The Gift of Good Health
Do the gifts on your kids wish list encourage them to be active? What a great chance we have to get them things that will get them moving. Exercise should involve games and fun. So when Jamie was tired of her kids playing pbskids.org all day, she busted out the HypderDash (which was in hiding for Christmas) to get them moving, and they loved it! Its a new game that encourages activity by running around the house and finding targets. Jamie wants to set them REALLY far apart so they really have to make a run for it.
Here are toys that would encourage kids to be active:
- My boys are getting sleds
- Flip-flopper is getting new roller blades. She could live on those things.
- Balls (basketball, baseball, bouncy balls, 4 square balls etc.
- Got lot’s of money?…Trampoline! My kids would love this, but my husband is anti-trampoline due to the nurse in him (he’s sure someone will break a leg)
- bikes
- frisbee
- badminton set
- croquet
- jumpropes (make great stocking stuffers)
- Cones or a soccer goal net (we use cones)
- Dance Dance Revolution
Here is the catch! You must play WITH your kids. Any other ideas?
Posted: December 4th, 2008 under Exercise.
Tags: balls, encouraging kids to be active, exercise gifts, exercise ideas for kids, healthy gift ideas, hyperdash, jumprope, trampoline
Comments
Comment from Jamie
Time December 4, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Our neighbor kids (10 and 
have been over to play hyperdash and they like it too. My boys are only 4 and 2 1/2 but they love it. I can’t wait to play it outside when it gets warmer. The other day I even put some of the targets at the top of the stairs and some at the bottom and my 4 year old and I were racing up and down the stairs. I was almost afraid that he was going to go rolling down the stairs with how fast his little feet were going but we had a great time. You’re right about playing WITH them. It’s not only good for YOU but I think the kids have so much more fun too. …at least mine do.
Comment from Jamie
Time December 4, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I guess when you type an 8 with a ) after it, it turns into a sunglasses smiley face guy. Who knew??
Comment from Wendy
Time December 4, 2008 at 6:40 pm
My boys (7 & 10) LOVE their ripsticks. It is like a skateboard but more of a workout. No one has had a major fall except me;)
Comment from Amy
Time December 4, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Cathy, we have a wii, but I haven’t tried wii fit. Would really like to. And the winters get really long around here too!
Jamie,
This made me laugh for a long time!! At first, I thought you just didn’t want to say the age of the other child. I was like ten and smiley face, interesting. Thanks for clearing it up.
Wendy, those ripsticks look like great exercise. I certainly couldn’t keep my balance on them.
Comment from eliece
Time December 5, 2008 at 10:24 am
Thanks for the hyperdash idea (and web link — I’m doing all my shopping online!) I’ve been looking for a new game to get for Christmas! My kids get a lot of exercise on their razor scooters.
Comment from Mark
Time December 5, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I like it! Maybe throw some tag in there! Have a nice weekend!
Comment from cathy
Time December 4, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Hyperdash looks great! We spend a lot of time inside in the winter, so I’m always looking for good indoor activities that will get them moving. One of my kids’ faves – Wii Fit. My son likes to box and my daughter likes to run with with it. We’ve also been known to have hallway races and to tape a hopscotch board on the floor.
(And I’m with your husband on the trampoline. SO FUN, but so dangerous too. They give me a serious case of the heebie-jeebies!)