Don't make going to the park with your kids a spectator sport. Get involved! Fitness expert Libby Norris shows us how.
Active Packing for the Park
- Take a few balls of any kind.
- Pylons
- Pails, shovels and rakes
- Plenty of water
- Healthy snacks (carrot sticks, cucumber pieces, celery sticks, mini sandwiches)
- First Aid and Care Items (wipes, tissues and band-aids)
- Towels
Benefits:
- Make any activity more active and more fun!
- You can use the opportunity practice counting and directions
- You burn some calories
- You are actively demonstrating great ways to workout
- You help to promote creativity and improve their skills for unstructured play
Activity #1 - Swings
If your kids are on the swing, this is an opportunity to move your metabolism and make it a game!
Push and Go
- Push 3 x's from the front and run to the back
- Push 3 x's from the back and do and "under push"
- Push 3 x's from the front and run back in the other direction
...and repeat from side to side
Activity #2 - Slide Circuit
Don't get dizzy watching your kids go up and down the slide. Add some fun moves in to get you both moving and working all your muscle groups! Play follow the leader through a circuit using the equipment and the environment around, be creative and have fun at any age!
Start with very simple things and gradually add as they increase their strength and coordination.
Stage 1 Sample: ages 2 -3 years old
- Slide down and say "go"
- Run to one of the monkey bar platforms
- Step up on one side and jump down the other
- Circle around and head back up the slide
Stage 2 Sample - ages 3-5 years old
- Find a second platform
- Run to a bench and do two push-ups
- Circle around and head back to the slide
Stage 3 Sample - ages 6 years and over
- Use the monkey bars or zip line overhead
- Add more push ups or triceps dips
- Add in figure eights around the equipment
- Add shuttle runs back and forth between equipment or pylons
- Make up activities that work in your park and for your child's development for size, strength and coordination!
Activity #3 - Have a Ball. Run, dribble, roll!
Sports are great but have your child practice play. If you pack a ball, you can have any game anywhere. Pack a few pylons and you options are endless.
- Dribble and pass. Just run and kick. No rules, no goals!
- Zig zag and zip. Set up pylons, sticks or buckets and practice dribbling the ball in and out. Add in a sprint down and back
- Rolling down the sand hills. Find a hill and roll down, then run back up.
- Make it up as you go along.
