Do you have time to exercise with your busy family life?
A great way to engage your children is to play a fun outdoor game. You may have a few games you remember playing as a child. I am going to suggest a few ideas to stir up your creative game juices.
I think with the age of the computer and other technology we have really lost touch with enjoying being active outside. It is important to lead by example with your children by getting in your daily physical activity.
Here is a list of games you can play…you can always make up your own too.
Tag; Playing tag is a great way to be active!!…If you want to change it up you can try freeze tag or tunnel tag! Or you can make up your own rules.
Capture The Flag; This is one of my favorite games to play outside! To play this game you will need 4 or more people(the more the merrier!), two flags, and a LARGE area (preferably a large park or grassy area) . Ok now that you got everything for the game lets talk about how to play. Split up into two teams and create a middle line and outer boundaries. Each team has 5 minutes to hide their flag (has to be visible). After 5 minutes , come back to the center boundary and give the other team a hint(can be easy or hard as you decide). The purpose of the game is to find the other teams flag and bring it back to your own side. If you get tagged while on the other teams side, you will be put into jail( some where on the other teams side). A member from your team can free you by tagging you. If you get tagged while you have the flag, you go to jail and the flag goes back to where it originally was. your team wins if they successfully bring the flag back to their own side without getting tagged.
Hacky Sack; This game is surprisingly difficult but, really fun. you will need two or more people, hacky sack, bean bag or soccer ball. The object of this game is to keep the object in the air and you can use any part of your body, foot , leg, shoulder, head,..etc. Every one should try and touch the object at least twice before passing on.!! woo hoo now where having fun!!
Four Square; I personal love playing this game! It re quires a ball, 4 or more people, an area of concrete or other hard surface, sidewalk chalk or masking tape. Ok lets talk about how to play…Draw a large square with the sides of at least four feet( use chalk or masking tape but what ever you have) and divide the square into four equal squares. Make a circle around the lines that meet in the center. Number the squares on through four. Place one player in or just behind each square and line up any additional players behind square one. Serve the ball from square four by bouncing it in your square and then hitting it into another square. You’re fine if the ball lands in another square or if someone hits it before it bounces into a square. Return the ball any time it bounces in your square by hitting it and bouncing it into another square. Go the the end of the line behind square one if any of the following things happen: The ball you hit goes outside the boundaries without bouncing or being touched, if a ball bounces in your square and you can’t hit it, or if a ball you hit lands in the circle in the center. Move up as other players miss and have to go to the end of the line. Win the game by making it to the fourth square and staying there longer than anyone else. That brings back memories of recess in grade school….
Dance Off; Oh yeah…hear the beat? To play you will need two or more people and music. The rules are really simple. First stand in a circle and start the music. One person starts off with a dance move and everyone else follows. The next person repeats the first move and adds a new move. The next person repeats both moves and adds a new one. The continues until one person doesn’t successfully complete the dance routine….Now your moving!
Well that’s all I got. Who said that being physically active had to be boring!
Please pass this on to all of your friends and family’s. Also if you are a local Bellingham resident this is a great resource for you! Check it out! http://www.neighborhood-kids.com/
Thank you for your time and energy…Be well
Jaime Hernandez
Health and Exercise Prescriptions