Mother May I?
“Mother May I?” may sound like just a child’s question, but it’s also a fun game for young children that gets them moving!
You need at least 3 players to play “Mother May I?” One player is the mother while the rest of the players are the children. The mother and the children should stand opposite each other in a room or open area outside. To begin, one child asks the mother, “Mother may I _____?” Whatever the child asks the mother should be to take some number of actions that helps the child get toward the mother. The mother can either say “Yes you may,” or “No you may not, but you may ____” (if the mother says no, they must instead offer a different movement that the child may do). Continue playing until one of the children reaches the mother–this child is the winner and becomes the mother for the next game.
Examples of actions that children may request include:
- “Mother may I take 5 baby steps forward?”
- “Mother may I take 2 giant steps forward?”
- “Mother may I take 3 hops forward?”
- “Mother may I run forward for 4 seconds?”
Examples of suggestions that mother may make include:
- “No you may not, but you may take 2 giant steps backward.”
- “No you may not, but you may run backward for 3 seconds.”
- “No, you may not, but you may walk backward until I say, ‘Stop.'”
Who can your children play “Mother May I?” with this week?
Move While You Clean
Cleaning doesn’t have to just be a chore–it can actually be great exercise! Have you ever noticed yourself getting exhausted as you vacuum your floors? I sure have!
Turn cleaning into a fun family affair–cleaning doesn’t have to be all disinfectant and dullness! Play your favorite songs and groove while you move around the house. Turning on fast music can help you clean faster. Not only does this get the job done more quickly, but it also gets your heart rate up higher, resulting in a better workout. Having your children help clean allows them to get the benefits of exercise as well as teaches them the importance of contributing to household responsibilities. Toddlers who may not be developmentally ready to clean can still dance, move, and pretend to clean with you.
Children should get at least 60 minutes of exercise daily. This doesn’t have to be 60 minutes straight. They could help you clean for 30 minutes in the afternoon and play frisbee for 30 minutes in the evening to reach the 60-minute goal. While these activities are intended for classroom physical activity breaks, your children can try them at home to fit in extra activity time at home. Whether they’re helping you clean, playing actively, or doing quick exercises, encourage your children to be active everyday!
What part of your home can your family clean together today?
Freezer Magic: 8 Tips for Freezing Fruits and Vegetables
We are in the peak of summer time produce. Often I buy a little extra since it is such a good price but can’t use it all fresh in one week. In search of ways to preserve what I bought and ensure that I can use for more meals, I came across this publication, Freezer Magic: 8 Tips for Freezing Fruits and Vegetables
Here are a few things I want to highlight for you:
- Freeze ripe, high-quality fruits and vegetables. Freezing won’t magically fix any rot, lack of ripeness, or mold — it will just preserve those pesky problems.
- Think about how you want your fruits and vegetables to appear when you reach for them in the freezer.
- Consider the serving size. Freeze in “ready-to-eat” sizes that you and your family regularly consume.
- Many vegetables need to be “blanched” or partially cooked before they are frozen. For a full list, see the publication.
Freezing fruits and vegetables can be a good way to save you money. Be sure to follow the instructions and use the produce, instead of letting them go to waste. Otherwise, you don’t end up saving money!
Enjoy!!
Emily
Emily is an Extension Associate for NC EFNEP.
Source: http://foodandhealth.com/freezer-magic-8-freezing-tips/
Make Family Time Active Time!
It’s easy after a long day of work, school, and extracurricular activities to just lay on the couch and put on your family’s favorite TV show. Physical activity is an important part of good health, and it’s a great way to connect with your family, especially after spending the day apart. Instead of defaulting to TV in the evening, try a physical activity that the whole family can do together.
Ask your family what activities they like to participate in and try them together. For example, if your child enjoys playing soccer at the park, try soccer together one day. If you prefer a slower yoga practice, you can do yoga together another day. Here are some other ways you and your family can be active together:
- Teach your child a game you played when you were their age
- Go for a family bike ride
- Picnic at a park and play
- Put on your favorite music and dance
Incorporating physical activity into your busy day can be challenging. It’s okay if you don’t immediately start exercising everyday–take small steps so you can make lasting lifestyle changes! Remember to always talk to your family and continue the conversation about the benefits of physical activity and how you can be active together. For more tips on how to be an active family, visit https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tentips/DGTipsheet29BeAnActiveFamily.pdf.
What activity will you and your family try to get started?
Capture the Flag
Capture the Flag has been a popular game for decades. It’s a great game to play after school or on the weekends with the whole family. Try inviting another family to play with you to get a bigger group together. You’ll have so much fun you may forget you’re exercising!
To start, find somewhere to play with a lot of room that also has places to hide (perhaps a park with plentiful trees and bushes). If you’re playing in a communal space, make sure to be aware of other people since you’re sharing the space! The only equipment you need are two flags (you can also use scarves or old dishcloths as the flags), one for each team. Split the space into two sides and divide your players into two teams. Each team gets time to hide their flag on their side without the other team watching. The goal of the game is to get the other team’s flag and bring it onto your own side. However, the opposing team can gently tag your teammates and make them “prisoners” that must be tagged by a teammate to get rescued.
Capture the Flag is a very active, competitive game. It’s especially great exercise for teens who may no longer have the time in their busy schedules to participate in organized sports but still want to stay active through competitive play. Capture the Flag can also include many players, making it a great social opportunity as well. Like younger children, teens should still be active for at least an hour most days during the week. For more tips on fitness for your teen, visit http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/fitness-13-18.html#.
To learn how to play Capture the Flag in more detail, visit http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/games/game_cf.asp. Remember to play safe!
Who can you and your family play Capture the Flag with?