4 Indoor Activities to Keep Your Kids Active

Winter brings many new outdoor activities, like building snowmen, making forts, and exploring a winter wonderland. Minnesota winters, however, can become is cold that outdoor activities become unwelcome - or even dangerous - for kids.

When the weather outside is dreary and frigid and your kids feel antsy, you may wonder how to get them moving while indoors.

Fortunately, with some common household items, and a little creativity, the fun doesn’t have to stop.

1. Grab the Painter’s Tape

Make lines on the floor for some impromptu hopscotch or long jump. Or, tape different shapes, numbers and letters on the floor and play the shape game. Ask your child to run, hop, skip, jump and crawl to the different spots and learn their numbers and letters along the way!

For younger children, you can tape the door frame in the shape of a sticky spider web, then give your child some newspaper to reach and stick or throw onto the web. It’s great for building motor skills.

2. No Construction set? No Problem!

Take advantage of all those leftover holiday or birthday paper cups and plates and bowls, egg cartons, cardboard tubes and ice cream buckets. They make a great impromptu construction set. The more variety of dishes, the better. Your kids will be building tall towers, fun buildings, castles and more in no time!

As another option for those paper dishes, draw some Xs and Os on the plates instead, tape a blank tic tac toe board on the floor and play a giant game of tic tac toe.

3. Have a Dance Party

Dim the lights, dress up in silly outfits and throw on some fun classics, like disco. Find karaoke songs on YouTube and sing along with your children. It’s a great way to make light of a cold day!

4. Don’t Knock the Classics

So much fun can be had with a simple balloon! Challenge your kids to waddle around the room with a balloon between their knees, without dropping it. Multiple kids can play a three-legged race adaptation with the balloon between their hips and build teamwork.

Another balloon game option with multiple children is hot potato, the game where you don’t let the balloon touch the ground. It seems simple, but it can get competitive fast!


Need to feel inspired? School-A-Thon is all about making things fun. Check out our blog for more tips and tricks, from getting your kids off the couch to family cooking how-tos!

How to Get Your Kids Off The Couch

It may seem impossible to keep your kids active in a not-so-active world. However, there are some things you can do to change that.

What many of today’s parents seem to forget is that they have to lead by example when it comes to getting their kids active. Kids look up to their parents as role models and base a lot of their behavior after what they see and hear. Participating in playtime with your kids make getting active a lot more fun.

Simply going outside and teaching your kid how to ride a bike can be extremely beneficial. You get some quality bonding time in with your child, and you teach your child the importance of physical activity. Kids need at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. This is a crucial first step in ensuring your child can maintain his or her health further into the future.

Next time you’re sitting at home and see your kid has been sitting inside for hours playing on the X-Box or sitting on their phone, ask them to come outside and throw a baseball around. Your child is guaranteed to benefit from the activity and you may just establish a closer relationship with your son or daughter.

1. Plan a family outing that revolves around physical activity such as going to the park, hiking, swimming, playing soccer, or a variety of outdoor activities. 
2. Create a space in your house specifically for getting active. Have supplies in this area such as hula hoops, a basketball hoop, tennis rackets, balls and more. 
3. Set limits to how much time your kids can spend on devices or in front of the TV. 
4. Teach your kids one of your favorite childhood games such as Kick the Can, Freeze Tag, or Hide and Go Seek. 
5. Have a dance party! Who doesn't feel like moving when fun music is playing? 
6. Have a family contest to see who can get the most steps in one day. You can do this by wearing a FitBit or with a step counter on your phone. 

Make memories with your kids this summer and drop that remote and get active! Follow School-a-Thon on Facebook page for more summer fun ideas.

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!

Make the Most of Fall: Explore the Great Outdoors with Your Kids

With all the tablet, smartphone, and laptop screens that are trying to take over our children's lives, it can be difficult to get them interested in the outdoors. This is especially true in Autumn when the weather starts to cool off and the daylight starts to lessen. Autumn, however, is one of the best times of the year to get out and explore.

