Stuck at Home: Creative Ideas for Keeping Kids Active & Inspiring Healthy Habits
Amid so many unprecedented measures to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, children are home from school for an extended period of time and many families are opting not to travel over Spring Break. There’s no doubt that parents are looking for ways to keep kids active and physically and mentally stimulated over this prolonged break.
As a mother of three, I am a strong advocate for helping kids build the habits to live a healthy and active lifestyle. While it’s important for families to maintain a positive routine during times like these, it’s also an opportunity for families to try new things. In partnership with national non-profit Action for Healthy Kids, I’ve curated ideas that will not only keep the kids busy at home, but inspire new interests and form new active habits.
1. Create a backyard fitness or obstacle course. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that one of the hashtags I use often is #GetOutside. Kids need fresh air and outdoor exercise, whether it’s 30 or 70 degrees. One of our family’s favorite things to do is to create obstacle courses in our backyard using everyday items we have in the garage, from hula hoops to frisbees. Have kids pretend they are on their own ninja warrior show and use a watch to let them time how fast they make it through the course. Between building the course and running it over and over to try to set a personal record, this can be a couple hours of outdoor fun. And it’s great exercise for parents too!
2. Create your own test kitchen. I’m a big fan of teaching my kids healthy eating habits at a young age, and one of the best ways to do that is letting them experiment in the kitchen. There’s great inspiration online, and Action for Healthy Kids even has recipes and a healthy eating toolkit they created with Dole. You’ll find recipes kids can make themselves, giving them pride in the fact that they made something on their own. It’s an opportunity to learn about nutrition, even math and science, while keeping the kids entertained. And keep it simple: my kids love designing new veggie/fruit/cheese trays for lunch or coming up with new fruit smoothie recipes. Let them experiment and create taste tests to learn what works and what doesn’t.
3. Neighborhood nature scavenger hunt. I love this one because you can tailor it to kids of all ages and do it in your own backyard, a park, or around your neighborhood. There are many lists for scavenger hunt items online – think Pinterest – and all you need is the list, a pencil, and a bag to gather items and you’re on your way. Kids will not only get exercise, they’ll be exploring the outdoors on this fun sensory expedition. I also like to incorporate activities like “hang from a low-hanging tree branch” or “find a spiderweb and sketch what it looks like”. Think about what’s in your neighborhood – or you own backyard – and bring to life your outside surroundings into your own hunt.
4. Take a hike. Plan for an afternoon to get out and explore the trails and nature-based activities available at your local forest preserves, in most communities there are options within easy driving distance. Pack a lunch and bring your bikes or simply wear your walking shoes and have kids create their own fitness challenges along the way. Even if visitor centers aren’t open, there’s plenty of open lands that offer new experiences. The best part: you and your kids will learn to love nature, appreciate your local habitats and can make it a regular weekend activity as the weather continues to warm.
5. Fort-building fun. All those trips you’re taking to Costco? All the supplies you’ve been ordering from Amazon? Save those boxes! Whether it’s a fort, a pirate ship, a rocket or a doll house, we all know that a simple box is all kids need to harness their imagination and creativity for hours of building and pretend play with their creations. My kids love when I create a “challenge” that has them engineering everything from “the ultimate camping vehicle” or a “futuristic spaceship”. When they’re finished, they present their creation and explain all the design details and functionality. This type of challenge also works great with Legos!
6. Create a daily schedule – and stick to it. Regardless of what activities you plan, create a daily schedule and display it for everyone to follow. The days can feel long for everyone when you’re all home for this long. Having a plan that the kids can refer to (just like in school) will keep your day moving – and the kids moving – without as many questions about “what’s next”. It’s important to maintain healthy routines at home, especially during times of vast change for kids.
For more ideas to keep kids active and learning healthy lifestyle habits, check out the Healthy Kids Blog with specific at-home ideas here. Families will also find some really helpful resources as we all take precautions for COVID-19 during these coming weeks and beyond.