Screen-Free Week: Fun Activities to Inspire Your Kids to Get Up and Be Active

Lauren Hoola Hooping

Spring is here and summer is near, so there is no reason to stay cooped up in front of the T.V. Since 1996, Screen-Free Week (formerly known as T.V. Turnoff Week) has been dedicated to get kids away from the T.V. screen and outside for some fresh air. Kids today spend nearly twice as much time watching T.V., surfing the web and playing video games as they do in school!

There are lots of fun ways kids can exercise without making it feel like exercise. Busy schedules can make exercise hard to fit in, but you only need thirty minutes a day to stay healthy. Most television shows are longer than that; plus thirty minutes of exercise can be broken up into 15 minutes twice a day and so on. Be sure your family is participating in Screen-Free Week!

Benefits of Being Active

Kids are known to be carefree. Physical activity can release hormones that help can relieve stress and keep kids carefree for years to come. Endorphins released during exercise can help them concentrate and in turn, improve grades. No more sleeping in class! Regular exercise helps children to be more energized and reduces fatigue.

Go for a Bike Ride or Rollerblade

This is the perfect week to teach your child how to ride a two-wheeler. If your child already knows how, go for a bike ride or rollerblade together to a local park. Don’t forget to wear helmets! Make bicycling and rollerblading your modes of transportation this week. It will save you gas money!

Play Sports

Softball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, the list goes on and on. Encourage your child to try a new sport and help them practice! Make practice a fun learning experience. Remember to be patient and give positive, constructive feedback when they make mistakes. You can play one-on-one basketball with your child or teach him/her how to play catch. Get the whole family together for a game of soccer. There are an infinite number of ways to get kids to play sports.

Make your yard a fun-zone for kids!

Set up a bunch of activities for your kids. Provide chalk for hopscotch and bubbles for them to chase. Take out jump ropes, basketballs, Frisbees, hula hoops and anything else you have lying around in your garage. If you are feeling especially creative, set up a treasure hunt. Treasure hunts can also be set up inside for those rainy days.

Here are some more fun activities that involve getting up and getting active:

Swimming, kickball, rock climbing, trampoline, playing tag and ice-skating

What activities will your kids do this week instead of watching TV?