| As any parent will tell you, kids are moving | | | | yard. One bucket is the starting "line" and |
| all the time. Nature has programmed kids to | | | | the other bucket is the finish "line." Kids |
| move, but many of them are not moving because | | | | walk backwards from start to finish.AROUND |
| they are stuck in front of the television, | | | | THE TOWN. Using poster board or grocery |
| the computer, and computer games. This is | | | | store boxes, make location signs for your |
| where parenting comes in, because you, the | | | | community: city hall, library, school, |
| parent or grandparent, can foster children's | | | | recreation center, movie theater, baseball |
| exercise.Kids should wear sturdy shoes and | | | | field, and similar locations. Number the |
| comfy socks without holes. (Leave the | | | | signs and arrange them in a circle. Kids |
| flip-flops at home.) They should also wear | | | | start at number one and walk round the town. |
| caps or hats to protect them from the sun and | | | | How many steps did each child take?SPEED |
| sunscreen. Do some stretching exercises with | | | | WALKING. Each child wears a pedometer as his |
| your kids beforehand. Give each child his or | | | | or her waist. At the sound of go, kids walk |
| her own water bottle and pedometer. Measure | | | | as fast as they can across the playground or |
| each child's stride before you start these | | | | a field. Who took the most steps? Who took |
| walking activities.Some activities are | | | | the least?RUN-WALK RACE. Repeat the speed |
| appropriate for backyard fun, while others | | | | walking activity, only this time the kids run |
| get your kids out into the community. | | | | 10 steps and walk 10 steps.STEP AND SLIDE. |
| Fitness is a family affair, so walk with your | | | | Repeat the speed walking activity, only this |
| kids. You will be amazed at the discoveries | | | | time the kids step with their feet, slide |
| you make and the things you learn about each | | | | their right feet up to the left, and continue |
| other. Now tie those shoelaces, tie a | | | | walking this way until they have crossed the |
| sweater around your waist, and get | | | | playground or field.Don't let your kids |
| going!COUNT THE BIRDS. Young kids count the | | | | become couch potatoes. Get them off the |
| number of birds they see during the walk. | | | | couch and keep them moving. Keep yourself |
| Older kids and adults identify the birds by | | | | moving, too. Everyone in the family can walk |
| name. Read about the birds in a bird book | | | | the fitness trail to better health and a |
| when you get home.COLOR SEARCH. During the | | | | better life.Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson |
| walk kids look for one color, such as red. | | | | |
| Anything they see that is that is this color, | | | | Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction |
| such as a car, stop sign, and a red jacket, | | | | writer for 28 years and is a member of the |
| counts as one point. Who saw the most | | | | Association of Health Care Journalists and |
| things?BABY STEPS. Place two plastic ice | | | | the Association for Death Education and |
| cream buckets on the sidewalk or in the yard. | | | | Counseling. She taught for a dozen years |
| Using baby steps - touching the heel of one | | | | before changing careers to become a writer. |
| foot to the toes of the other - kids walk | | | | Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: |
| between the buckets.LONGEST STRIDE. Place | | | | Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, |
| two plastic ice cream buckets on the sidewalk | | | | MD, is available from A five-star review of |
| or in the yard. Using their longest stride, | | | | the book is posted on Amazon. Another review |
| kids walk from the first bucket to the | | | | is posted on the American Hospice Foundation |
| second.BACKWARD BOUNCE. Place two plastic | | | | website under the "School Corner" heading. |
| ice cream buckets on the sidewalk or in the | | | | |