s/o Getting Enough Exercise in the Winter

[happypamama]

Thought I would start this thread, as a spin-off of the rowdy boys thread, so we can share ideas for getting exercise in the winter.

 

I can't just bundle my kids up and send them out. Our ridge is really, really unpleasant for more than a few minutes in the winter; the wind is just too biting. I can and do send them out, but they're not able to rely on that for the hard physical exercise that they can in nicer weather.

 

We don't have a Wii, but I may consider that in the future for the exercise games; those seem like they may be helpful. Are there DVDs/youtube/Netflix videos of fun, kid-appropriate exercise routines or things? They have liked doing jumping jacks and such; I can see having 15 or 20 minutes of things like that in the middle of our school day. If I can ever find a good space, I might go for a mini-tramp. We have a weight bench in the basment, but we haven't introduced the kids to that yet (not sure it's quite appropriate yet). Jumpropes might work, but IDK if we have clearance for them or not. Other indoor exercise ideas?

 

I don't make the little guys (2 and 5) sit unless they want to, but I am thinking that elastic bands for everyone's chairs might provide a small outlet for exercise and fidgetyness.

 

I don't really have the option to take them to a class or pool or gym; that might happen once in a while, but for multiple reasons, it can't happen regularly at this point.

 

What else do y'all do with your kids in the winter?

[EmilyGF]

We're ice skating twice a week and running up and down the stairs a lot!

 

 

[Rachel]

Riding toys in the garage.  I send the kids up and down the stairs a lot too.  We have a small slide that I'm getting ready to bring in for the 1 year old, I just have to figure out how to keep the bigger kids off of it.

 

One of my friends lets her girls ride their scooters in the house.  I don't think I have the patience for that, but if you do you may try it, her house is pretty small but they are able to ride laps around the kitchen table.

 

When I was a kid we had a chin-up bar in our basement.  Technically it was our dad's, but we had a lot of fun playing on it.

[Mrs. A]

Thanks for starting this. I was going to ask the same thing. I'm all ears  :bigear:

[chelsmm]

We have a doorway swing/ trapeze bar that the kids use a lot.  I'm also considering a small trampoline, but even a small one will take up a lot of our space. 

Last week we took a break from school one day and did a 15 min movement break from the BOKS website.  They are a program that some schools use, put out by Rebok.  I was able to email them and then download the break suggestions. It's a whole PDF of fun classroom break ideas. The one we did was fun- pretend you are wading through a swamp of marshmallow fluff, pretend you are popcorn popping, pretend you are running (in place) from a lion, etc.  There were maybe 8 ideas, suggested time was about 30 seconds each or something.  The kids had a blast.  I did it with them. 

Hope that helps.

[duckens]

1) Balloon Volleyball -- I lay a jumprope across the living room to divide it, and we bat balloons up in the air.

 

2) Foam balls

 

3) For the littles:

Trampoline -- we have one similar to this one.  Two can jump at once.  Worth every penny.

 

[Piper]

There are some great suggestions here!

We have an Xbox Kinect. It's great for those days the kids can't get out for whatever reason.  A bit expensive, though!  I have a Leslie Sansone DVD - the kids usually join in when I put it on for my own benefit, so that's a win-win.

 

[happypamama]

These are really great so far! My littles will love the balloon idea!

[stripe]

I'd support your idea of swimming. My kids have enjoyed that a lot, and what they learned in the winter was put to use in the summer by swimming outdoors. Are there any cold weather outdoor sports that you can do? Because it is really difficult if it is supercold where you are. Maybe you'd have to bundle everyone up and go to a mall just to have a big space to walk around in. 

[Rachel]

Another idea, the mall doors open here a couple hours before the stores open.  They allow mall walkers and also have a play area that you can use during those hours.

[Lucy the Valiant]

We have an old couch in the basement designated as "the jumping couch." Dual purpose - seating AND trampoline!

 

We also have a wood stove, and the kids are 100% responsible for wood hauling.

 

And we are up north, but can still get out - we've invested in lots of good sleds and ice skates over the years.

 

I wish we did more, though - winter can be tricky!

[LMD]

There are some great suggestions here!

We have an Xbox Kinect. It's great for those days the kids can't get out for whatever reason.  A bit expensive, though!  I have a Leslie Sansone DVD - the kids usually join in when I put it on for my own benefit, so that's a win-win.

 

I have the UFC trainer for Kinect which the kids love to join in on!  The kids also have a couple of other games which get their hearts pumping and they come away panting.