Keeping your family fit doesn't have to bust your budget.
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10 Tips for Keeping Kids Active During the Winter
When the weather turns cold and it gets dark early, keeping kids active can take some creativity. Here are some ideas for keeping your family moving all winter long, provided by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation.
1. Discover Indoor Facilities: Visit an indoor pool, ice skating rink or basketball court at a local gym, school or community center. You can visit www.ymca.net/ to locate your local YMCA and find out about indoor programs they offer.
2. Dance Your Heart Out: Encourage your child to pick the music, crank it up and then dance away! March, box step, bounce, spin, shake it…it is a great way to burn calories.
3. Take it Outside: If there is snow where you live, get the whole family outside to do some sledding, build snow forts, throw snowballs or build a snow sculpture – anything that keeps the kids moving and having fun.
4. Walk the Mall: When it’s too cold to venture outdoors, take the family for a brisk walk around the nearest mall. Walk up the stairs versus taking the escalators.
5. Keep it Clean: Recruit your kids to help with the house cleaning. Pick jobs based on age and capability: younger children can pick up toys, while older kids can vacuum, sort laundry or scrub the bathtub.
6. Visit the Library: Libraries are a great resource for children’s fitness videos and books, which you can use to teach your child about indoor exercises.
7. Hit the Trails: Go snow trekking, skiing or snowboarding with the kids for a fun aerobic workout. If you don’t have the equipment (or a nearby resort), find a hill ideal for sledding or tubing. Climbing back up after each run will get hearts pumping.
8. Visit a Zoo or a Farm: Zoos and farms are fun winter destinations for learning how life changes through the seasons. Kids can also learn how animals are taken care of during winter.
9. Sign ‘Em Up: Enroll your child in an instructional group class. Try dancing, gymnastics, martial arts, fencing or indoor swimming lessons – anything that will get him or her excited about staying active.
10. Find Middle Ground: If it’s impossible to pry kids away from the TV, encourage them to do jumping jacks, sit-ups and push-ups during commercial breaks.
When it comes to physical fitness, Dr. Maxine Hayes, state health officer, has a simple take: “Getting it right in the beginning means getting it right for life.” A pediatrician by training, Hayes is the state Department of Health’s official proponent of healthy living.
“We think about getting it right in the beginning as saving money down the road,” she says. “Being overweight is the common denominator for so many chronic diseases, so there’s a price to pay for bad decisions made in childhood.”
She prefers the term “moving the body” to “exercise,” and says it doesn’t have to cost a lot. The Centers for Disease Control recommends 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day. Hayes suggests that people “get in the mind-set of treating it like a chore that you must do each day.” But it doesn’t have to be a chore in the sense that it’s difficult or not fun.
“Turn off the television,” she advises. “Spend some time jumping rope, hula-hooping, dancing. Make moving your body a part of daily activity.”
Here are some low-cost ways to bring fun and variety into your daily fitness commitment.
Walking
Walking, as Hayes says, is the least expensive way to stay fit. But, if you’re like me, you get bored just walking around your own neighborhood. Local parks departments have maps of parks and trails, and you can make an adventure out of visiting a different one each week. Some departments break out walking trails from the general parks listings – Seattle, for example, has 32 trails; Kirkland has maps of seven neighborhood walking routes; and Kent lists eight trails from .25 miles to more than 10 miles.
Want to go farther afield? Pick up Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington and the Cascades by Joan Burton (Mountaineers, 2006) or Out and About with Kids: Seattle: The Ultimate Family Guide for Fun and Learning by Ann Bergman and Virginia Smyth (Sasquatch Books, 2005). For more ideas, go to the Washington Trails Association Web site at www.wta.org or visit www.localhikes.com.
Biking
To learn to ride a bike safely in an urban area, kids and teens can take free or inexpensive (up to $30) classes or clinics through the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation (206-523-1952; www.cbcef.org). The group has club rides for ages 12 to 15 for a one-time fee of $10 for spring and $30 for summer for a series of rides. Check with Kids Bikes Northwest to find out about local riding and racing clubs, BMX tracks, classes and camps (www.kidsbikenw.org). The Marymoor Velodrome Youth Program introduces kids ages 5-18 to track cycling (206-957-4555; www.velodrome.org).
