May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month! Children should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, including aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening exercise. Regular physical activity can improve muscle, bone, and heart health, especially for growing children.¹ It can be difficult to meet physical activity recommendations, for both children and adults. Start with small … Read More
Tag: aerobic
Volleyball
Volleyball is a fun sport children can play inside a gym or outside on a sand court. It combines aspects of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball, making it a unique game! Whether you play in a gym or on a sand court, you can find places to play volleyball near you. Contact your local parks … Read More
Every Kid Healthy Week
Did you know that one in three children in the U.S. are overweight or obese? Every Kid Healthy Week celebrates schools’ efforts to promote health and wellness. This year, Every Kid Healthy Week is April 23-27. This is a great opportunity for you to encourage your children to Move More! Here are some ways you … Read More
Preparing for PE Fitness Tests
North Carolina public schools encourage healthy growth and development by creating physical activity goals for children to meet in physical education (PE) classes. Even if your child hasn’t started kindergarten yet, you can be preparing them early for the PE requirements. Listed below are activities for different grade levels that children can participate in to … Read More
National Walking Day
Did you know the first Wednesday of April is National Walking Day? This year, National Walking Day is on April 4. With spring upon us and the weather warming up, this is the perfect time to get back outside and walk! Walking is a great activity for children because they can do it with friends … Read More
Do You See What I See?
Regular exercise is essential to children’s physical development, but it’s also important to be mindful of their cognitive development. There are different developmental milestones children reach at different ages. These milestones are categorized into different types of development: Social/emotional Language/communication Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving) Movement/physical Games can be a great way to help your child … Read More
Make Up a Story and Act it Out
Imagination is an important part of childhood development. As children imagine new possibilities, they learn to think outside the box and solve problems in unique ways. This kind of thinking is critical to their cognitive development. While some adults struggle with creative thinking, children usually don’t! Children often have wild and active imaginations, so why … Read More
Tennis
Tennis is a fast-paced sport played with either 2 players or 4. One player competes against another in singles tennis. In doubles tennis, four players are split into two teams and the two teams compete. Children who aren’t interested in playing a team sport may enjoy tennis as an alternative. Playing tennis regularly can improve heart … Read More
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a children’s game that has lasted through the generations–and for good reason! No equipment is required and children enjoy making their own hopscotch spaces using sidewalk chalk. It’s also a great game for preschoolers to practice their motor skills by learning to control their movement while hopping on one foot. To play hopscotch, … Read More
Plan a Family Outing
What’s the last activity you and your family did outside of the home? It’s easy to suffer from “cabin fever” after being at home for awhile. When you and your family are feeling restless and need time out of your home, plan an active family outing! Plan family events that involve physical activities (e.g. hiking, … Read More