Vitality - Fall 2012 - (Page 13)

For prin table, e pages ducatio an nal co citizen d activity tra cking c loring smem harts, v orial.c click “F isit om re “Being e Printables /vitality and .” Look Active fo Is which kids ca Fun” tracking r the n use t sheet, om minute s of mo onitor their vemen t. Fu to Hn lTools e Track E p Kids xercise For Teenagers Minimize the eye-rolling response to adult suggestions with these activities: CHallenge tHem. It’s kids vs. adults. Who can do the most pushups, situps or jumping jacks in one minute? Create a play. Act out a scene from a favorite movie or book. Love the Harry Potter or Hunger Games stories? Bonus points for alternative endings. make CHores aCtive. Cleaning out a section of the basement or garage can be a workout. Join them, and use the chore time as an opportunity to teach correct lifting techniques. For Kids of All Ages These tips can help kids—and adults—of all ages squeeze activity into an “inside day”: sHop ineffiCiently. If you’re getting errands done, work in as much walking as possible. Zigzag between stores or departments. Skip the cart and see how much you can carry. At an indoor mall, you will be protected from the weather and still get in a bit of exercise—download a pedometer app to your smartphone to see how much. try exergaming. Active video games get kids moving. Choose more intense activities such as dancing and boxing over less-active bowling and tennis. take a “fitness five.” Build five-minute breaks into your family’s schedule, in any weather. Take five minutes before or after school, after dinner or as a homework break for a mini-workout as a family. splurge on exerCise. Instead of spending a rainy day at the movies, visit an indoor pool or water park, a rock climbing gym, a trampoline park, a skating rink, an indoor play place or a bowling alley. And don’t sit on the sidelines—join your kids in the fun! sign up for sports. If you live in an area prone to long hot summers or brutal winters, look for an activity your child enjoys. Dance, gymnastics, martial arts, basketball, swim team or indoor soccer can provide regular exercise opportunities in any weather. WHat WeatHer? No one is suggesting you head out in a blizzard or a hurricane, but why not jump in the puddles of a spring shower, look for animal tracks in the snow after a storm has passed, or head out for an early hike before the heat of the day? —By Stephanie Thurrott For Elementary school Ages School-age kids are bursting with creativity. Watch them add their own ideas to these tips: Create an obstaCle Course. “Use pillows or the cushions from the couch to make an obstacle course they can crawl through. They’ll love it,” says Stephen J. Virgilio, Ph.D., whose latest published book is Fitness Education for Children: A Team Approach. Host a danCe party. Teach them the classics—chicken dance, anyone? Or just play music and move. Freeze dance is fun, too: Choose music your family likes, then pause the music at random intervals. When the music stops, everyone freezes in position, which helps build balance. don’t Call tHem “CHores.” Put on music the kids like and see who can put their clothes or toys away the fastest. Or create a scavenger hunt—make a list of seven out-of-place items they have to find, show you and put away. FA L L 2 0 1 2 | 13 http://www.citizensmemorial.com/vitality

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vitality - Fall 2012

Vitality - Fall 2012
Contents
CMH News
Health Beat
The Right Tools
Who Has the Time?
Heart Smart
Q+A
Get Back to Life—Fast
Calendar of Events

Vitality - Fall 2012