We love summer, but face it some days it can be too hot to be outside. When the heat index is maxed-out try some of these fun activities to keep your mind sharp, body moving, and kids entertained.
1. Play a card game or board game but add a fitness challenge to the game. My kids and I play UNO a lot and we agree upon little exercise challenges throughout the game. For example: If someone lays a draw-four that person also has to do four push ups, as well as, draw four cards. Or if you lay a draw-two that person has to also do two burpees. You can be creative and add any physical challenge. Do this with any game. Card games and board games are great ways for kids to learn how to be strategic and provides a fun alternative to watching TV.
2. Get a ping pong ball and paddles. You can practice great hand eye coordination with your kids without having to buy a big ping pong table. My four-year-old and I practice passing the ping pong back n’ forth in the kitchen. Ping pong balls are so light and you will not have to worry that they could break something. We pass the ball back n’ forth and count how many times we can do it without letting the ball hit the floor. Four is a good number for us. Five is a challenge at this point. Give it a try. You can get paddles and balls for under $20 at most sporting good stores, Target or Walmart.
3. Put in a fitness video or make a family fitness video. Just ask your child to show you an exercise and copy what they do. I promise you will smile, be challenged, and it will be fun. Just start off with trying 3-5 exercises on your first family video. If you choose to play an exercise video, a 10-15 minute video is a great start.
4. Build a fort! Remember when you use to do this using your family dinning table and some sheets from your bedroom? You could even use some of those amazon boxes you have in your garage and connect them. Building a fort with your child is so much fun plus it is a good workout, especially if you are crawling in and out of the fort with them.
5. Create an indoor scavenger hunt. This takes a little bit of planning but get creative and plan for this ahead of time. If you know the weather is going to be brutal in a few days take 30 minutes and plan out a fun hunt.
6. Get the kids scrubbing your baseboards. Yes, this can be fun. I give my kids a wash cloth and old toothbrush with a small cup of cleaner. I turn up music and we scrub away. I know this may not seem fun to you but something about giving the kids an old toothbrush with their own cleaning solution works. My kids are between 4-8 years old and they usually go to it for about 15 minutes.
What ideas do you have? Share them with us at HappyWholeYou (@) gmail (dot) com.