8 Ways to Stay Active Indoors

Being inside doesn't mean the kids have to sit in front of the TV or computer, there are plenty of ways to stay active!

1. Dance around the living room to your favorite music
This is a great way to bond with your kids, especially if you share taste in music. Getting silly together will make them feel closer to you and will burn some calories. 

2. Board games
Don’t underestimate the age-old classics like Monopoly, Life and Scrabble. These are a great way for the whole family to have some down time and often can come with great lessons about money and spelling.

3. Do household organization projects as a family
Spring-cleaning is a pain in the neck! But if you get the whole family together to do a project it will ensure that you spend time together and will allow you to get things done much quicker. Make it a game and make it fun. Use a reward system where if everyone helps out then you will go out for ice cream or spend an hour doing something fun.

4. Watch movies
Kids love movies, but they don’t want to sit in front of a TV by themselves. Watching movies as a family, maybe with some popcorn, is a great way to bond. Plus, you can interact with them and mediate the movie content. Remember, every moment is an opportunity to talk about tough issues.

5. Read together
Encouraging your kids to read is important but doing it together can make it much more fun. Plus, when you read together you can help them read things that are more advanced and work on expanding their vocabulary.

6. Cook/Bake together
Make cookies or homemade pizza, this will be fun and delicious for the whole family and can encourage your child’s creativity.

7. Oldies but goodies
Never forget the classics like hide and seek and charades that can allow you to pass the time when the weather is too cold to run around outside.
   
8. Creative Projects
Have your kids create works of art by drawing their own pictures, or creating their own short stories. This will allow them to express themselves and work on their skills, whatever their interests may be. 

Live Interview With Angela Ardolino on The Shawna Vercher Show

WHO:  Angela Ardolino, parenting expert and editorial director of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine and Shawna Vercher, host of The Shawna Vercher Show and president of the Society of Successful Women.

 

WHAT:  Live radio interview with Angela Ardolino hosted by Shawna Vercher. Listeners are free to call in and join the discussion!

 

WHEN:  Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 3:00 p.m.

 

WHERE:  News Talk 820 AM

               (Toll free) Call-in phone number: 866-977-4820

 

Angela and Shawna will be focusing on current parenting and family topics and trends. This live show is an open forum for parents and the community to come together, share their thoughts and contribute to an educational and entertaining discussion involving our children in today’s world.

Five Tips for Being Fabulous and Organized

1.    All for One and One for All

a.    Everyday activities can be family activities—get the kids involved in cooking dinner, organizing their rooms, taking care of pets, grocery shopping, etc.

b.    Is there anything you do for your child that they could do for themselves? Let them do it! It will save you time and allow them to build a sense of responsibility and independence. Older children can accomplish things as a part of their chores.

2.    Write it Down

a.    Determine what needs to be done right away and what can be put off and put it on a separate list

b.    Checking things off as you go along will make you feel accomplished.

c.    Split tasks between you and your spouse

d.    Decide on a weekly dinner menu

3.    Plan Ahead

a.    Pick out clothes for yourself and the children, pack lunches, iron your outfit for the next day and get your things together in order to make mornings more efficient.

4.    Invest in a Planner or Agenda for the Whole Family

a.    Schedule appointments, meetings and important reminders. You can use a different color for each category (work vs. personal)

b.    Sit down as a family and have your kids fill out their own agendas. You can also have everyone write in each other’s schedules for ballet and soccer practice, etc.

5.    Don’t forget time for you!

a.    Schedule time for yourself every day. Whether it’s an hour-long work-out or 15 minutes before you go to sleep to read the book of your choice.

Angela's Teachable Moment:  Involving your children in chores and teaching them how to do them will make them feel like a contributor to the household team!

Click here for the ABC Action News story.