Rolling In The Grass – Remember When?

There was a time not too long ago when families didn’t have to go out and buy equipment to become fit. Time was spent rolling in the grass, playing in the yard, or jumping around on the floor instead of watching television or getting hooked on computer games. While it may seem those times are past, it’s not too late to remember when family fitness was naturally fun and look for some ways to make it that way again.

• Put on some old play clothes that you don’t mind getting grass stained and spend some outside family fitness time with the kids. Play in the yard. Grab a football and toss it around, or get out the mitts and baseball and play a game of catch. Volleyball, badminton, or tennis are excellent ways to enjoy the outdoors, and the workout you get will rival anything you’ll find in the gym.

• Teach your kids how to do a somersault. Somersaults are simple for even very young children. In case you’ve forgotten how, you simply have your child stand on a flat section of grass and lean over slightly with arms outstretched. He or she then places their hands on the ground, and tucking the head in close to the chest to prevent injury, they just “roll” forward landing in a sitting position. Children can also turn a somersault from a sitting position once they get used to “flipping” over. It’s very similar, just remind them to not let their heads touch the floor to avoid injury.

• Another great outdoor activity is turning cartwheels. Little girls, especially love this (but boys do, too!). Cartwheels are a basic gymnastics move and many children are able to do these at an early age as well, though they do require a little more coordination that somersaults. Turning cartwheels is great for strengthening the upper body and developing skills needed for later gymnastic efforts including handsprings or walk-offs. Allow plenty of room for turning a cartwheel. While a front to back cartwheel is common, side-to-side cartwheels are more popular so you can start with those. The method for doing cartwheels is lowering first one hand, then the other, then lowering one foot and then the other. Think of the spokes of a bicycle. You’ll become that wheel with your arms and legs the spokes. For the best results, keep your arms, legs, and back straight and strong as you turn. Cartwheels may take some practice, but even if children can’t turn them fully, they’ll have fun and get lots of exercise playing in the grass and rolling around on the ground.

There are hundreds of ways to play outdoors with the kids and get in a great workout at the same time. Just remember all the fun you used to have as a child and give your own children a taste of the same simple pleasures. You’ll be building family ties, strengthening the bond with your children, and helping them to develop healthy living habits at the same time. Nothing could be better than that!

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