ARE YOU SITTING DOWN?? Because I have some exciting news... I'M CELEBRATING SUMMER WITH A CRAZY, FUN GIVEAWAY! With summer almost here, you might be wondering what to do with those cute kidlets of yours for three whole months. Well... What if your whole backyard was packed full of fun things for the kids to do ALLLLLL summer long?! Yep, that's right! We wanted to say THANK YOU to our … [Read more...]
Kick the Can – Backyard Version
Recently, my mom told my kids about playing "Kick the Can" as a child - how the neighborhood kids gathered at dusk in the street. One child guarded a coffee can while the others hid in the shadows, waiting for a chance to kick the can. But playing in the street now days is more like the Hunger Games than a special childhood summer memory. So, my husband, Jeff, modified Kick the Can for the … [Read more...]
DIY Huge Hula Hoops
The hula hoops arrived last week, specially made from sprinkler tubing and made extra big for easier hooping. Look at these HUGE hoops -- pink and purple for the girls and yellow for us! (They're also dancing along to last week's VBS CD while hooping.) Jeff's the president of the Colorado Governor's Council for Physical Fitness and they had a big Art of Fitness extravaganza at the Cherry … [Read more...]
Movement Matters for the Brain
Guest post by Nikki Crouse, mom and fitness expert. First of all, let me be clear about the fact that I was never the kid who moved gracefully and was usually one of the last people picked when teams were divided up in gym class. I tripped over invisible lines and, when I was brave enough to wear shorts, everyone made fun of my purple, splotchy legs. I rarely made a basket, fainted during two … [Read more...]
We Need Playful Children
by: Megan Rosker, mom, writer, teacher and education advocate. The everyday monotony of life can pull a mom and dad down, allowing them to fall out of touch with their playful side, the side they naturally exhibited as children. However, while our role is to now be responsible to our families, we also have a responsibility to show with our children how to play. Our kids push us to be … [Read more...]
DIY Backyard Obstacle Course for Your Kids
Get kids active and outdoors with a do-it-yourself (DIY) backyard obstacle course. Obstacle courses build important gross motor skills, develop muscles, develop coordination, help motor planning, increase endurance, increase confidence, basically, all the benefits of outdoor play and physical activity that you already know about. Let each of your kids (or their friends) invent a course for … [Read more...]
An Outdoor Family Game Called Boochie
Try Boochie by Gameright to encourage your entire family to play outside. Boochie is our family's favorite outdoor, active game - both kids (now 6 and 9) can play it for at least three color rotations. See this large orange ball? Throw it somewhere in front of your group. To start playing, each player chooses a color and gets a ring, ball and wrist score keeper. All players throw … [Read more...]
Jungle Jive, Balance and Laugh Game
Ravensburger's Jungle Jive gets the whole family moving with crazy egg balancing. Start with a beginner level of difficulty and work up to intermediate or advanced, choosing from 36 exercises. My friend, Jaymie, borrowed this game for the weekend and loved it. Her only suggestion was to include more activities for beginners. Successfully balance the egg or you'll wake the sleeping … [Read more...]