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Heart Healthy Habits
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Heart Healthy Habits
Making sure our kids have every opportunity to
live the healthiest life possible.
We all truly want our children to
live full lives with the least number of obstacles as possible. Making sure
they are happy and healthy is our number one priority as their parents and care
givers. Sometimes the lines are a bit blurred when it comes to nutrition and
exercise, so we’re going to help you come up with some
fun activities and options to ensure you’re creating the best healthy environment
for your kids to thrive in.
Don’t forget that
one way to keep your kids healthy is to keep yourself healthy as well. We set
an example for our children that can’t be denied. If we’re moving regularly and
eating good-for-us foods, our kids will tend to emulate those behaviors. That’s why we suggest working together as a family to create heart
healthy habits. So, part of our fun
includes you - mom, dad and
grandparents, to participate and enjoy this time with the kiddos in your life.
Exercise - For a strong body and positive mental
outlook
Have a pushup
contest - Have the kids sit on their parents lower back as they count how many
pushups mom and dad can do. Now, have the kids do pushups with a stack of playing
cards on their back. Make sure they don’t fall!
Next try a stack of paperback books on mom and dad. And a stack of Legos
on the kids’ backs. Be aware that lots of giggle accompany this
exercise.
Have a dance party -
Dancing is a great way to get both cardio and toning benefits. Find your
favorite tunes and crank it up! Everyone
can take a turn doing a dance of their own. Work in some awesome break dancing
along with ballet, jazz moves and even some line dancing! Another fun option
would be for one person to choreograph a dance for the whole family to do. Take
turns so the kids all get a chance to create a dance. Or, just turn those turns
up to 11 and have a free-for-all dancing fiesta!
Play indoor volleyball
with a balloon - Grab a balloon and blow it up. Make a ‘net’ out of couch
cushions, dining room chairs or even a line of stuffed animals. One team stands
on one side of the net and the other is on the other side. Then, play ball! Volleyball, that is. Keep the balloon in the
air as long as you can, bopping it back and forth over the net. If the balloon
touches the ground, that’s a point for the other team.
Nutrition - For a healthy body inside and out
Peanut butter flat
bread - Grab some flat bread and warm it up on the stove in a pan. Spread some
peanut butter on the warm flatbread. Now thinly slice up an apple, grab some
raisins and cranberries and sprinkle all of the fruit on the peanut butter. If
you want some crunch, add some granola. Now fold in half and cut into strips.
Share with the family and enjoy with a cold glass of coconut or almond milk.
Fruit and veggie
smoothies - Gather some frozen bananas, berries, spinach, coconut, kale, carrots,
pineapple and almond milk and throw it all in a blender. Now, let the kids
blend that beautiful smoothie until everything is mixed in well together. Pour
into glasses and top with fresh berries.
Banana ice cream -
Next time you have some brownish bananas sitting around, instead of tossing
them in the compost pile, peel them, slice them up and throw them in the
freezer. Next time you’re having a game or movie night, grab those frozen
nanners and pop them in the blender. Use a little chocolate coconut milk and
then blend away. The bananas and milk will blend into the consistency of
chocolate ice cream. Top with berries, banana chips, granola or chocolate
chips.
Fun! - For mental health and bonding
What’s in the fish
tank? - If you have an old fish tank or giant bowl around the house, fill it
with water and add an object to the bottom of the tank. Blindfold the first
person who will be the guesser. They have to feel around the water for the
object. It could be something really gross and slimey, or something pokey (not
too pokey) or something mushy. The person has to guess what the object is after
they finally find it and feel it for clues. This one will make everyone completely
crack up! Repeat for each family member.
Face painting - Head
to the nearest party store and grab some fun face paints. Sit down and
design
the paintings you’d like to have painted on.
Then each person takes a turn recreating the design on one family member’s
mush. Go around until everyone has had a chance to paint and be painted. If you
don’t have fancy face paints for this activity, you can use some old makeup!
Want a fun challenge? Use the blindfold from the fish tank game and do some
blindfolded face painting. Neither of you can see what the creation is until
it’s finished. And, the rest of the family is going to have a great time ROTF
laughing.
Make a movie - What
a fun way to spend time together! First,
sit at the table and come up with a basic movie idea and plan it out. Maybe
write a short script of what’s going to happen and have everyone have a role to
play in the movie. Next, get the props ready and if you need to, draw or create
a cool backdrop for the movie that goes with the theme. Now, grab that phone
and start recording. The most fun comes when you play the movie back for the
whole family to watch together.
We hope you enjoy
creating happy, healthy memories doing these activities together as a family.
Not only are you having a great time together, you’re creating healthy habits
that include good nutrition and instilling a valuable understanding that
nutrition, exercise and active movement can be FUN and HEALTHY at the same
time.