While it may seem easy to stay indoors and hibernate until spring returns, staying active—both physically and mentally—can be just as easy. Getting kids outside and interested in their surroundings is paramount to a fun-filled childhood. And just a few minutes of planning can go a long way towards creating lifelong memories. As the Fall weather gets a bit chillier, grab a coat and a scarf and take your kids on an outdoor adventure!

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are a simple activity that you and your child can enjoy together. Walk through your local park as you locate specific birds or discover different trees that you may have never known existed in your area. Search for the prettiest rock and discover its mineral makeup together. Gather a leaf of every variety. There are plenty of possibilities.

Geocaching

Geocaching is an activity on the rise. Hiking is a great outdoor activity to do in cooler weather because it gets your blood pumping. Following directions to specific coordinates will teach your children about maps and how to navigate with them, even in your own neighborhood. While it is common to bring a trinket to exchange when you find your cache, discovering the hidden goodies can be just as fun.

Bonfires and Star Gazing

Here is an opportunity for your kids to put their smart devices to good use; there are plenty of apps that will help you map your way through the stars. Sky Map is an open source application for your smartphone that uses your location settings to determine the current position of the constellations that are viewable in your location. Look up the origins of the constellations and tell their stories around the fire. Bonfires might be fun in the summer, but the warming effects of a bonfire coupled with a mug of hot chocolate on a crisp Fall night are downright magical.

Visit A Pumpkin Patch or Apple Orchard

With Halloween around the corner, walk through a pumpkin patch together in search of the perfect pumpkin to bring home for carving. After the Jack-O-Lanterns adorn the front steps, find your favorite recipe and bake a fresh pie or pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack.

Apple Orchards, Likewise, are just as fun. You’ll have even more delicious ingredients to make Fall snacks, and you can spend an afternoon in a beautiful orchard finding them and picking them with your kids. Take the opportunity to learn about the different species of apples that grow in your area and how their flavors differ.

Remember, while cozy blankets are good for sitting on the couch and watching movies, they are just as useful when your venture into the great outdoors. Get out and about and explore the great outdoors this Fall.

Summer Sunscreen Safety For Kids

In Minnesota, August is one of, if the hottest month of the year. It also happens to  be the last month of freedom for many kids before they head back to school, which means kids all over the state are cramming in as much fun as possible.

Many parents know that one of the most important things to protect your child from the summer elements is sunscreen. Recently, though, there has been some controversy around using sunscreen, which kinds of sunscreen to use, and how often is safe to use it. We know that your kids are important, and seemingly obvious habits - such as using sunscreen- can be questioned with a few internet posts. Let’s go over a few facts about sunscreen for kids, to clarify the subject:

What’s the difference between SPF’s?

SPF - or sun protection factor- is the approximate measurement that a sunscreen will protect you from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Although a higher SPF might seem to protect one better from the elements, it is important to take in mind is how well you apply the sunscreen, how often you are applying it, which types of rays the sunscreen block, and other elemental factors.

High SPF products are not always the best. They tend to lull the wearer into a false sense of security, preventing them from reapplying sunscreen when they need to. They also contain higher concentrations of the sun-filtering chemicals, and can be irritating to small children.

There is more than one type of UV ray

There are actually three types of UV rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC rays are filtered out by the earth’s ozone, so don’t be concerned if your sunscreen doesn’t list UVC on the bottle. None of them do. UVB rays are the most harmful; sunscreen will protect you from UVB rays, but not all of them protect against UVA rays. UVA rays cause skin to tan. Although alluring to many, tanned skin is actually a sign of genetic mutation, and can lead to premature aging, wrinkles, and certain skin cancers. When choosing a sunscreen for kids, pick one that protects from both UVA and UVB rays.

How often to apply

This can vary from brand to brand. Be sure to read the instructions on your chosen brand of sunscreen. It also depends if your child is playing in direct sunlight at the sun’s peak time of day (10 AM to 4PM) or in the shade in the early morning or late afternoon. A good rule of thumb for reapplying sunscreen is every two to four hours, depending on the wearer’s activities.

