Fun Fitness
Games and activities to keep the whole family moving!
FAMILY FUN WALKS
Try these tips to keep your child excited, engaged and looking forward to
family walks!
Play Games:
- Letter and number games: What can you see that starts with B? How many
cars are in that driveway?
- I spy: I spy something that is blue; fluffy; rusty; red; prickly, etc.
- Scavenger hunt: this requires a little thinking ahead, but if you have
time to make a list, your child will love it.
Fun Movements:
- Skip, hop, jump or dance instead of walking
- Play follow the leader with funny movements; take turns being the
leader.
PARK CHALLENGE
Plan family outings to different parks. How many parks can you visit in a
month? Try different activities bike, hike, play, paddleboat! How many
different ways can you enjoy the parks? Set different family goals and see if
you rise to the challenge! Visit
http://www.parkandrec.com for a listing of parks and greenways.
RAY QUEST/LETTERBOX CHALLENGE
Follow the stories of Ray's Adventures on one of the 4 Ray Quest greenways to
find the hidden box. Inside the box will be a stamp. Stamp your Ray Quest
passport and once you have found all four stamps and marked your passport you
will have successfully completed the Ray Quest. To learn more and to
download/obtain a passport visit
http://www.parkandrec.com.
OBSTACLE COURSE
Obstacle courses are a fun way to get moving when you're stuck indoors. You
can set up as many obstacles as you like just remember that very young
children might have a harder time remembering a long series of obstacles. Some
ideas include:
- Jumping into a pile of pillows
- Making a hopscotch obstacle
- Crawling or bending backwards underneath an elevated broom
- Skipping around toys
- Jumping rope a certain number of times
- Doing a somersault (use a pillow or mat!)
- Running or crawling up a staircase
- Scooting on the kitchen floor
RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT
Stand 30 feet away from your child, facing each other. When you say Green
light, she can run towards you, but when you say Red light, she has to freeze
in place. You can also choose fun ways for her to walk to you, like hopping,
skipping, or pretending to be an airplane or bird. To add another element, you
can also call out Yellow light, which means she has to walk or move in slow
motion.
DANCE PARTY/FREEZE DANCE
A fun way for you and your child to exercise is to have a dance party. Clear
a space where your child has room to move around easily, put on some music, and
dance together, making up dance moves if you want. A variation of this is freeze
dance: Inform your child that when the music stops, he has to freeze in place.
Play the music and stop it at random see who can be the most still, or freeze
the fastest!
BLANKET SCOOT
Materials:
Process:
Lay the baby blanket or towel on a smooth floor. Have your child sit on the
blanket or towel with her bare feet sticking out beyond the edge. Have her use
only her feet to propel herself across the floor. Can she move backward? Have
her turn in circles. Have her place her knees next to her chest, her feet
against a wall, and push off. How far can she go?
Excerpted from The Wiggle & Giggle Busy Book. Copyright
2005 by Trish Kuffner. Reprinted with permission from Meadowbrook Press,
www.meadowbrookpress.com.
FISHING
Materials:
- Scissors
- Construction paper
- Marker
- Tape
- Paper clips
- Magnet
- String
Process:
- Cut fish shapes from construction paper.
- On each fish, write an instruction like Hop three times, Walk
backward ten steps, Balance on one food and count to three, Clap your
hands four times, Jump with feet together five times, and so on.
- On the back of each fish, tape a paper clip.
- Place the fish, paper clip side up, on the floor.
- Tie a magnet to the string.
- Have your child dangle the magnet over the fish.
- When she catches one, she must reel it in and perform the action written
on the fish.
Excerpted from The Wiggle & Giggle Busy Book. Copyright
2005 by Trish Kuffner. Reprinted with permission from Meadowbrook Press,
www.meadowbrookpress.com.
CAN YOU?
Ask your toddler what she can do: Can you nod your head? Can you clap your
hands? Can you stamp your feet? Can you rub your tummy? Can you raise one arm?
Can you touch your nose? Can you put your hand on your foot? Can you touch your
elbow with your hand? Have her do the actions to prove she can.
Excerpted from The Wiggle & Giggle Busy Book. Copyright
2005 by Trish Kuffner. Reprinted with permission from Meadowbrook Press,
www.meadowbrookpress.com.
COPYCAT
Materials:
- Beanbag
- Scissors
- Magazines
- Glue
- Several sheets of construction paper
Process:
- Cut pictures from magazines that show various actions like running,
jumping, standing on one foot, crawling, and so on.
- Glue the pictures onto separate sheets of construction paper and place
them face-down on the floor.
- Have your child throw a beanbag so it lands on or near one of the
sheets.
- Have her turn the paper over and perform the action shown.
Excerpted from The Wiggle & Giggle Busy Book. Copyright
2005 by Trish Kuffner. Reprinted with permission from Meadowbrook Press,
www.meadowbrookpress.com.
I CAN
As you recite these verses, do the actions described. Have your child join
you. Be sure to give each other a lot of space!
Like a bunny I can hop.
I can spin just like a top.
I can reach, reach, reach up high,
And I almost touch the sky.
In a boat I row and row,
Sometimes fast and sometimes slow.
Now a bouncing jumping jack,
I pop up and then go back.
I sway gently in the breeze
Like the little forest trees.
I make faces like a clown,
Then I softly settle down.
Excerpted from The Wiggle & Giggle Busy Book. Copyright
2005 by Trish Kuffner. Reprinted with permission from Meadowbrook Press,
www.meadowbrookpress.com.