How do you keep your family active now that school is out?
Jyl:Now that the kids are out of school we stay active by choosing a summer field trip each week, staying active in sports and with friends. Our local state park offers free admission on Wednesdays so we go there to swim at the beach, hike, picnic, paddle boat, etc., and some other families meet us there to make it even more fun. We are also involved in as many activities as we can find. Some of our summer field trips coming up: caving (there is a free educational open cave day at a college located about 45 minutes from us), rock climbing, amusement park, and hiking. We have also found some great community activities to get involved with. The Bat Blitz is about catching and checking bats for a fungus that is destroying their population, and the nets and education on how to catch, check for the fungus and release are provided.
So, while many of our activities are lots of fun, many are free and educational. You can find some local activities by checking with your Chamber of Commerce, local newspaper office, family, and friends. We have even found community movie after dark events. Our local community shows a movie once a month at the local football field free for all who want to attend. All of the movies are family friendly and we get to see many of our friends while there.
So, as you can see it is about doing some research to find activities that are a good fit for you and your family. And mostly, it is about having fun and making memories. That is what I have found to be the most important ingredient.
Elizabeth: Every day of summer break includes some sort of outside activity or game for my kids. It could be a game of tag, catch, frisbee, a scavenger hunt, or running through the sprinklers. If we can’t go outside, we come up with a way to engage in some physical activity inside instead. It’s important to me that they remain active, so it’s definitely something we do every single day.
Shannon: Now that’s school is out, I feel like I work harder to keep my boys entertained and busy than I do during the school year. I try to have some sort of outdoor activity each day, so that they can run around and get the energy out. We go to the park, the beach, or the zoo. I have invested in annual passes at our local Zoo and Children’s Museum and after 2 visits, I have already gotten my money’s worth. I also try to have playdates with friends a few times a week. MOMS Club (Moms Offering Moms Support) is another great social outlet for you and your kids.