If you thought it was hard to get your kids to go outside and play in the summer time, the cold and snow of winter makes it extra challenging! Whether they stay in the house or go outside, there are plenty of fun things for the kids to do to stay active! Here are a few ideas we think they'll love!
Keep the Kids Active this Winter
1. Swim lessons – Sign the kids up for swim lessons this winter! Not only is swimming great exercise, but it will teach your child to swim before summer comes. Plus, what kid doesn't think it's cool they get to go swimming in the winter time!
2. Active Video Games – Want your kids to stay active? Have them play video games! Not just any video games, though. Have them play a physically immersive game on the Kinect or Wii that forces them to move around and remain active.
3. Living Room Forts – Building a fort in the living room with the kids is always a blast! You could even turn your living room into an obstacle course. However you decide to let your kids destroy the living room, take solace in the fact they are getting to exercise on a cold winter's day.
4. Indoor Games – There are lots of traditional outdoor games that you can turn into an indoor game. Games like tag and hide-and-seek can sometimes be even better when they are played indoors!
5. Play Indoor Sports – Ever played broom ball in the house? All you need are a couple of brooms, empty boxes or trash cans to use for goals, and a pair of rolled up socks and you've got yourself a game! There is an endless amount of games the kids can come up with using their imagination. As long as you hide the fine china and don't mind the walls getting a little scuffed up, indoor sports will keep your kids active and occupied for hours!
6. Teach them your Favorite Workouts – Whatever your go-to exercise is–sit ups, push-ups, yoga poses, etc–share it with your children so you can all get a quality workout and share time together. Have a favorite winter sport or activity? Introduce your children to it and just maybe you will help them discover a new favorite activity!
7. Go Sledding – Sledding is a winter time must! It's so much fun and all that trudging up and down the hill is sure to burn calories and build muscle, not to mention the cardiovascular benefits! Pushing, pulling, climbing, running — take the kids sledding and they will certainly get a good workout in!
8. Build a Snow Man – Building a snow man is another great way to work out in winter. It takes hours and hours of crawling and rolling around in the snow. Plus, they can get a little heavy lifting in when they pile up the snow man. Don't forget the corncob pipe and button nose!
9. Outdoor Sports – Winter comes but once a year and with it comes many activities that can only be enjoyed this time of year. Ice skating, hockey, skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, and cross country skiing just to name a few. Youth sports can have a tremendous impact on a young person's life.
10. Indoor Sports – For school aged kids, many indoor sports are in season during the winter. Some of the typical winter sports include basketball, swimming, wrestling, indoor track, and cheerleading. Participating in school sports is a great way to keep your child active this winter.