While we aren’t really under the same stay at home orders we were before, we now have lots of kids home for the summer without being able to access a lot of their favorite activity spots. Trampoline parks, water recreation areas, and several other spots are still closed. We know this can lead to frustration, boredom, and inactivity.
Keeping children active is crucial for so much more than athletic reasons. Their brains learn from play. They build more confidence, they’re happier, and will have a healthier BMI. They get better hand/eye coordination, and agility. And another win for parents is the fact that they tend to sleep better after a full day of play.
We’ve got many ideas to help keep your kids active during this crazy time in life.
Most hiking trails are opening back up. The app All Trails is a great resource for local hikes that show distance, how strenuous the hike is, as well as pictures. It’s a great resource to find trails that are appropriate for kids under 3, or teenagers.
Yard work may seem tedious, but tell a 3 year old who’s bored out of their mind inside the house to go pick weeds in the garden, and I’ll guarantee if you can make a game out of it, they’ll play along.
Go biking around the neighborhood. If your child doesn’t have a bike for their size, facebook marketplace is a great place to find one.
Water toys for outside are always a big hit, especially ones that let you truly play, like water slides and sprinklers. They’ll be moving while staying cool.
Go out and play catch with a football or baseball. Make sure to throw a few of them over their head to help with their coordination and to make them run around a bit more.
We also offer FitKids classes at S3, and would love to have your kids out to play and learn with other kids their age. They’ll be playing games and doing activities that will build a base for fitness in later years.
Overall, we just don’t want to see kids cooped up all summer. They need play. It’s a huge building block in their development. Keep them active , make it fun, and let them be kids.
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