When to reapply:

The location and time of day in which your children are outside will play a big role as well. If your child is more active during hotter times of day, he or she will sweat more, and if your sunscreen is not waterproof, you will need to reapply more often. Likewise, if your child in playing in or around the water (as most kids do in the summer) it is a good idea to reapply often.

But, what about that scary post I read on the internet? Is sunscreen harming my child?

This year, there have been reports circling the internet that sunscreen is bad for children. One of these reports is about the chemical Oxybenzone in some sunscreens, and how it can be a hormone disruptor in children. Simply put, the data is simply not there. A study often cited used rats - not humans- as participants, and these rats ingested shockingly large amounts of the chemical that would not be present in sunscreens. As common sense would tell us, large amounts of any chemical- beneficial or not- could be potentially hazardous. If you have questions, ask your doctor, not the internet.

Other posts and images on the internet are simply instances of sunscreen misuse and are examples of how not to apply or choose a sunscreen. Some are not best suited for children, but sunscreen, on the whole, is important to protect children from the damaging rays of the sun.

If you come across any of these if the post, ask yourself a few questions: Is the post promoting or selling a sunscreen that is “safer” than conventional sunscreen? Is the research backed up by scientific data or just opinions? You might find that you want to do a little more research when reading these posts.

So, what is the best way to protect your kids?

• Question what you read on the internet. Do your research. The sun’s rays can cause cancer - this is known and proven time and again. Other sunscreen speculation is often just that - speculation.

• Use a sunscreen between SPF 30 and 50. Higher SPF’s can seem tempting and more protective, but higher SPF’s can overwhelm a child’s sensitive skin.

• Reapply every 2-4 hours as needed. As adults, we often find ourselves in awe of how much energy our children have. Encourage them to take a break every now and then to reapply their sunscreen (and maybe drink some water).

• If your child is having issues with their sunscreen, don’t take to the internet—ask your doctor. If your child has continuing issues with sunscreen, it may be that your child is allergic to a chemical in that particular brand and need to switch to using something else.

A parent’s issues with sunscreen often stem from other underlying factors; an unknown allergy, misuse, the wrong SPF rating, longer than expected exposure time—there are many factors. The one fact that remains is that kids love to play outside and need to be protected from the sun. Help your children enjoy the last month of summer the right way: protected from harmful rays and sunburn-free.

Fitness Activities for Your Family

Are you trying to keep your family active and healthy, but don’t have time for the gym? You can still be fit and have a great workout without the treadmill and dumbbells. Exercise can not only be beneficial to your family’s health but also serve as quality bonding time! Dedicate one hour of fitness-related activities each day to keep your family in shape. Let these creative fitness ideas turn your family into a happy and healthy family!

Do a Dance Off!

Hold a family dance-off! Each member of the family gets one song to show off their dance skills. Pick upbeat tracks that get you and your family moving! Your can do this for 20-30 minutes each day and pick a daily champion - Maybe even allocate prizes to the best booty-shaker of the day!

Utilize Commercials

Does your family seem to be watching too much TV? Many families have a certain TV show or televised sport they watch together. Next time you are enjoying yours, get up and move around during the commercials. You can do exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, and jumping jacks in your living room. You can also change the name of these workouts to make them sound more fun to your kids. You can also put a different family member in charge to give the activities orders or play a quick round of Simon Says. This will keep the kids interested in these commercial break workouts.

Start a Sports Night

Pick a night out of the week that you have the most free time in your weekly schedule and have a sports night! There are a ton of sports you can play that double as a workout. You can play soccer, kickball, football and much more. You can also organize with your neighborhood to get other kids to join in the fun!

Hold a Hula-hoop Contest

Once a week, have a “longest Hula-Hooper” contest. Hula hooping is a great way to get the kids moving all their muscles, working on their coordination, and participation in a good cardio workout. Use a whiteboard or something similar to keep a weekly log or stat of all the family members.The longest hooper of the week will be crowned the king or queen of that week! Leaving the scores of the contest up will have your kids practicing on their own so they can take the crown for the next week.

