How do your kids get exercise? - Page 3

[annethcz]

Mostly my kids play outside. Even in the cold winter, they spend time playing outside each day.

In the summer and fall (when they're riding their bike all day), they also play on soccer teams.

In the middle of the winter, I tend to sign them up for (indoor) swimming lessons, just to give them another chance to move their bodies. In the past, my kids have taken karate classes, but I'm not planning to do that again.

This year, my kids have asked to take skating lessons, swimming lessons, dance lessons, and play basketball. I'm not sure how many of those things they'll do, but it's an option.

We don't take advantage of it very often, but our city's community center has a homeschool open gym two afternoons per week. It's a good opportunity to get them out of the house and let them run for an hour or two.

I personally do exercize videos every day. Occasionally my kids join in with me, but it's more for fun than for actual exercise. They get bored with the video after only a few minute and find something else to play with.

[briansmama]

just have to say that I grew up going to public school and the school's idea of PE was pretty pathetic. That, and the whole 35 minutes allotted for actual exercise was nothing compared to the amount of exercise we could get unorganized on our own during the weekends and afterschool.

I remember teachers would actually use that PE time to punish certain students by keeping them inside at their desks if they needed to redo their homework assignments fromt he previous day.

[Wilhemina]

Someone else mentioned DDR on Playstation. (I may have missed other similiar mentions). If, like us, you don't have a video game machine, there are DDRish DVDs available with dance mats. DD2 just got one from Twister for her birthday - it can be quite a work out!

[oceanbaby]

I haven't read the replies, but my first reaction is: How do you STOP them from getting exercise? But then I realize that not all kids are like mine. If we don't leave the house, they will literally run in circles from one side of the house to the other up and down the hallway, play chase, build towers to jump off of onto the couch, jump up and down on the beds, etc.

But we almost always get out of the house even if it's cold. I just bundle them up and let them loose. I figure it would be the same as getting exercise at school - either they'd be inside due to crappy weather, or be bundled up and sent outside for 20 minutes.

However, one thing we do for fun, which happens to be exercise, is Dance Party. Every once in awhile I'll just declare DANCE PARTY!, put on some fast moving music, and we'll boogie down for 10 or 15 minutes. It's a great workout for me too!

[RiverSky]

We are in a warmer climate but the children are in soccer classes, take homeschool tennis, are in a homeschool sports class (Parks 'n Rec), kids' yoga, gymnastics and they have one homeschool group get-together a week (always at least 3 hours of running and playing). Plus we have another group that gets together every other week and the children get at least an hour of free play, whether it be riding scooters, playing in the trees, playing in a playground, etc. We also take regular bike rides, swim in the pool, go to the beach, etc. I make certain to get together with other homeschool families frequently, even if I just invite 5 of them over to my house for a get-together, because when there are tons of kids around, they WILL all get a bunch of exercise out of it.

Definitely check out your community center. Our local Parks 'n Rec department has OODLES of inexpensive activities just perfect for homeschoolers.

[antannie]

I never have to push my daughter to get exercise. She is always on the move! She plays hockey which consisits of two games and one hour long practive a week and she works up a great sweat every time. She rides her bike, explores the woods with the dogs, jumps on the trampoline, plays on every team in school (very small school, mixed age/gender teams) and likes to ride horses. She is going to start canoe racing this spring.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by Dillpicklechip

That describes my city (Windsor) exactly. The winters are cold, but not cold enough for good winter spots, more like crappy, often slushy. We get a lot of freezing rain. There are some indoor rinks in town though, I think skating might be fun for my daughter to do with her dad.

I grew up in Ottawa, which was much colder and I remember cross-country skiing with my sisters in behind our house. Now that was good exercise!

I hate freeezing rain. Windsor is pretty far south. It seems like it would be one of the those places where you can't do winter sports and the weather is so rotten that you don't even feel like driving to the indoor places!

BTW, I love Ottawa. We were only an hour from there and used to drive in quite often.

[4evermom]

My child is another wiggly one. Sometimes, I give him a series of "orders" if he is getting antsy waiting in line. I tell him to do ten jumping jacks, pat his head and rub his belly, and other assorted things. The mall is a good destination when the weather is lousy if you and dc can resist wanting to buy things. It's great before store hours to hop from one colored tile to the other, playing follow the leader. Even just playing hide and seek at home beats sitting at a desk for 6 hours.

[Mere]

I have two small kids, and right now, in the middle of our rainy season, it all comes down to three words - BLOW UP AIR MATTRESS.

Seriously, those things are the greatest invention ever. $25 will get you a king sized, instant trampoline. $10 extra will get you a small electric pump, well worth it for those of use who don't have room in our house to keep the thing up permanently.

[Dillpicklechip]

Wow Meredith, that's a really good idea, I think I might pick up one of those next time they go on sale! My kids would go nuts for that!

[roadfamily6now]

since PE or gym in the schools is laughable at best we still make sure our kids get some exercise through out the week.

We joined a local gym here which is awesome cause in the winter there is really nothing else to do at -30F.

We all go swimming at least 3 times a week for an hour. If we go more then 3 times we do the rock climbing wall and play in the gym just have fun. No real structured exercise at this time but we are thinking of tennis for the older kids in the spring.

[Mary-Beth]

It depends on the ages and interests, I suppose.
We jump on pillows, crawl through tunnels, dance to music, make up obstacle courses, and do some yoga videos sometimes.
We try to get outside everday even in the cold. Walk, visit the park, swing, play baseball, etc. But I don't live in an extremely cold area.

Do you have a place to ice skate outside or in a rink?
How about roller skating?
A gymnastics class or other dance class...they are often offered at community centers very affordably.

Exercise is important for physical health as well as mental well being. Do what you can to provide opportunities for movement.

[NYC Girl]

I haven't read any of the replies so if I repeat something, I apologise in advance.

I'll tell you what we have here and maybe it will give you some suggestions. My kids get a lot of exercise and are very active. We have a large playset, a trampoline, in ground pool and a dirt bike. They also have bikes, a pogo stick, a skip-it, jump ropes, skateboards & rollerblades.

As far as indoor stuff, we used to have one of those mini trampolines ($25 at WaLmart) they they liked to bounce on. Also, the like doing exercise videos so we have a bunch of those.

I think it helps if one or both parents are also active. I walk about a mile in the morning with my kids and my husband will frequently go boke riding with them after work.

Hope some of this helps!