Where Can You and Your Family be Active?

With the New Year upon us, it’s a great time to start thinking about making physical activity a regular part of your family’s life. It can get boring exercising at the same places day after day. Children especially need variety in their play to hold their interest. If you dig deep enough, you may be … Read More


Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek is a fun game for all ages. Toddlers can learn object permanence (the concept that objects are still there even if we can’t observe them with our senses), while teens may enjoy Hide and Seek for the challenge of finding the best place to hide. As with any physical activity, safety is … Read More


Have a Family Parade

You don’t have to ride a float to have your own parade–it doesn’t even have to be a special occasion! Having your own parade can add fun and a physical boost to your walk. And if it’s raining outside, you can even have your parade inside–just make sure the floor is free of objects and … Read More


Red Light, Green Light

Red Light, Green Light is a great way to get young children running! Simply jogging on a track can be boring for children, but Red Light, Green Light turns running into a fun game. It can also help children understand the meaning of the different colors on traffic lights. You’ll need at least 3 players, … Read More


Red Rover

Red Rover is a fun outdoors game for larger groups of children (at least 6). Children should divide into two equal teams (for example, with a group of 6, each team should have 3 players each) and stand about 30 feet apart. Since a lot of space is needed, children should play Red Rover outside. … Read More


Movin’ and Groovin’

Children of all ages should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity. This can come in many forms, from swimming to a game of “Duck, Duck, Goose.” It may seem like toddlers and younger children don’t need as much exercise, but toddlers should get 30 minutes of structured and 60 minutes of unstructured activity daily. … Read More


Family Bike Riding

Riding bikes is fun exercise, especially as a family. No matter what age, children can enjoy riding a bike. Toddlers and preschoolers can ride tricycles, and children who haven’t learned how to ride a two-wheel bike can ride a bike with training wheels. You can also ride bikes in all kinds of settings–the driveway, bike … Read More


Jump Rope

Jumping rope is a great way to exercise and make your heart work hard. People in countries all over the world jump rope as a way to stay fit and healthy. There’s even an event at the Olympics for jump rope! It’s also a great activity for both children and adults, making it a fun … Read More


Simon Says

Simon Says is a great game for kids of all ages because you can include easier or more difficult movements as appropriate. Also, there’s no minimum or maximum number of participants, so no matter how big your family is, everyone can play! You can even play inside or outside–whichever your children prefer. Choose one person … Read More


Hula Hoop

Hula hooping is an inexpensive way to fit in physical activity. If you practice, you’ll not only improve your skills, but you’ll get a great workout! There are many different sizes of hula hoops, so you can choose hoops appropriate for children of all ages and even get one for yourself. After all, activities like … Read More


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Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

North Carolina State University
Agricultural and Human Sciences Department

Cooperative Extension at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES)