The Importance Of Getting A Good Night's Sleep

Now that school is in full swing, getting your children on a schedule that allows for adequate amounts of sleep is crucial. You’ll see the results of too-little sleep in poor behavior, decreased performance, low energy, mood swings, and more! To focus on the positive, we want to outline the benefits you will gain when you and your kids get enough rest. Knowing the importance of a good night's sleep can help you hit the sheets a little earlier and be a little better each day!

Benefits For Your Kids

The biggest benefit of a good night's sleep is better behavior. Our kids need lots of rest; even kids as old as 13 years are recommended to get 11 hours of sleep at night. Getting enough sleep can improve your kid's ability to regulate mood and increase their overall patience. A good night's sleep is very important for your child's learning experience at school. Their brain will be working at full force having gotten enough rest and their memory for absorbing new information will improve. Perhaps most surprising, recent research indicates a good night's sleep can also lower a child's chance of obesity.

Benefits For You

When your kids get enough sleep and their behavior improves, that alone is a huge benefit for your sanity. If you usually have a couple of hours to yourself when the kids go to bed, their earlier bedtime allows you more shut-eye without sacrificing your me-time. With that extra time in the evening, you can prep the kids' backpacks or lunches for the next day, making your school mornings less hectic. Besides these benefits, the largest improvement you will find with better sleep is more energy to take on the day! Anyone with kids knows how invaluable energy levels are with the demands of a busy family lifestyle.


If your family does not have a routine bedtime and you allow the kids to stay up late on a regular basis, reconsider now that you know the importance of a good night's sleep.

5 Summer Night Games for Kids

There is something special about night games. When it’s dark outside, that’s when the fun games really begin. Enjoy what’s left of this warm weather and get your kids active with these fun night games.

Flashlight Tag

One of the classics! One person is “it” while the rest go hide. The person who is “it” is the one with the flashlight. “It” will count to 10 and then go find the ones hiding. Once you are caught in the flashlight, you are tagged. The last person to be tagged is the winner and the first to be tagged is the next person who is “it”.

Ghost in the Graveyard

Select a pair of players to be ghosts to hide somewhere. The rest of the group is in the “safe” area. The group in the safe area will shout “one o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock…” all the way up until midnight. Then they fan out into the playing area looking for ghosts. Once they spot a ghost, they yell “ghost in the graveyard… run, run, RUN!” That warns everyone to get back to the safe area. At this time, the ghosts are free to leave their spot and chase the rest of the group. If anyone gets tagged by a ghost, they are a ghost the next round.

Glow Stick Volleyball

Everyone gets four glow sticks, one for each wrist and one for each ankle. (Pro tip: You can buy a big pack of glow sticks online for under $10!) Use a glow-in-the-dark volleyball, or use any leftover glow sticks to insert into a beach volleyball. Have fun keeping the ball off the ground by hitting it back and forth, or play a real game if you have a net available.

Outdoor Movie Night

Grab your favorite treats and invite a few of your friends for an outdoor movie night! If you’re a DIY lover, try your hand at making this DIY smartphone projector. Then, all you need is a white sheet or wall to project on and your kids’ favorite Netflix movie.

Firefly

This game should be played with a small pocket flashlight so that the beam isn’t as easy to spot. One person is chosen to be the firefly and goes to hide in the dark away from the rest of the group. After counting to 20, the players go off in search of the firefly (who is moving from spot to spot constantly). Every 60 seconds, the firefly must flicker their flashlight off and on. Once the firefly is caught, the game is over and a new firefly will be picked.


Make safety the number one priority and set a boundary for kids. If your kids are younger, have them hide with a buddy. Head outside and play with your kids for a fun family night and build lasting memories. After all, the new school year is right around the corner!

4 Questions to Help Your Kids Clean Out Their Closets

The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and the bees are buzzing. It’s enough to entice anyone to “spring” outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. The clutter that is lurking in your child's closet when spring arrives is a compilation of an entire season’s worth (or more) of belongings. School-a-thon will help you dive into your spring cleaning and get your kid’s messy closet sorted. Here are some questions to ask yourself and your little helper when starting this endeavor.

Can I Live Without This?

Instead of thinking of what you could use something for, think if you could get away without it. You can probably think of a million and a half crafting projects or other uses for your child’s hoarded odds and ends, but odds are you’re just delaying the inevitable, which is throwing it away or adding it to a future garage sale. Remember, it’s spring cleaning, not spring “Oh, I remember this thing-ing.”

Could We Donate This?

Living without something doesn’t always mean you need to toss it in a landfill and forget about it! Donating a seldom used item can be a wonderful thing and will lead to some pretty nifty tax write-offs. Some of the most sought after belongings to donate are:

• Jackets
• Sleeping bags
• Toys
• Glasses
• Clothing

Could This Space be Put to Better Use?

Maybe your cluttered closet could be a new home for arts and crafts supplies, or maybe storing clothing in the closet could allow you to get rid of a dresser and open up the room for more activities. Check out some of these organizational tips to make the most out of your soon-to-be clean space.

When Did I Use This Last? Do I Plan to Use it Soon?

It’s likely that the tennis racket you bought in 2004 that you used twice isn’t going anywhere. Maybe your little trumpet player didn’t make it to Louis Armstrong’s level, and that’s ok. While there are objects of value you’ll find, think about their practicality. Lower stress, greater happiness, and increased self-esteem have been associated with minimalism, so if you don’t have plans on using it, it might be better off for sale or donated.

If you’ve asked all these questions, and followed through with constructive answers, your closets should be organized and in tip-top-shape. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe for more parenting, fitness, and life tips!

Keep the Winter Blues Away by Staying Fit and Active

We’ve all been there before - especially in the Mid-West. The cold weather blues have become a part of life that often sneaks in unnoticed. As you continue reading, you’ll gain a few tips and tricks on how you and your family can avoid feeling SAD This winter.

Let in the light

Give your kids an added immunity boost by opening the shades! Natural light can offer a variety of health benefits, such as reducing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder and increasing productivity and energy. In fact, The National Institute Of Health notes that exposure to natural lighting can reduce sick days by roughly 6.5 percent!

Be Active Outdoors

Yes, you read that correctly - there’s no way you’re going to change the weather, so you might as well embrace it! Kids can always find something to do; build a snowman, make a fort, go sledding - there are tons of options. You can always take part in these activities with your kids, or you can learn something new with them. Perhaps Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing is in order. These activities will increase your heart rate and give you a reason to enjoy the scenery.

According to Dr. Emanuel Maidenberg at the Semel institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, physical activity is an effective treatment for mild symptoms of depression. How often should someone get out and get physical? Studies suggest 3-4 times per week is enough to enjoy the benefits.

Eat Smart

Studies show that Vitamin D deficiencies are common in regions that experience harsher winters. To help your family avoid this common ailment (and a few less common ones) try upping your daily dosage of fortified dairy, citrus fruits, and vegetables. Check out this full list of winter superfoods or try a few of these kid-friendly recipes.

Socialize

Even if you’re not feeling all that social, Dr. Maidenberg suggests that spending time with others - even for a little bit - is enough to kick some of your cold weather blues. Plan a play date with other kids and their parents, attend local events, or take an art class as a family. There are plenty of ways to socialize during the winter; some just require a bit more research!

Like everything else that’s worthwhile, this takes some effort -but don’t fret! It can be done one reassuring step at a time. You’ll notice your mood change significantly after trying out one of these tips - beyond that point, everything meshes well together. Here’s to a happy and healthy new year from all of us at School-A-Thon!

Choosing the Right “Thon” for Your School

Are your students sick and tired of going door-to-door with the same old fundraiser every year?

Where is the fun in that? School-A-Thon wants to give your school a different option to that boring annual fundraiser. We know that fundraising is key to any school, but the old methods usually don’t have enough time and manpower and can come up short on funds.

Color-A-Thon

School-A-Thon offers many different “thons” for your school. Our most popular thon is a Color-A-Thon Fun Walk/Run. This is something that the entire school will remember for years to come. Our goal with a Color-A-Thon is to build school spirit and have fun with color camaraderie. Students then earn T-shirts and cool rewards. In addition, your school will make money and everyone will know they got the job done in the process.

The kids will get to pick from red, yellow, blue and pink for the colors they want to wear for the fun walk/run. The biggest goal is to end up with one color; green, as in plenty of funds for your school!

Additional Thons

Schools can also choose whether they have a spelling, reading, cleaning or service work thon. Schools can also come up with their own ideas for a thon including a dance-a-thon, game-a-thon, or dribble-a-thon.

There are plenty of ideas to be had. Choosing to dance-a-thon is a good way to get your school together and get some exercise in the process. Who doesn’t love to dance anyway? Choosing a game-a-thon by playing board games is a great way to use some brainpower outside of the classroom. And a dribble-a-thon can get all of those athletes on the floor at once playing some basketball.

School-A-Thon wants to fit your school’s goals and values. Whether you’re interested in keeping your students healthy with exercise, trying to help your school bond or just provide some fun, there are many different options to choose from.

Executing a Successful Thon

Your Color-A-Thon can be a fee-based event or donation-based. For a donation-based event, the school must have a custom pledge site for each student. School-A-Thon will provide donation envelopes and a prize program to get as many kids to participate as possible. A donation-based event is ideal for an elementary or middle school. Minimizing the student’s work will get more results.

An entrance fee-based event is good for a community event, high school or nonprofit. You choose your entry fee (minimum $30), which includes a color pack and T-Shirt. You get a custom registration website, money-management software and much more to make this event pop and be fun and profitable at the same time.

Make sure to visit schoolathon.org to find out which type of event is right for your school.

Family Fun for Labor Day

Labor day is a holiday held on the first Monday of September and celebrates the working class. Labor day weekend is, for many, the last big hurrah of summer. Fall is on its way, school begins again, and there is less time to spend outdoors before the winter hits. To make the most of your labor day weekend, we’ve compiled a list of fun activities for you and your family:

Visit the Park

The U.S. has some absolutely beautiful state and local parks. Discover a location nearby that you have never visited, or take a trek to a nearby state. Plan a weekend-long trip or take an afternoon walk up the street to your neighborhood park. Summertime is littered with hiking, biking and having fun outdoors and a park is a perfect place to squeeze in some last minute fun.

Outdoor Staycation

Combine everything that summer means to your and your family into one night from the convenience of your backyard. Catch fire bugs, build a bonfire and roast s'mores, sleep in a tent, and watch the stars. Teach your kids about the constellations and where their names came from or make up your own!

Catch a Baseball Game

Nothing says summer like an outdoor baseball game. Encompass all that is summer in one afternoon by taking in a day at the ballpark. Check your local ticket provider for last-minute seats, or attend a local minor league or summer league game. Don’t forget the peanuts and cracker jacks!

Play Games Together

Nothing brings families together like a good old-fashioned family game night. Take the old favorites down from the closet, or start a new family tradition with minute-to-win-it games or lawn games like bean bags, giant Jenga, or yard dominos.

Host a Water balloon fight

Gather your family and friends and host an all-out battle royale water balloon fight! Since summer is winding down, now is the best time to have one last splashy bash and use up your aquatic supplies from the summer. If you don’t have any left, check out this cool idea for DIY Sponge balls.

Summer might be coming to an end, but there are plenty of ways to celebrate Labor Day weekend with your family. What are your favorite Labor Day activities? Comment below!

Great Ready for an Excellent First Day of School

New year, new schedules, new excitements; With a lazy, sunshine-filled summer, you might ask yourself, “How does one even begin to prepare for a new school year?” It doesn’t have to be too complicated. Follow these seven tips on how to prepare your family and yourself for the first day of school.

1)   Organize.

For many families, wrapping up summer is a big part of getting into a school routine. Finish any summertime projects that are on your to-do list, help your kids organize their rooms and closets and focus on central areas like the kitchen, pantry, and living spaces. Starting with a clean and organized home can do wonders in preparing for the school year.

2)   Figure out the Technical Stuff

Get all the paperwork and forms completed, as well as any physicals or health check-ups. Make sure everyone knows the emergency numbers, contact information, and transportation schedules to and from school. For younger kids, help them find their classrooms, and for older kids, encourage them to figure out where all their classes are before school begins.

3)   Sleep Regularly.

With exciting things to do all summer it’s not hard to realize that the kids have been going to bed late and sleeping in every morning. During the school year, this routine can be problematic. Starting a week or two before the first day, get your kids to bed at a decent hour and wake up an hour or two before their school day would start. Kids between ages 3 and 6 need 10 to 12 hours of sleep, while teens, 13-18, benefit most from 8 to 9 hours of quality sleep.

4)   Set Up the Night.

To help your kids start their year on top, help them prepare everything the night before. Load up all necessary school supplies into their backpacks and leave it by the door next to any sports or extracurricular activities equipment they may need. Have them pick out an outfit that they feel comfortable and confident wearing. If they pack their own lunches, help them prepare as much of it as possible. These simple steps will ensure that there’s no rush the next morning, and they can enjoy the next step...

