"! We ALL need time for ourselves but our children need their closest and best bosses too, YOU!

If the day seems to slip away and you haven't been active and spent some quality time with them than you need to schedule it in with all of your other duties. Trust me, you will be glad you did and more importantly so will your children. It doesn't have to be high impact, crazy fitness stuff just something fun with movement. When was the last time you played hopscotch. It's a cinch right? Try it, you might be surprised. Get to the park, if weather permits, and do the monkey bars. Or better yet, make an obstacle course out of the playground equipment and race. What kid doesn't love to race their parents? Make it even more interesting with the winner having to take the garbage out for a whole week!

Whatever it is you choose to do: ride your bikes, walk the dog, who can do 50 jumping jacks the fastest just schedule it in and be sure when the alarm goes off that you grab your children and get moving! You might even laugh!

A New Twist to the Old Easter Egg Hunt

Are you getting ready for the Easter Bunny? There is nothing children like more than an entire basket filled with treats! Who doesn't? But why not get them moving BEFORE they dive in!

Make an treaure hunt out of finding their baskets. Use the back of an inexpensive puzzle that they first need to put together to create the map. Then give them clues to where their treats are hidden. Make the clues far apart and your kids will be running from one to the other. The more clues the more movement!

Or how about an egg hunt challenge! Make them hop on one foot from egg to egg. The hunt will last longer and there will be a lot of laughs along the way too! Don't forget to have the video camera rolling!

Happy Hunting!

Only Sneakers Required!

Grab your sneakers and hit the ground running! The easiest way to get moving is to run. All you need is a pair of sneakers and you're off! You don't have to run fast, you just need to get moving! You're children will love it especially if you challenge them. Challenge them to see who can get to the fire hydrant first, the next tree, whatever! And who knows, you might just inspire the next great Olympic Runner!

Have an infant? Grab a jogging stroller and take them too. Don't worry if you have multiples, you can still do it! And it's a great opportunity to get outdoors and stimulate your infant(s) with the sights and sounds of spring! What ever you choose, get moving!

Jump and Laugh

Rain or shine, grab a jump rope! You’ll burn 11 calories per minute and your kids will laugh, A LOT! If you’re child is too little or not quite coordinated enough to jump rope, lay the rope on the ground and move it like a snake. Have them jump over it as many times as they can without landing on it.

Need a verse to jump to? Try:

Bubble gum, bubble gum in a dish
How many pieces do you wish?
1, 2, 3,…

(Count how many times you jump over the rope without missing for the answer!)