Winter Fun: Keep your Kids Active this Winter

It is no secret that winter is cold. Many people even choose to avoid the winter wonderland outside their doorstep as much as possible. Although cuddling by the fire while drinking hot-cocoa is a joyful winter activity, there are also many outdoor activities to do that will get your blood pumping and keep you warm! This winter, we suggest that you embrace the chilled snow and plan some fun family outings that include actually being OUTside.

Here is a short list of our favorite activities to do in the winter:

1. Building a Snowman

Creating your own Jack Frost or Olaf in the front of your yard is something your kids will be proud of. When you are finished, snuggle up to the classic Jack Frost movie, or the new hit Frozen and relax after a project well done.

 

 

2. Sledding

Grab your toboggan or snow tube, find the biggest hill in the neighborhood and fly to the bottom of the hill. You and your kids will be having so much fun, you won’t even notice the calories you are burning when you climb back up to the top.

3. Snowball Fight

Is your child a softball, baseball or football star in the making? A snowball fight is a sure way to help them work on their aim and hit their favorite target: you.

4. Snow-Tubing

If there is a ski resort in the area, bring your kids out tubing for the day. It is a fun time for the whole family- and you will have a tow rope to drag you back up the hill.

5. Skiing or Snowboarding

Teaching your kids how to ski or snowboard at a young age is a great way to teach them balance, coordination and patience. They might not get the hang of it right away, but as they improve, it will make them proud of their persistence and accomplishments.

6. Making a Snow Fort

You’ve made plenty of forts in the living room involving couches, blankets, lamps and the TV,  but have you made a snow fort yet? Once you are finished, climb on in. You may not think it, but it is actually warmer huddling under that mound of snow.

7. Shoveling

Although this may not seem very fun, by adding an incentive to this winter chore, your kids will be fighting over who gets to shovel the sidewalk or driveway after each snowfall! The best part? You won’t have to do it!

These are just a few of our ideas at School-A-Thon, and there are definitely many more! Get out there this winter and have some fun in the snow. Remember to dress warm with a hat, mittens, snowpants and jacket when you partake in one of these fun activities. Stay tuned to our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more fun winter ideas! Do you have any more fun ideas to stay active in the winter? We would love to hear them in the comments below!

Introducing Feed on Fitness

When we formed our Color-A-Thon fundraisers,our goal was a simple one; we wanted to help schools raise money while promoting student health and fitness.

So, in honor of this smashing success, we decided to introduce “Feed On Fitness.”

Feed On Fitness is a brand new Twitter account which functions as a source of exercise and nutrition tips for students. Proper diet and activity isn’t a once in a while thing; it should happen every day! So, to keep you moving in the right direction, we tweet everything from at-home exercises and healthy recipes to motivational quotes and lively activities to do with your kids!
 

Push yourself to see results you will be proud of! #Fitness #Health #WorkOut #Motivation pic.twitter.com/kbGtXma8fO
— Feed On Fitness (@FeedOnFitness) November 14, 2014

Feed On Fitness is a great, convenient way to find ideas to improve your child’s health. If you want to see what we have to offer just visit: https://twitter.com/FeedOnFitness Also, remember to tweet at us using @FeedOnFitness or use the hashtag #FeedOnFitness

Let us know what you think of our Twitter feed by commenting below!

Get off the Couch and Have Some FUN: 10 fun ways to keep your family fit and healthy

Remember the days when being inside meant doing chores? Was it hard for your mother to get you to come inside the house for dinner?

Times have changed.

With all of the entertainment geared at kids through your computer, cell phone, television, or other electronic devices, a huge portion of a typical kid’s day is spent indoors.

We here at School-A-Thon believe healthy, happy kids need quality time outside. So, here are ten exercise activities to do with your kids to keep them active - and having fun while doing it.

1. Take a Stroll to the Park

Spending the afternoon at a park is a great way to get out of the house and burn some calories. Push your kids on the swing set, follow them down the slide or play a game of tag; not only will your kids have active fun, but we’re thinking you’ll be laughing and out of breath along with them.  

2. Have a Water Balloon Fight

Having a good old fashioned water balloon fight is a fun way to cool off and make lifelong memories.

3. Go to the Beach

Pack a picnic and spend a day at the beach with the family. Swimming is a fun way to absentmindedly work lots of muscle groups and have a blast! Don’t forget to bring floaties, snorkels, and a beach ball for water games as well as buckets and shovels to make a mansion of a sand castle.

4. Hit the rides at an Amusement Park

Going to an amusement park can tire a person of any age, but will also be a ton of FUN! Take a day trip and splurge with your family - but don’t forget to bring the sunscreen!

5. Take a hike at the State Park

Enjoy a little nature in the good ‘ol outdoors with a family hike to the nearest state park or any good, local hiking trail.  

