by 
On days when you are stuck inside, it can be hard to figure out ways to help your kids get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. While sports programs and after-school activities can do the trick, they often cost money and require resources to help get the kids from here to there. Setting up a home obstacle challenge is fun – and free! Create at least 5 different stations with activities like those listed below.
Couch Sit and Jump. Sit slowly onto the couch and then jump up off your feet, land softly and repeat 20 times.
Kitchen Sock Running Man. Wear slippery socks in the kitchen and, while in a push-up position, slide your feet up, down and all around for 30 seconds.
Hallway or Outdoor Shuttle Run. Pick a short distance and quickly sprint from one end to the other 10 times as fast as you can! (Watch out for barriers and reinforce basic safety rules.)
Doorway Jumps. Place a mat or small rug in the middle of the doorway. The goal is to jump from one side of the doorway to the other without touching the mat. Start by standing on your left foot and jump across the doorway, landing on your right leg, and repeat on the opposite leg. Continue jumping side to side for 30 seconds.
Table or Couch Circle Run. Clear an area around your kitchen table or couch (whichever is safest to run around). Try to run as many circles clockwise around the table or couch for 30 seconds and then reverse directions and repeat. Try to match the number of laps you did in each direction.
Remote Control Balance Touches. Holding onto a remote control, balance on your left leg only and try to touch the remote to the floor without using your right leg for help. Repeat 10 touches on the left leg and switch to the right. See how many touches you can get on each leg without help from the other leg.
Hot Steps. Standing at the bottom of a step, safely step up and down as quickly as you can. Count to see how many times you can go up and down that one step in 30 seconds. Repeat, this time leading with the opposite foot.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Pinterest: Active Kids
