Winter Physical Activity Tips for Thorson Students and Families

Thorson Elementary School 
Physical Education

Building a Strong, Healthy, and Fit 
School Community

Making Family Time an Active Time

Tips for Getting Kids More Physically Active

Children and teens should be moderately active for at least 60 minutes on most, if not all, days, and vigorously active at least 30 minutes 3-4 days a week. One of the best ways to to encourage physical activity is through active family time!

When the whole family is involved in physical activities together, children learn that being active is fun, healthy, makes them feel good, and helps improves their academic learning.

Thorson students have been busy learning about the benefits of physical activity throughout the school year.  

Physical activity:

· Increases fitness levels and keeps the heart and lungs strong and healthy.

· Builds and maintains healthy bones and stronger muscles.

· Increases overall strength and endurance.

· Helps control weight to decrease the risk of many diseases.

· Stimulates the brain and contributes to academic success.

· Boosts energy and promotes sound sleep.

· Helps you feel good about yourself and promotes positive emotional well-being.

· Relieves stress and provides a way to connect to family and friends.

Live an Active Lifestyle All Year Round, Even in Winter!

Winter Physical Activity Tips

With the winter season upon us here in Wisconsin, here are a few small steps 

that can get your family moving more this winter and into spring. 

Choose a different tip each week for your family to try.

Walk and Be Physically Active...whenever possible!

· Scavenger hunts can keep children engaged during a walk. Keep in mind a list of "treasures" they can find, such as a snowman, a brick home, a tree with a birds nest in it, a dog, or an out-of-state license plate.

· Get pedometers for everyone, and work on increasing the number of steps you take on your family walks. Get family members to wear the pedometers all day, and keep a log of everyone's total steps. Adults should work toward 10,000 steps a day. Children who are 6 to 12 years old need more steps—at least 12,000 for girls and at least 15,000 for boys.

· Family Fun Run/Walk- Register the whole family in a family fun run/walk in our community. If the event is for charity, have your family walk through your neighborhood to collect pledges.

· Walk instead of driving whenever you can/ Walk your children to school

· Take stairs instead of the escalator or elevator

· Go snowshoeing on a Saturday morning with the family

· Take the dog on longer walks…your family pet will love this one! :o)

· Park farther away from stores and walk

Outdoor Activities

· Watch the  2014 Sochi Winter Olympics to inspire new physical activity pursuits for your kids

· Get involved in family-friendly activities such as skiing, skating, snowshoeing

· Play catch in the snow. Build a family of snowmen.  :o)

· Go on a hike or candlelight ski/snowshoe at a local state park.

· Invite your kids to help with the snow shoveling.

· Build a snow fort together and have a snowball fight

Indoor and Snowy Day Activities

· Dance to music with your kids. Have a family dance night. Create a new dance or exercise  routine  to a favorite song. Have a different child choose the song each week.

· Set up a fun obstacle course in the basement or have a hula hoop contest.

· Join an exercise group/ Enroll your children in community sports teams/ lessons.

· Do sit-ups during commercial breaks. Have a sit-up competition with your kids.

· Play Hockey Push-Ups with your kids. Hold a push up position while facing your child and attempt to roll a beanbag or small ball between their “goal posts”. They should try to stop the ball or beanbag with their hand before the object scores between their “goal posts”.

· Use an exercise dvd or Playstation/Xbox/Wii physical activity game, if the weather is bad.

· Swim with your kids or do family yoga poses together.

· Play “Tricky” Simon Says with  your kids—Say one thing but do something different to see if they can do what you say without being tricked

· Ask your children to help with active chores around the house.

· Thorson Family Wellness Night!! Friday, January 31st; 5:30pm-8:00 pm