Since kids outgrow bikes frequently, it’s a good idea to shop for inexpensive bikes through online classifieds and used sporting goods stores. Find great deals at the Cascade Bicycle Club’s annual Seattle Bike Swap Feb. 21, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., at Magnuson Park Hanger No. 30. Bike Works in south Seattle has an after-school Earn-a-Bike program: kids learn to fix bicycles and earn their own set of wheels (206-725-9408; www.bikeworks.org). Free bikes for needy families are available through Bikes for Tykes of Puget Sound (425-985-4946; www.bikesfortykesps.org), Bikesters Kids Without Wheels Project (www.bikesters.com) and Sharing Wheels (425-252-6952; www.sharingwheels.org).
Aside from dragging a sled or inner-tube up and down a hill, this is the least expensive winter sport. Look for used equipment, as snowshoes for adults are pricey: $100 to $275 a pair at L.L.Bean, REI and sports stores or $65 and up through shopzilla.com. But kids’ snowshoes are only $20-$99 a pair, including some cute “snowpaws” at REI for $25. Rentals are usually $15 a pair.
For places to go snowshoeing or snow-hiking, check out Snowshoe Routes Washington by Dan Nelson (Mountaineer Books, 2003). For great general information, weather updates, trails, guided trips and rentals, go the Washington Trails Association Web site at www.wta.org/hiking-info/basics/skiing-snowshoeing-information. Most snow trails leave from Washington State Sno Parks. Daily permits are $10, seasonal ones are $30 and additional permits for nine groomed trail areas are $30. Buy them at park offices or 125 retail locations or online at www.parks.wa.gov/winter/permits.asp. Call 360-586-6644 for more information.
Exercise Videos
Kids’ fitness videos are a great buy. Almost all are in the $20 range. Before you buy, consider whether you and your kids would have the most fun with general exercises, yoga, Pilates, martial arts, rope-jumping or some kind of dance. To see what you like, check out a free video from the library (although selection is limited and tends to be older) or rent one for a week from a video store. Find the biggest selection at Fitness Beginnings (1-866-552-2031; www.fitnessbeginnings.com/exercise-videos.html).
To sort through the hundreds of children’s fitness videos, consider the Parents’ Choice award winners for 2008: Kideosyncracy, Volume 2 for ages 5 to12 (Kideosyncracy, Inc.) School House Hop for ages 5 to 14 (Jumping Fish Productions) Kids Tribes’ “Hooper-Size” for ages 6 to 10 (Kids Tribe) Earlier Parents’ Choice winners include: Yoga Ma Baby Ga – Mama and Me Postnatal Yoga for infants to 2-year-olds (Down Dog Productions, 2004) YogaKids 3 – Silly to Calm and Yoga Kids 2 – ABC’s, both for ages 3 to 6 (Gaiam Kids, 2004) Toucanz Trail Obstacle Adventure for ages 6 to 11 (Avid Ideas, 2003) Kick to Get Fit Jr. – For Kids (no violent moves) for ages 3 to 12 (Grogan’s Martial Arts and Fitness, 2003) Denise Austin’s Fit Kids for ages 7 to 14 (Lions Gate, 2004)
Another free option is streaming videos over the Internet. Check out The Broadband Gym at www.slimtree.com for 100 free videos of aerobics, Pilates, yoga and other activities. They’re not specifically geared for kids, but suitable for the whole family with adult supervision. Workouts on Demand (www.workoutsondemand.com) also has 100 fitness videos.
Community Centers
Sometimes you want to exercise as a family with other people around. The most economical option is your local community center. Many have drop-in indoor playgrounds for toddlers and pre-schoolers for $2 a session – no reservation required. Some – including the Magnuson Community Center in Seattle – also have drop-in sports, such as basketball free shot, racquetball and Wally ball for $2, as well as a home school open gym time.
You’ll find an astonishing range of classes for all ages, ranging from juggling, baton twirling, circus sports, fencing, stage combat and double-dutch rope-jumping to every kind of team or individual sport and a dozen kinds of dance. Prices usually range from $20 to $80 for five to eight sessions. Increasingly popular are fitness classes for teens – some, like the ones at the Delridge and Southwest Community Centers in West Seattle, are even free.
