Keeping kids active in winter is no easy feat. Really, staying active through the fall and winter is hard at any age. For me, around November I go into full hibernation mode: essentially, I just want to nap and eat junk food. Cold weather just slows me down.
But since staying active all year is generally recommended for all ages, here are a couple of good ways to keep your kids (and you) moving around even if Jack Frost is nipping at your nose.
Make Staying Active Easier with Biology
Part of the reason we feel more tired in the winter—and therefore less active–-is because we’re getting less sunlight and vitamin D. You can fight off laziness and inactivity before it takes hold by dosing up on Vitamin D, getting a happy light, and making an effort to spend more time in the sunshine while you can.
Keep Your Kids Active through Winter by Example
It’s a fact of life that kids love doing what their parents do. It’s important to take time for yourself and your fitness. But, you can help your kids stay more active by involving them in your activity, too. Let them do some video workouts with you or join you on an occasional jog. You’ll be active and bonding—that’s a win-win.
Make Winter Activities with Kids Adventurous
Some of the best cardio workouts I got as a kid were carrying a sled up a big hill. When you as a parent choose to take your kids to adventurous places, like big sledding hills or on winter hikes, or just make playing in the house its own adventure, they’ll get all the exercise they need exploring.
Find Indoor Places to Keep Your Kids Active
When it’s too cold or snowy to play outside, or when you’re sick of zipping and unzipping their impossibly fluffy snowsuits over and over, take your kids to Coconut Cove! Coconut Cove is the best indoor playground in Utah, with slides, ball cannons, trampolines, and much more. You can book a party or just come and play. And whether you want to be on the playground with the kids or relaxing in a massage chair, you’ll make awesome winter memories.