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COLUMBUS - Being active is easier during the summer months, but don't let the colder weather
discourage you. There are lots of physical activites to enjoy during winter. Cold weather offers great ways to
involve the entire family in the fun. You'll all feel good! As an adult, you need to move for at least 30 minutes
per day, but your child needs at least 60 minutes of activity each day.
Children love to experience snow: touching it, hodling it, shaping it into snowmen, and even tasting
it. It's a beautiful time of year to be outdoors.
- Take a nature hike. Look for animal tracks in the snow, wildflowers and berries that grow throughout
the winter months.
- Decorate trees for the birds. Roll pinecones in lard or shortening and hang them from the tree
branches. Apples and popcore strings are also treats that birds will appreciate.
Remember to cover your child's head with a hat and earmuffs and dress them in layers. When wrapping
a scarf around their nose and mouth, be sure to tuck the end of the scarf into their coat. That way, it won't catch
on anything while they're playing. Bring water if you will be outside more than an hour. You sweat when you move
- even in the winter.
If the weather isn't favorable, there are lots of ways to get your exercise indoors.
- Make bread or soft pretzels. This is a great group activity. Children knead and shape the dough
into creative designs while building arm muscles too.
- Act out a story. Read a book together and bring the book to life. If the book involves food, move
to the kitchen and make the recipe together.
- Have an indoor family picnic. Young children love to play pretend. Turn an everyday meal into
an extraordinary outing by letting your child pick the menu, help make the meal and set the living room floor with
colorful napkins and tablecloths.
- Turn on an exergetic CD and create a dance floor. Children can try out some new moves, march in
place and sing along to their favorite holiday tunes.
The winter months are always a great opportunity for kitchen helpers. Having children assist in
the kitchen builds confidence and self-esteem. Kids are proud to help their parents and sharing in the tasks helps
to create a feeling of belonging.
Cooking is an excellent way to introduce early math skills. Kid cooks can count and measure. Children
see how food changes in appearance, touch and taste throughout the cooking process. And after you're done, it's
time for clean-up. Cleaning together after an activity helps instill responsibility.
This winter, expose your child to new outdoor experiences and be active with them. Enjoy the holidays, and have
an active start to the New Year!
| OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES |
- Take a nature hike
- Walk in the zoo
- Clean the garage
- Go ice skating
- Stack firewood
- Shovel snow
- Paint with snow: Sprinkle dry tempra paint on paper, make a snowball, and use the snowball to spread the tempra
on the papers.
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| MAKE SNOWSHOES |
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You will need strong cardboard, ruler, twine, pencil, clear packing tape and scissors.
Stand on the cardboard and trace each of your feet. The shape of the toes should not be drawn.
Before you move your feet, put a mark on the cardboard in the middle of either side of your foot (for both feet).
Cut out the outlines that you drew. Cover the new cardboard shapes with clear packing tape. Poke holes through
the marks that you made earlier. Loop the twine through the holes so that you can securely tie the snowshoe around
a foot. Put on your new snowshoes and march around to leave tracks.
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| SWEET POTATO BOATS |
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Involving your child in the preparation of new foods increases her interest and she may be more likely to try
the new food. This sweet potato activity and recipe can be a healthy first step in introducing them to the sweet
potato, which is rich in vitamins A and C an dhelps them reach their daily fruit and vegetable goal.
Small sweet potatoes (one potato for two children)
1 tbsp orange juice for each potato
1 tbsp brown sugar for each potato
Sprinkle of cinnamon
2 carrot sticks for each potato
1 slice of bread, toasted and cut diagonally (one slice of bread for two children)
Wash the potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or microwave for 15 minutes, turning once
in the middle of cooking time. Check for doneness, and cook until the potatoes are soft in the center. Cool enough
to handle.
Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the center, saving the skin to refill later. Have the kids help.
Make sure they wash their hands first and that clean dishes and handling procedures are used.
Mash together the potato, orange juice, brown sugar and cinnamon. Refill potato skins with the
mixture. Let each child decorate his or her potato boat with a carrot stick mast and a bread sail.
Extend the activity: Sprout sweet potatoes by placing the lower half of a potato in a glass filled
with water. Children can see the formation of the roots at the bottom and the vine at the top.
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