Keeping your family mentally and physically well can seem daunting, but have no fear, MetroFamily is here to help you on your family wellness journey!
Here are some great tips, local resources and products to make your family’s health and wellness path a little easier…and fun!
Ways to get your family moving!
Regular physical activity can help kids improve fitness, build strong bones and muscles, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages 3 through 5 years need to be active throughout the day and ages 6 through 17 need to be active for 60 minutes every day.
Here are some fun and practical ways to get these minutes in!
- Make physical activity part of your family’s daily routine by taking family walks or playing active games together. Fun activities can either structured or non-structured and range from team or individual sports to recreational activities such as walking, running, skating, bicycling, swimming, playground activities, or free-time play.
- Encouraging lots of safe and unstructured movement and play can help build a strong foundation for an active lifestyle. These Tumble Town™ Foam Building Blocks
includes various blocks and cylinders for endless configurations and fun! These are perfect for your busy toddler.
- Find a local family fitness class that fits your child’s interest and schedule such as KidStrong , Threshold Climbing Fitness or Tiger Jung’s World Class Tae Kwon Do.
- Take your family to places where they can be active, such as OKC Parks, community baseball fields, or basketball courts.
- Join a local sports team and help your child builds skills like teamwork, collaboration, and problem solving – qualities that last a lifetime. The YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City or Soccer City OKC are great resources to find a team for your child.
- Give your children equipment that encourages physical activity like this Flyer™ Glider Pro (age 6+) which includes lean- to- steer technology that improves balance and coordination.
- Instead of watching television after dinner, encourage your child to find fun activities to do on their own or with friends and family, such as walking the dog, doing yoga, playing chase, or riding bikes.
Here are some other great resources for ideas on how to get our family moving and active and information on upcoming local events.
- KeepMovingOKC is a great resource for family fitness events and classes.
- Shape Your Future Oklahoma has healthy kid friendly recipes, ways to get kids active and more!
- Make plans to attend MetroFamily’s Thrive Fest on June 1, 2024 at Mitch Park YMCA! It’s a celebrate of health and wellness and connects you with local resources to help you on your parenting journey. Click here for more info and get your advance tickets!
Importance of Sensory Play
Sensory play also contributes to mental health and is an important part of early childhood development. Providing opportunities for children to actively use their
senses as they explore their world through ‘sensory play’ is crucial to brain development. Products like the Glo Pals Sensory Play Jar engages kids in sensory playtime on the go! Kids will adore the light-up sensory jar filled with tumbling shapes in eye-catching colors, plus the jar is made with dual handles for easy holding.
You can also get Fun Fillers for the sensory jar that take the fuss out of curating the perfect sensory play activity! You can also use them to enhance your favorite sensory bin.
No matter how you plan to get your family moving and active, take it one day at a time and focus on the fun and memories being made in the process!