6. Play Yard Games

Whether it be jumping on the trampoline, playing hide and seek, building an obstacle course, playing fetch with the dog, jumping in the leaves or playing catch, spending a few hours outside in your own backyard can be great for your health and fun for the whole family!

7. Have a competition

See who can stand on one leg the longest, race them across the yard, have a hula-hoop competition, see who can do the best summersault, cartwheel or dance move; the possibilities are endless!

8. Go to the County Fair

There are so many fun things to see at the fair,  you’ll spend more of the time on your feet. From watching the horse show, touring the animal barns, going on the rides and attending a grand stand event, the calories you burn from walking around are countless. (Just remember not to eat too much deliciously fried fair food.)

9. Go for a Walk

Go for a stroll around the neighborhood. Leash up the dog, push the stroller or just enjoy a peaceful walk in some familiar surroundings.

10. And last, but certainly not least: Visit your Relatives!!!

Whether it be your parents (your kid’s grandparents) your sisters or brothers, aunts and uncles, etc… Visiting relatives is good for your whole family. Watch your kids run around the yard, play a game of charades, tag, a ball game or just visit with family. There are a ton of options here, and the memories you make will be cherished for years to come.

There are many fun activities to do with the whole family that can help to be more fit, active, happy, less stressed and healthier! The list of the benefits could go on and on.

The partners at School-A-Thon want every family to be healthy and happy - so much, in fact, that they decided to create Color-A-Thon.

Color-A-Thon is an educational fundraiser in a league of it’s own. It’s an innovative, profitable, and fun event that schools all over the country are using to put a splash of color into their thon and experience phenomenal profit while providing a unique, community based event for all ages. If you are interested in learning more about Color-A-Thon, liked all of our fun, active family ideas, or have some more ideas of your own, please feel free to comment below and let us know your thoughts! We would love to hear from you.

The Benefits of Staying Fit and Active

There’s an epidemic blazing a trail through the US, and it’s not slowing down.

That epidemic? Childhood obesity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity - defined as 40 or more pounds overweight - has more than doubled in children, and quadrupled in adolescents. The specific breakdown is especially alarming; 18% of all US children ages 6-11 were determined to be obese in 2012, and 21% of youth between 12-19 in the same year.

So why does it matter? Well, as we are all fully aware, obesity - at any age - opens the door to a host of devastating health problems, including but not limited to heart disease, diabetes, chronic illness and musculoskeletal conditions.

Now, while the tendency to become overweight does appear more frequently in certain families, a healthy, active lifestyle and a proper diet is simply the best pair of combatants against the dangers of obesity.

Here at School-A-Thon, we encourage kids of all fitness and weight levels to get busy exercising...and there are a lot of awesome dividends beyond healthy weight! Here are a few:

1) Kids who set healthy exercise habits are far more likely to continue them into adulthood.

2) Kids who exercise build strong bones, muscles and joints, which fortify against injuries.

3) Exercise sharpens the mind, builds concentration and promotes increased awareness.

4) Kids who exercise are far less likely to suffer from insomnia.

5) Exercise - especially when it comes to sports and teams - is directly linked to a strong self-image and positive peer relationships.

6) Studies show active kids are far les likely to suffer from depression, anxiety or attention disorders.

 

 

Frankly, that’s a short list. The reasons to get your kids committed to physical fitness are endless...and we’re here to help! Our School-A-Thon Color-A-Thon 3k runs are tried, tested and smash hits with students everywhere. Not into running? Color-A-Thon’s are good for any fitness level, you can run, walk, or move at this event. Let us know if we can help - after all, fitness and proper health shouldn’t be a chore - they should be fun!

School-A-Thon: Your new fun-fundraising alternative!

The school year will be back before we know it - and it’s the perfect time to start thinking about ways to support your kids’ school!

School-A-Thon’s new concept offers another fun fundraising alternative!

With School-A-Thon, we work with you to get your fundraising events off the ground. We’ll help you design a wildly successful pledge event.

You can even choose to have your School-A-Thon event finish with our signature Color-A-Thon Walk/Run! Color runs - those 3-5k runs that blast runners with colorful dust at certain intervals -  have seen a massive spike in popularity in the last couple of years, enticing folks who might not usually sign up for 5K fitness events to get on board!   

Color-A-Thons are memory-makers for family and friends - and they highlight a key belief of School-A-Thon; raising money shouldn’t be a chore! It should: be fun, unite your community, and always be profitable!

School-A-Thon is everywhere!

Look for our half page ad in the upcoming issue of PTO Today. You can also find School-A-Thon on the PTO Today Yellow Pages site.

Check it out yourself at: http://www.ptotoday.com/yellowpages/category/a-thons/

We want to make it easy for you to find us, contact us and get started on one of the most fun, colorful ways to raise funds for your school or group.