These activities are short, sweet and super fun. You can get your family in great shape and share quality time with them. Try new activities each week that get your family moving! Check our Facebook page for more ideas, or follow us on Twitter. We hope you enjoyed these fitness ideas, now go get your family moving!

5 Ways to Get Your Kids Active

An active and healthy lifestyle is not just for adults. In fact, kids need to be active just as much as their bigger counterparts. Being active as a kid sets the stage for a healthy lifestyle early on, making it much easier to continue throughout life. Encouraging your kids to be more active can be difficult at times, but when you get creative it becomes much more fun!

1. Tag, you’re it!

With warmer weather, outdoor activities are now an easier option. You can engage in games as simple as the classic tag, you can choose one of the many variations of tag, or make up your own. This will not only get your kids active, but you as well.

2. Don’t Touch the Lava!

You may have called it something else when you were young, but nearly every kid has played some variation of the game don’t touch the lava. This game can be played  just about anywhere, as long as it involves jumping from one thing to the next while not touching the ground. Your kids will use their balancing skills as well as concentration, all while jumping around and burning energy.

3. Yoga for the Kiddos

Yoga is trending for all ages. Moving through multiple challenging poses promotes creativity and confidence. Yoga also gives your children both mental and physical health benefits. It helps teach your kids relaxation to aid in managing stress at a young age.

4. Let’s go Fly a Kite

Flying kites is a traditional, fun activity. It allows your kids to use their imagination while running their kite through the wind. Plus, there are many varieties of shapes, animals and characters to choose. Buy them one featuring their favorite character, or help them to try their hand at creating their own!

5. Nature Walk

Nature walks can be fun and relaxing for people of all ages, especially kids. It gets you and your kids out and about while searching for wildlife. Bring a nature book along so your kids can point out when they see a specific creature or plant - learning and exercise at once? Yes, please!

Adding extra physical activity into your kids’ lives will benefit them for years to come. Plus, these activities are great opportunities for building your relationship with your kids!

If you and your kids are interested getting active through a Color-A-Thon run this summer, visit School-A-Thon on our website for more information.

Five Wonderful Ways to Stay Involved in the Community

It's easy to feel disconnected, as many families juggle activity after activity and relationships are more often developing online and through technology rather than with neighbors. There are, however, simple ways to get involved and bring a community closer together. To start you off, here are five wonderful ways to stay involved in the community:

Make the Time

This may seem simple, but nevertheless, it is an important place to begin. Developing a sense of community takes time and dedication to become successful. Treat and investment in your community as strongly as you with any other relationship you have, and in time, you will reap the benefits that come with strong community involvement.

Take it to the next level: Start small by introducing yourself to a neighbor you haven’t met or help a neighbor with a small project. Even the smallest gestures can make a big impact on a neighbor and friend.

Volunteer

Volunteering is the best way to engage with your community and peers while doing some good locally. Find a cause and a demographic you want to advocate for in the neighborhood. Do some research and see if there are opportunities at the community center, hospital, women’s shelter, library, or food kitchen. It’s a way to introduce your kids to what the world has to offer, and it’s an excellent lesson in being a good citizen. Giving back to your community can mean the world to people you meet, and it can awaken a sense of purpose in you.

Take it to the next level: Create your own event or volunteer opportunity for things your community needs. Maybe it is organizing a book drive for local students, starting a small library on your block, or organizing a neighborhood garage sale at the end of summer. Perhaps it’s starting a community garden that everyone can benefit from. Take initiative, and be the change you want to see in your community.

Be a People Person

Get to know people you see every day. You are bound to see certain people on a regular basis, and whether it’s your barista, someone who travels your same bus route, or other runners on your path, wouldn’t it be nice to establish a relationship with them? Not only can this be a way of making new connections and feeling engaged in your neighborhood, but maybe you will also gain a new friendship.

Take it to the next level: Befriend neighborhood pets. Dogs tend to recognize people they see and like on a regular basis, so even if you are not a people person, you will have a friendly face waiting to greet you.

