Get Active!
You don't have to run a marathon to add more activity to your life. Make a promise to walk the dog every afternoon. After a week, add an extra block or two, then three or four. Take it from there. (Don't have a dog? No problem! See below for more activity ideas.)
Add more activity to the stuff you're already doing. Ask your mom to drop you off at the far end of the parking lot at the mall, then walk the extra distance. While you're there, take the stairs instead of the escalator. Walk an extra lap around before your ride picks you up.
Cut down on your TV, computer, or video game time each day. Instead of watching that really bad show that comes between your two favorites, turn off the TV for half an hour, turn on the radio, and dance around your room to your favorite songs. If you want to, set a timer so you won't miss your show.
Have a parent, family member, or friend with a garden? Offer to help. Planting, pruning, or weeding is a great activity. Your friend or relative will love the help, and it'll be a great chance to catch up.
Get into after school fun. Lots of youth centers, YMCAs, and Boys & Girls Clubs have after-school programs. Why not look into after-school basketball, dance lessons, or other activities? These centers may also have homework centers, tutors, and a lot of great ways to meet new friends.
Turn off the TV. Watch just one show a night instead of every show that's on. You'll find you're more active without even thinking about it. Or, if you have to tune in, try getting up and moving around during the commercials. Jumping jacks are great for this!
Looking for something you can do with friends or family in your own back yard? Try one or more of these:
- Hosting a family treasure hunt
- Play catch. Toss around as many different shaped objects (try a rubber chicken!) as you can find
- Learn to juggle
- Pick up a hula hoop and see how many rotations you can do. Have a contest with your friends
- Pull out that old jump rope you from when you were a kid. Just for fun, see how many of those old rhymes you can remember.
- Play "hot potato" with a soft ball or frisbee
- Try badminton, croquet, or bocce.
- Looking for something more interesting? How about a pogo stick, stilts, or a unicycle?
- Hop on a skateboard and go for a ride. Or try inline skates or a scooter.
- If it snows in the winter where you live, build snow forts and snow people, have snowball battles, go ice skating, or take a ride down that great sledding hill.
- Get together a game of hopscotch or four-square and have a competition. (Keep a bucket of sidewalk chalk handy!)
