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