Home Arrest with the Kids?!?
Are you on home arrest with the kids for at least the next two weeks and wondering what the heck are you going to do to keep them active and happy for the time being?
Here are a few ideas to help you do that:
1. Get outside. Get moving. Take a walk, a hike, or a bike ride whenever possible. Challenge your kids to some sprint races. You may want to avoid playgrounds for the time being, and you’ll want to adhere to the six feet of space recommendations for social distancing, but there’s no reason your kids and you can’t get outdoors! Plus, research shows that being outside is great for mental health. #WinWin
2. Add some morning stretching or yoga to your daily routine. This sort of activity can be good for bonding but also a fun way for your kids to learn some moves that you do to take care of yourself at the gym. Plus, I know you’ve already been thinking that you need to do more mobility at home anyway! You can turn it into a challenge to see who can hold something for the longest, or who is the most flexible.
3. Turn everyday games into opportunities for movement challenges. Here are some of our favorites:
Uno – pick a movement for each color, and do the recommended numbers of that movement. We love air squats for red, situps for blue, push-ups for green, and jumping jacks for yellow. If you use a special card like a wild card, reverse, skip, or a draw two, the person using the card does five burpees.
Memory – Add one burpee for each unsuccessful attempt at a match. The count resets to zero each time you get a match.
Puzzle play – Earn a puzzle piece by doing a movement like a jumping jack.
Hangman – Do one burpee for each letter missed. The count resets when someone guesses a letter correctly.
Any board game – Do one movement to earn one turn.
4. Build obstacle courses. Kids LOVE to create these and can play at them for hours. It needn’t be fancy – just help them find things to go over, under, through, or around.
5. Simon Says – Lots of great options here!
Remember, we can’t always control the circumstances around us, but what we can control is our perception of the situation. So whatever situation you mind find yourself in now, remember to stay positive, try to make the best of it, and reach out to us if you need more help.
It is your turn to set the example and be the awesome leader you already are to those kids. Remember to breathe, take it one day at a time, and have some fun! You got this!