Family Friday - Get Outside!

In this day we are full of screens.  Desktop computers, laptop computers, ipads, Kindles, televisions, cellphones, and video games.  Kids spend so much time in front of a screen.  Adults do too.  I personally am on my laptop many hours a day; blogging, facebooking, looking up my kids' answer keys, researching stuff for their school, etc.  We spend hours a day behind screens.

I love that they Wii (and not Kinect) came out for kids to play video games in a more active way.  But let's face it, they are still glued to a screen.  When we are behind a screen, often we get into a trance.  My husband is ADHD.  He cannot sit still at all.  But if he gets in front of the computer, he gets into that trance and is like a zombie.  I find the same for my ADHD sons.

How can we get out of this zombie land?

1. Make it a point every single day to get the kids outside.  And here is an important tip: go outside with them!  My kids are more apt to go outside and play if I go play with them.  Even if it is only one hour a day, that is time well spent.  It builds your relationship with your children.  You both get some exercise.  You both get to bask in the sun, vitamin D is something we all desperately need.  You can ride bikes, take a walk in the neighborhood, that's something good for Fido as well, blow bubbles and let them chase them, shoot hoops, hula hoop, the list goes on and on!
2. Invite the kids to help you cook meals.  Another way to help bond with them.  While cooking together you are doing two other very important things: working on math as you measure out ingredients and teaching them an important life skill.
3. Play board games.  Instead of flipping on the tv after dinner, see what your kids' favorite board games are and play with them.  My kids love to play Uno and work on puzzles.  That is a great way to connect as a family and laugh together.
4. If you have to play a video game, do it in an active way!  Often times we will play Wii bowling after dinner.  It is something that we can do as a family and we are not sitting down to do it.  A bowling competition is a ton of fun!  Also, when my kids want to play video games, I always tell them they have to play one of the active games (bowling, tennis, etc) ten minutes for every twenty minutes of a sit down game.  That helps them to be up and moving.

What tips do you have for keeping your family together and active?

Sweet Blessings~