Many community centers focus on families moving their bodies together. For example, parent-child courses at the North Kirkland Community Center include “Baby Boogie Woogie,” “Parent-Child Kids in Motion” and “Parent-Child Sports and Games,” along with all-ages ice skating and “Bowling with Buddies.” The Alki Community Center in West Seattle has Friday Night Family Roller Skating ($3), and the nearby South Park Community Center has Family Game Nights (free) and Family Skating Parties ($2).
Contact your local parks and recreation department for more information. You can register for classes through Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Web site at www.seattle.gov/PARKS/. If you live in Bellevue, Bothell, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Sammamish, Snoqualmie or Woodinville, find listings for all cities at www.myparksandrecreation.com.
YMCAs
The YMCA of Greater Seattle (encompassing all of King County and south Snohomish County) is continuing to increase its commitment to family fitness with more kids’ and teens’ fitness training classes, including warm-ups, cardio conditioning, cool downs and stretching. At some branches, parents can drop their kids off at “Kids’ Gym” while they work out. Other offerings include “Tumble Time” for toddlers, family swim and water fitness, karate for families, classical ballet, creative movement, hip hop dance, ‘tween recreation and tae kwon do.
After school, kids can participate in martial arts, rope-jumping, backyard games, soccer, extreme games and other sports and recreation classes. Weight-training, pick-up sports and late night recreation are geared to teens. Recent additions are Zumba (Latin-inspired dance) for ages 10 and older at the Highline branch, Family Yoga at the Dale Turner Branch in Shoreline and at the Bellevue Branch, and the new Alpine Tower Challenge Course at Dale Turner. Class offerings change each session, and not all programs are offered at all branches.
At the YMCA of Greater Seattle (www.seattleymca.org) kids (ages birth-13) pay a $25 joining fee and $25 a month; youth (14 to 20) pay $50 to join, and $27 a month; adults (21-64) pay $100 to join and $55 a month; families (two adults with two children) pay $125 to join and $93 a month; single parents with children pay $100 to join and $68 a month. Rates are comparable at the YMCA of Tacoma-Pierce County (www.tacomaymca.org), but Teen Late Nights, with lots of physical activities, are free with no membership required. Rates are also comparable at the YMCA of Snohomish County (www.ymca-snoco.org). All YMCA organizations offer financial aid as well as “triangle memberships” to use multiple branches.
Boys & Girls Clubs
Local Boys & Girls Clubs are one of the least expensive options for your kids, although they do only a few family events. The clubs serve children 5 or 6 to 18.
At Boys & Girls Clubs of King County (206-436-1800; www.positiveplace.org) annual membership fees average $18 ($15 at Ballard, $40 at Mercer Island). Kids can drop in after school or on weekends to use the gyms and ball fields, play pick-up games such as soakum, soccer or dodge ball or do Dance Dance Revolution or other active video games. Sports offerings vary from club to club and emphasize life skills and participation (typical cost is $45 for basketball or flag football).
Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound (253-502-4600; www.bg-clubs.com) charge $80 to $90 a year for membership. Clubs offer classes in jazz, lyrical and ballet dance as well as drop-in sports. In Tacoma, the Boys & Girls Clubs have teamed with the parks department to form the Northwest Youth Sports Alliance offering basketball, baseball/fast pitch, tackle football and flag football. Fees are $40-$70.
Annual membership at most branches of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County is $20 (425-258-2436; www.bgcsc.org). Drop-in fitness programs vary by branch. Alderwood offers “Fitness Authority” where members can explore skateboarding, jumping rope, cycling, hiking, dance and aerobics in special interest groups. Everett offers gym activities, such as basketball, tennis and alien tag. Different sports programs are offered each season, most costing $70-$80.
All Boys & Girls Clubs also offer regular after-school childcare, which is more expensive than annual drop-in membership, but includes many of the same fitness options. Financial aid is available for all programs.
Wenda Reed is a Bothell writer and regular contributor to Seattle’s Child.