Strengthen the Identity of Your Community

No matter what common interests you share, everyone can benefit from a clean, and safe neighborhood. Speak with neighbors or send out flyers to see if neighbors are interested in being involved. Organize clean-ups in your neighborhood or start an adopt-a-block system to keep your neighborhood clean. Set up a neighborhood crime watch to keep the neighborhood safe. A shared sense of pride in a community can bring neighbors together and keep everyone engaged and involved.

Take it to the next level: Establish a community board if there isn’t one in your neighborhood. A community board will be an excellent way to generate ideas and create social events like block parties, potlucks, and BBQs.

Establish Regular Social Gatherings

Establish a weekly or monthly occasion to socialize with friends and neighbors. It can be a bar trivia night, a Sunday potluck brunch or a game night hosted at home. Make a point to do this regularly because fostering bonds with friends and neighbors will not only keep you sane in a hectic world, it will help your emotional well-being to have strong relationships.

Take it to the next level: Imagine how you would feel if you engaged in healthy and active social gatherings. Organize a runners’ or hikers club. Find a Groupon event for yoga or swap healthy recipes. Who says socializing can’t be fun and healthy?

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.

Fresh Springtime Money Saving Activities for Family Fun

Springtime is finally in full-throttle! How can you make the most of exciting and memorable experiences with your family without draining your wallet? While camping, baseball games, frolicking on the beach, and barbeque cookouts are what come to mind for spring and summertime activities, what other opportunities can you enjoy?

Get Outdoors

After a long and cold winter, what better way to spend time with your family then to get outdoors and bask in the sun. Walk to your neighborhood park. Find the best local nature preserves to walk, hike, swim, and explore. Visit botanical gardens. Camp in your own backyard on a clear spring night. Checkout if there’s geocache excursions available in your area for a fun, nature-filled scavenger hunt.

Explore Local and New Cultures

Culture and new experiences are all around you. Help your family embrace culture by visiting museums and walking around local festivals. Both museums and festivals often offer school vacation discounts or admission based on a small donation. Explore the farmers’ market, and try out local delicacies. Rather than adventuring to a new (and perhaps pricey) ethnic restaurant, pick out a dish to create in your own kitchen.

Explore Your Backyard

Your own backyard can hold a treasure trove of activities for you and your family. Think big and finish plans for a brand new tree house or play set. Try creative, smaller projects and build a birdfeeder, wind chime, or compost bin. Paint your mailbox a brand new color or have your kids paint garden stones for your garden bed. Teach your kids about sustainability by having them help plant vegetables for your garden.

Good Ol’ Spring Cleaning

While some people love cleaning, others will want to save this project for a rainy day. After freshening up your backyard, take the productivity inside and tackle spring cleaning. Clean out closets, and get rid of excess junk. See what you can renovate and reuse, and what you can recycle or donate. Put your family to work and let your house breath lighter. Not only is this project free, you can actually make some money if you sell what you don’t want in a garage sale!

Do Some Good

Volunteering is an excellent way to spend time together as a family. Organize a neighborhood or park cleanup and get the neighbors involved, or pick a cause you support as a family and find ways you can help locally. Adopt a pet from a shelter or encourage your kids to become mentors to other kids in your community.

Teach Your Kids

Just because school is out doesn’t mean that your kids can’t keep learning. Teach them how to swim, swing a bat, or ride a bike. Take a step in the silly direction and learn with them how to juggle, how to make a mud pie, how to plant a fairy garden, or how to speak a gibberish language.

Let Your Kids Teach You

Connect with your family and find your inner child by enjoying carefree, nostalgic activities. Cloud watch, bird watch, play in the rain, run through the sprinklers, fly a kite, create sidewalk chalk art, chase bubbles, puddle jump, make pinwheels, braid flower crowns, pick wildflowers, tie dye something- tie dye everything! The opportunities are endless. Don’t miss a chance to be with your kids and let them remind you how fun it is to be a kid again.