5)   Eat Breakfast.

Stop. Drop the bags. Put down the phone. Eat breakfast. There’s nothing else that will prepare your kids as much as fueling up for the day. Help them prepare a nutritious and filling breakfast that is also fast and easy and will sustain them until lunch to prevent aches, mood swings, and low energy later in the day. Make sure to pack a light snack to refuel mid-morning.

6)   Use a Planner

Whether you use a calendar to help plan important events and appointments for little ones or if you are encouraging teens to organize their own schedules, having a house central or personal planner will be essential to keep your family organized for the year.

7)   Have Fun.

No matter your child’s age, start their day with some good, old-fashioned love and encouragement. A new school year is the best opportunity to meet new friends and try new things. Encourage them to be open-minded and to be confident. Who knows how much fun they’ll have and how much they’ll grow this year when they start out with a bang?

Why You Should Encourage Your Kids to Join a Sports Team

Have you ever thought about sports as more than just a game? The core  goal of sports is to support being active and having fun, but do you ever think about all the life lessons that are taught through competition and sports? Here are some reasons why you, as a parent, should encourage your child to join team sports!

Being a Part of Something

There aren't many things that feel better than a sense of belonging. A fear of rejection is a basic human instinct, but we have a bigger fear of our children being rejected by their fellow students and peers. Having your son or daughter play team sports will enable them to mingle with more kids, create a larger friend base, and eliminate or lessen the chances that your child ever feels lost or lonely.

Supports an Active/Healthy Lifestyle

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 17% of American children are considered obese. Don’t let your kid become a negative statistic! When you encourage your child to play sports, you are also encouraging a lifestyle that will impact his or her life forever!

No Time for Trouble

It’s no secret that children who play sports are less likely to get into trouble. In fact, there is an old saying about idle hands that correctly interprets exactly what can happen if an impressionable youth is left to their own devices too often. With a kid’s time being occupied by practicing, training, or playing a sport, there just simply isn’t time for them to contemplate irrational decisions that will drive you crazy.

Sports Create Leaders

It doesn’t matter at what age or level your kid is playing at, they learn leadership skills in a hands-on format. If you child is shy, they may learn how to be a non-vocal, lead by example leader. If your child is outgoing, they may learn how to use their voice to inspire and motivate their teammates. Regardless of the personality type of your son or daughter, they will take the leadership skills they learned from their youth sporting experience into their future life experiences.

Sports have been known to bring families closer, show kids the true meaning of determination, and help set children up for successful futures. Encouraging your child to participate is a very important thing because sometimes all a kid needs is a push in the right direction to realize what they want to do. Just ALWAYS remember this one rule: Don’t push your kids too hard with sports, because eventually it puts a lot of pressure on your child and they will eventually quit having fun. With fun, any added experience is lost on a child.

5 Fort Ideas Your Kids Will Love

Building a homemade fort in the house is an indoor activity stapled in nearly everyone’s childhood. From your living room to a shady tree in your yard, you can’t go wrong with a fun fort for your kids. Here are some great options to get you started:

Table-Fort

Turn your kitchen table into an incredible fort with old tablecloths and fabric. Cut out a few windows, a door, and you have a fun place for the children to read, snuggle, nap and play.

Cardboard House

Do you have cardboard boxes in the basement saved for future need? Have you or someone you know recently purchased a new refrigerator, stove or washing machine and have a leftover giant box? If so, you have an easy making for an awesome cardboard house. Just add some windows, a door and draw on the rest.

Living Room Fort

Using your couch and recliner as support, throw blankets over them and make a cool indoor fort. If you are really getting into it, you can even bring in the TV and have a fun movie night equipped with popcorn.

Tree-Fort

If you have a tree in your yard, it can be the making of a great fort. Hang some sheets or streamers on the branches and watch them flow in the wind. Put a table and chairs inside and play a board game, color or make a craft in your fort for a fun little change on scenery.

Snow-Fort

If you are in an area that is full of snow in the winter, building a snow fort or igloo is always a fun winter activity. The best part about snow fort is your children can keep adding on to them all winter without the mess and clean-up of indoor forts.  

 

No matter what kind of fort you build with your kids, it is sure to be a good time. The possibilities are endless and the fun will be unstoppable. Stay tuned to our social media platforms for other fun activities to do with your kids.

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.