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How do you make sure your kids get enough exercise?  

post #1 of 17
10/12/06 at 10:54pm
Thread Starter 
DS has been at daycare a few days a week since he was about 18 months and got lots of tearing around stimulation there. But now we have decided to stay home full time and winter is setting in.....Just wondering how everyone makes sure thier kids move around enough, especially in winter. I find if ds deosen't get enough physical stimulation he gets really wranggy and we both get a little nuts.,......But I also find a trip out to be a lot of work with 2 of them....we could do it a few times a week but probably not more.....
post #2 of 17
10/12/06 at 11:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anarchamama View Post
DS has been at daycare a few days a week since he was about 18 months and got lots of tearing around stimulation there. But now we have decided to stay home full time and winter is setting in.....Just wondering how everyone makes sure thier kids move around enough, especially in winter. I find if ds deosen't get enough physical stimulation he gets really wranggy and we both get a little nuts.,......But I also find a trip out to be a lot of work with 2 of them....we could do it a few times a week but probably not more.....
Umm there's nothing wrong stuffing him in a snowsuit and letting him dig and run around outside in the snow.



>.>

and playing out in the snow will tire the little guy out faster than anything.
post #3 of 17
10/12/06 at 11:33pm
Besides libraries, museums, malls, why not just bundle up and head outside?Even if its not for long, running around with lots of layers will keep him warm enough and expend lots of energy. Go to a playground and there will always be another child to run and play with.
post #4 of 17
10/13/06 at 12:46am
My kids are outside constantly - rain or shine, snow or sun. When it's cold I bundle them up and they run around and do their thing and come back in and get warm. When it's raining they make mud pies and jump in puddles. They have lots of unstructured play time outside.
post #5 of 17
10/13/06 at 1:08am
We have a big backyard which they spend a lot of time in. We also walk to the library once or twice a week, which is about five blocks away. The mall near here has an indoor playground called Tinytown. If ds1 is getting antsy when we're doing schoolwork, we play Head Shoulders Knees and Toes.
post #6 of 17
10/13/06 at 1:12am
Dance! We just turn on some music and go crazy! My older DD loves to spin which makes me want to vomit but it's all fun. Baby loves it too!
post #7 of 17
10/13/06 at 3:41am
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post #8 of 17
10/13/06 at 4:21am
We live in a winter climate and I build an ice rink in the backyard. Out they go and it's a kid magnet.

If the weather dips too low for a long time everyone gets a bit cranky, but my kids walk to school no matter what the temp. So that helps. We have laminate flooring and I let the roller skate in the house. Find a ceiling beam and put in a swing. It was always their favorite thing.

Gloria
post #9 of 17
10/13/06 at 11:57am
We still head to the park in the winter as long as it isn't too windy. If there is snow on the ground then we bring sleds, otherwise the dc just run around and play. We have 2 set park days with other families a week, if the weather is really nasty then we'll head to someone's house and let the dc run wild there. We also make more trips to the children's museum in the winter, lot's of running around there.
post #10 of 17
10/13/06 at 12:34pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah we play outside a lot but there are a few months here where is is -40 in the day with windchill and while older ds is ok running around the baby can't be out for to long without moving around he will get cold. SO I was thinking more inside activites. We do go to the pool and the childrens museaum occasionally and try to walk the dog every day, but there are long stretches where playing outside for more than 20 min or so is just not an option.
post #11 of 17
10/13/06 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldgirl,newtricks View Post
We live in a winter climate and I build an ice rink in the backyard.
You built an ice rink? That is so cool! How did you do it? Can you post pictures?

To the OP:
Buy an indoor trampoline. Buy a skip-it. Play hide and go seek. Make a scavenger hunt for them. Have them help you clean. Reorganize their room with their help. Put a swing in the basement. Roller-skate in the basement. Just move!
post #12 of 17
10/13/06 at 3:22pm
We have a spare queen mattress that we use for jumping. Plus a hoppy ball that DD loves to use in the house.

We also have a circular, wooden floor plan and so DD is able to ride her trike inside. I know thats weird, but it works.

There is also a free indoor playplace at the mall that we go to when its too cold (or hot). And we are part of Parents-as-teachers and they have free indoor and outdoor play areas to use.

good luck!
post #13 of 17
10/14/06 at 12:12am
1) We are geared up for winter...at 18mo my son started wearing the snowsuits made by Vulpine Adaptive (www.vulpineadaptive.com) in Duluth (although I noticed tonight that the link to the kid's snowsuits isn't working, no idea why, but the link to the kid boots at www.empirecanvasworks.com is working, that is their sister company). Because of these awesome snowsuits, he was taking 2 hour walks in the snowy woods with us at the age of 2.5 (a sled was handy for him to take short breaks) and this year at 3.5 we expect him to be doing some cross country skiing (he did a little in our yard last year and he can't wait for the snow to fall this year!)

2) We are fortunate to have 3 large indoor playgrounds in our metro area and most of the major malls have smaller play areas.

3) We keep a membership to the local Children's Museum (some cities also have free passes available at libraries that will get you into the museums).

4) Just about anything goes in our house in the winter...ride trike, jump on a set of old cushions (I get an amazing workout from this activity), dance, race trucks, etc.
post #14 of 17
10/14/06 at 12:14am
I've found with being TV-free (or mostly TV-free lately, LOL!) I've never had to worry about them getting enough exercise. They run and jump and play like crazy.
post #15 of 17
10/14/06 at 2:17pm
I am stocking up on outside toys my son can use inside this year. I am letting him take over our lower level this winter. He has a little bike w/ no pedals, a tricycle and some rubber balls. I am also searching for a basketball hoop and similar activities.
post #16 of 17
10/14/06 at 3:29pm
My dsd (she's 6) loves to go for walks with me and she also swims laps with me at the indoor pool.
post #17 of 17
10/14/06 at 7:20pm
For the most part, I just make sure that we walk outside at least once per day. No outting necessessarily, just walk out the front door and see what happens. Even if it's just a walk around the garden, a game of chase or hide-n-seek.

Other things we've done inside are clear space in the living room and make obstacle courses with "various materials" from about the house (chairs to crawl under, pillows to tackle, pieces of rope or yarn made into circles to jump in and out of. Also, we got a small excersize tramp at the thrift store for cheap. I keep it on the back porch usually, but when DS gets "wranggy" (good word!), in comes the tramp and he can jump to his heart's content. Um, let's see what else?? DS plays drums and practices regularly which can be quite a work out, but of course NOT a good fit for every home.

OH! DS loves music, so we turn it up and dance around at least once a day!


Good luck!

Em
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