News Taffy

School is out with the long summer stretching before you. Have your kids already said the dreaded words, “I’m bored”? One of the best ways to prevent boredom is to keep your kids active. Sitting in front of the TV or playing video games for hours is not the answer and really should be a last resort. After all, a sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity and it’s related diseases, so help your kids find better things to do. Here are a few tips for keeping them moving and happy.

Enroll your children in swim lessons and take them to the pool as often as possible. Children really should take swim lessons every year at least until age 10 or 11 in order to become proficient swimmers and learn to be safe in the water. There are several options for lessons around town at the local gyms and the city pool. Even better, sign them up for the Jets Aquatic Club swim team summer league where they will learn to swim and have fun competing.

Get your kids outside every day to play. Fresh air does a world of good for everyone as studies show those who spend the most time outside are the healthiest. Set aside a place where they can dig in the dirt, build roads for toy cars or make mud cookies. Children like to grow plants and help garden so give them some seeds and let them grow flowers or vegetables.

Use some imagination and arrange an obstacle course with yard sticks, hula hoops, large boxes and any thing else they can jump over, crawl through or run around. You can also draw an obstacle course on the driveway with sidewalk chalk, with directions to hop, skip or jump. Go old school and teach them to jump rope, ride a bicycle, roller-skate or play badminton.

Go to the park for a hike or to play on the swings. We are lucky to have Craighead Forest Park with its great play grounds, bike and walking trails but there are smaller parks around Jonesboro too.

Make sure your kids have a variety of things they can play with outdoors, like different kinds of balls, sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, bubbles, hula hoops and water guns. Encourage them to use their imagination and come up with their own games. Dress them in comfortable clothes, slap on some sun screen and don’t worry if they get dirty as a dirty kid is probably having fun.

Let’s not forget chores. Every child can and should be expected to do weekly or daily chores. Depending upon their age, kids can pick up toys, feed and water the pets, fold clothes, wash dishes, run the vacuum and put things away. Send them outside to sweep the driveway, pull weeds, wash the family car or mow the lawn if they are old enough. Helping with family chores not only keeps kids active, it teaches them responsibility and gives them a sense of pride and belonging.

These are the activities that make summer fun and memorable long after they’ve left the carefree days of childhood behind. While you are at it, enjoy those summer games along with your kids and re-live your own glory days.