Mercy Children's Hospital

Kohls Kids in Action

Spring is finally here!  After being cooped up all Winter, it should be easy to help your child stay active.  Here are a few Springtime activity ideas to get you started.

Children and teens need at least 60 minutes of physicial activity most days to stay healthy and avoid obesity.  You can get creative when it comes to replacing screen time with play time, without spending alot of money.

• Play hopscotch.
• Hit the beach. Even if it’s not warm enough for a swimsuit, your kids will enjoy rolling up their pant legs and walking in the sand.
• Make a sidewalk mural using colored chalk.
• Visit a nature preserve like the Irwin Prairie (10005 W. Bancroft, Holland, Ohio) where you can stroll on the boardwalk through the marsh.
• Plant a theme garden. How about a purple garden, featuring eggplant, purple flowers, beans and even purple carrots? Perhaps a pizza garden is more to your liking – plant the herbs, tomatoes, onions, peppers and other toppings that your family enjoys. How about a butterfly or mini garden, with grape tomatoes and dwarf sunflowers? The theme can be anything that your child dreams up.
• Make a bird feeder (see ideas below).
• Plan a picnic. Even if it’s in your own back yard, the kids will enjoy the planning, preparing and packing the meal.

Children thrive on personal attention and walking gives parents and kids time to talk about their day, vent frustrations, or just hold hands.   Go to the Zoo, a Metro Park, or even the Art Museum or Mall.    Make it a priority for your family to get on the move.  Just like healthy eating, good exercise habits are learned through the examples of parents and caregivers.

Move Like A Crab

Sit with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent.   Lean back and place your hands on the floor behind you.  Lift your bottom off the floor, putting your weight on your hands and feet.  Now, crawl for one minute or as long as you can keep your balance.  As you get stronger, crab crawl farther.  This is a fun one to do with a friend, or even with your adult.  Have crab races!

Move In The Air

Tape a shoelace to the floor in a straight line.  Stand on one side of the string with both feet together.  Jump!  Measure your jump along the length of the string.   Try 10 jumps.  Take a short break - and do it again!  As you get stronger, do more jumps, longer jumps.  (Little kids can jump across the string).  Jump over the string and back 10 times.

Move On One Foot

Like to hop?  Like music?  Try hopping on one foot all the way through your favorite song!  Tip: start with a short song.  Listen to a longer one each time.  It's better if you sing along!

Springtime Crafts