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A Happy, Healthy Winter
By Kipp Hanley
The game was called “stick”.
During the middle of winter when I was in elementary school,
my high school brother used to play this rough and tumble
game with me. The goal was to get to the “end zone” in our
basement, marked by a tall black pole on one side and a
bookshelf on the other. All it took was a tiny, plastic
football and some creative squirming from me, to cross about
12 feet of checkered carpet gridiron with my brother (on his
knees to level the playing field) doing his best to thwart
my mission.
‘Stick’ proved to be a creative example of how children can
stay active and healthy, even on a chilly winter day.
There isn’t just one secret to keeping children active and
healthy during the onset of cold weather. The American
Council on Exercise suggests several things you can do that
can provide exercise for your little ones while you get
stuff done around the house or while running errands.
1. Take your children to the gym to workout. Many gyms offer
parent/children Yoga and Pilates classes, youth circuit
classes and family personal training.
2. Take your children to the mall for some vigorous walking.
You can even make a competition of it. Divide children and
parents into equal teams and race to see which team can get
to a certain store most quickly, avoiding all obstacles
(i.e. other shoppers) in your path. Also, you can take the
staircase instead of the popular mall escalator to burn
calories and energy.
3. Take a timeout during television commercials to enjoy an
exercise break. Or have your children accompany you while
doing laundry or taking out the trash.
4. Purchase children’s exercise videos and games or
take-home yoga kits to help children stay active while
indoors.
A child’s imagination can also help keep them active. One of
the best things a parent can do to keep their children happy
and healthy in the winter is to encourage them to play
creative games around the house like hide-and-go-seek or
Twister. These games get your children off the couch and
moving while having fun. This way, both parents and children
can be healthy together.
Fitness experts contend that while children tend to eat more
in the winter, the larger problem is a decrease in activity.
According to a recent Associated Press article, studies show
that on average, children burn just half as many calories
during the winter as they do during the summer. With obesity
doubling in children and teenagers in the last 30 years,
combating this winter downturn could prove instrumental in
reversing this trend.
Winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snow ball
fights and even making snow angels get the blood flowing in
a child who otherwise would be inside watching television or
playing a video game.
Just make sure children don’t overdo it, urges Marine Corps
Base Physical Therapy Department head Michele Weinstein.
Weinstein recommends the following tips when it comes to a
child’s outdoor activities.
1. Watch for signs of frostbite. Even limited time outdoors
can be harmful to the skin if the weather is cold enough.
2. Be aware of the sun and the wind. During the winter, the
sun can reflect off the snow and ice, irritating skin. So be
sure to use sunscreen, regardless of the temperature. Also
be aware that too much exposure to wind, especially on the
face, can leave skin raw.
3. Be aware of body temperature. That means taking breaks
and coming inside periodically to warm up.
4. Keep hydrated. When it’s cold, it’s easy to forget to
drink enough water because you don’t feel as hot. However,
Weinstein says don’t wait until you feel thirsty. That’s a
common mistake children make when they exercise in the cold
weather.
Of course, keeping children happy and healthy during the
winter is not all fun and games. Simple things like washing
their hands, eating right and taking vitamins are good ways
for children to avoid colds, fevers and the flu bug. As a
parent, practice what you preach.
“Being a physical therapist and athletic trainer is a part
of my profession that carries over into everyday life,”
Weinstein said. “It has to or you lose credibility. [If
not], I would be like the cardiologist that smokes.”
Weinstein, a two-time Marine Corps Marathon competitor, has
been a physical therapist for 20 years and she makes sure
her three children follow her example by eating right and
getting plenty of exercise no matter the time of year.
Use the goal of the Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun
Run held each October to inspire your children to keep
exercising as the weather starts to get cooler.
Articles in the Health Kids Series are presented by the
Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun Run to be held on the
final Saturday in October 2007. Visit
www.marinemarathon.com for more information. The
one-mile run welcomes children ages 6-13. Kipp Hanley is the
Marketing Coordinator for the Marine Corps Marathon. No
federal or Marine Corps endorsement implied.
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