"Resolution Solution," by Martha Swirzinski

Resolution Solution

Do any of these New Year's resolutions look familiar?

1. Exercise more
2. Spend more time with the children
3. Enjoy life’s little moments
4. Learn something new

Have you been able to make those resolutions stick? Well, here’s a great way to work on all four at the same time. Take some time and get active with your children. They will love the time you spend with them. It’s cold outside so here are some great indoor activities that are fun for the whole family. Turn off the TV, the video games and have fun and laugh with your children again.

Activities that require little to no equipment.

Charades (place a bunch of suggestions in a hat for the children to pull out)
Scavenger hunt (Come up with a list of items for the children to find, use picture cues for little ones, and tricky riddles for older ones)
Freeze dance (Start the music, have the children move around and when you yell, “FREEZE”, they must stop. Shake it up and bit and have them act out animals, specific movements like jumping, hopping, skipping)

Balloon fun (blow up some balloons and let them bat them back and forth, see how long they can keep it up in the air, or tie a string across two chairs and play volleyball)
Indoor bowling (use any ball you have and soda bottles, cereal boxes or even plastic cups)

“More and more research is being developed about the rise of obesity in children,” notes Ms. Swirzinski, who teaches movement education in a local pre-school and offers teacher training workshops and customized consultations. At the same time, numerous studies continue to link increased brain function and movement, she explains. “Being active grows new brain cells!”

Ms. Swirzinski believes that every child should be afforded structured movement opportunities every day to promote an active, healthy lifestyle and become part of a lifelong regime.

It is along this vein that Ms. Swirzinski has published three children’s books focused on movement. Using entertaining rhymes and charming pictures, these developmentally based books offer fun and creative ways for children to move while also providing mind stimulating activities on each page. By following the suggested activities, children can engage in 30-60 minutes of their recommended structured daily movement, as well as enhancing other mind/body skills. Designed to be enjoyed again and again, the pages of these books are filled with laughter, learning, movement and more.

Martha's book are:


You can find them at www.wholechildpublishing.com

Here are some other great books that keep your children moving. What’s better on a rainy day than a good book and spending time with your child?

Clap Your Hands by Lorinda Bryan Cauley
From Head To Toe by Eric Carle
Animal Action ABC by Karen Pandell and Art Wolfe
Pretend You’re A Cat by Jean Marzollo

Hope you find ways each and every day to make moving and laughing with your children a part of your day.

Stay Healthy,
Martha Swirzinski, M.A.
www.MovementPlus.com
www.wholechildpublishing.com

Make sure to stop by www.jgladen.blogspot.com tomorrow to find out more about Eysabeth Eldering’s books. My daughter and I read them and had a great time. They are educational and fun.