Halloween Themed Outdoor Activities for Children

Halloween Themed Outdoor Activities for Children

By the Kids Place Pediatric Physical Therapists

As snow and cold weather sweeps through many parts of the country, this time of year is a perfect reminder to why we live in Arizona.  The beautiful weather outdoors plays host to many possibilities of games and activities.  In the spirit of Halloween, we want to introduce you to some themed games that are sure to be fun for your children, but also beneficial to their development.

Spider Web Maze

With a piece of chalk, draw a large spider web on the ground.  Using paper, plastic, or extra candy, place the “spiders” along the lines of the web.  Have your child walk the lines of the spider web, keeping both feet on the line, and count how many “spiders” they can grab in one minute without stepping off the lines.  This game is beneficial in that it improves coordination and balance.

Candy Grab

Dump a bucket of candy on the floor.  Using only their toes, see how quickly your child can pick up the candy and place it in a bucket.  This will work your child’s ankle strength and balance.

Candy Hopscotch

Draw hopscotch on the ground.  Throw the candy on the ground to skip that step.  All you will need is chalk and your Halloween candy.  This game will benefit your child’s jumping, coordination, and balance.

Spider Web Catch

This game can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors.  Using painter’s tape, build a spider web in an open hallway or tree.  Crumble up some newspaper into various sized balls, and count how many your child can throw and stick in the spider web.  Throwing is a gross motor task that can be improved with items typically found in your house!

This Halloween, we are challenging families to use their candies in ways other than eating.  There are many additional games and activities that can be played for Halloween or any time of the year.  These ideas do not have to involve a lot of equipment or work.  The most important thing is to get up and play outdoors with your children.  Performing these activities with your children provides the proper foundation to encourage consistent exercise and activity!

We would like to hear from you.  What types of outdoor activities do you play with your children during Halloween?

Celebrating Family Health and Fitness Day

Celebrating Family Health and Fitness Day

with advice from Josh McDonald, OTR/L, MS
and Mark Salandra, CSCS

Americans young and old have been gaining weight and slowing down. A report on physical activity and health from the U.S. Surgeon General’s office in the late 1990s found that “nearly half of young people aged 12-21 are not vigorously active on a regular basis” and that more than 60% of adults aren’t as active as they should be.

(A more recent study in 2010 didn’t show any improvement, finding that only 15% of high school students achieve the recommendations set by the CDC for physical activity.)

These findings led to the creation of Family Health and Fitness Day on September 28, a celebration marking its 17th year in 2013 that celebrates activity for the whole family.

Why is this something Americans should commemorate? “Staying healthy as a family provides motivation to all members, and it increases support for the members of the family that are not as motivated for physical activity,” says Mark Salandra, CSCS, the founder of StrengthCondition.com (one of Physiquality’s partner programs). He adds that daily physical activity should be as routine as brushing your teeth or any other healthy activity you do for your body every day.

Activity expert Josh McDonald reminds parents that every action is a lesson for children. “If we want our children to value healthy and active lifestyles, then we need to model those choices for them,” says Josh, an occupational therapist at Kid’s Place, a clinic for children run by Arizona Orthopedic Physical Therapy (a Physiquality network member with two locations in Arizona).

He encourages parents to make good choices for the entire family. By turning off the television and taking them out to play catch, by enrolling them in sports and camps, or by gathering everyone for a bike ride, parents are showing their children the value of health and wellness. As a parent, he notes, “When I initiate healthy decisions for myself, and I include my kids in those decisions, I establish lifelong patterns that they will carry with them into adulthood.”

The easiest way to be active with the family is to take a walk. The CDC recommends walking at least 10,000 steps a day, Mark notes. Why not strive for that goal with a daily walk after dinner? It’s a way to burn off some of the calories in your meal while continuing discussions started around the dinner table.

There are lots of ways to make healthy choices with your family, but Josh reminds parents that the responsibility for such healthy choices starts with them. “These decisions aren’t always easy,” he notes, “but the benefits are immense for both the parents and the children.”

Ugh, It Is Too Hot Outside and My Children Are Going Stir Crazy

Ugh, It Is Too Hot Outside and My Children Are Going Stir Crazy

By: Teri Roberts, DPT

Kids Place Owner and Pediatric Physical Therapist

An Arizona summer can pose a difficult challenge trying to keep children active, yet safe.  Without a pool, I often find myself telling my two children, 7 and 8 years old, it is too hot to play outside.  At the same time, I become aggravated with their non-stop energy.  This has to be the hardest time of the year for kids and parents.  With school beginning, our children are expected to behave properly and sit an entire day in school before returning home.  After completing homework, our children must entertain themselves with indoor activities until bedtime.  So when do they have the chance to release their energy?  How can we find a happy medium between being active, yet maintaining an inside pace?

As a physical therapist and parent, I have always been more lenient with outside activities coming indoors.  My kids have always been allowed to throw balls in the house (of course, using a softer ball as they begin to throw harder), jump rope in the kitchen, jump on couch cushions placed on the floor, and do handstands and cartwheels in an open room.  However, these rules are probably not the norm in most households and cannot apply to every household.  So, what gross motor activities are appropriate indoors?

Here are some great ideas for indoor activities that will keep your children safe and active during those long, hot summers and early fall evenings:

Play hide and seek

This is actually a very quiet game, yet children find very interesting places in which to stretch or squeeze their bodies.  They often have to hold various positions for a long time, while their seeker is searching.  You can also make a rule that in order to look for the hiders, the seeker needs to walk like a certain animal or jump on one foot.  Children can play hide and seek for a very long time, releasing some energy in a quiet way.

Play the animal game

You can play this game a thousand different ways.  Sometimes, we will play animal charades, or we complete an animal puzzle while walking like the animal with each piece of the puzzle. We may reach an animal book while acting like the animal, instead of just looking at pictures.

Obstacle courses

You can make your entire house an obstacle course, without breaking anything.  Use couch cushions, pillows, blankets, tape on the floor, tiles of your floor, and/or stairs.  Give your child a sequence of activities to complete and time them to see who can complete the obstacle course with the fastest time.  An example of an obstacle course we use at our house starts in the kitchen with a bear walk to the stairs.  The kids then carry a laundry basket (small with about 5 lbs of clothes) upstairs, walk back down stairs,  hop to the living room, and jump over pillows placed on the floor.  They will then gallop to the family room and perform 10 jumping jacks before skipping back to the starting line.  After teaching my kids how to create an obstacle course, it was amazing to see how many variations they could create on their own.

Kids Yoga

This can be both energy releasing and calming at the same time.  There are many companies that have Children Yoga cards, or you can go to different websites and make your own card (www.playtimeyoga.com).  Have your child look at the card, mimic the position and hold for 30 seconds.  They will have more fun if you do the positions with them.

Although the temperature may be hot outside, it is most important to remember to keep your children active.  As a mother, I know it is easier to turn on the television, or allow my children to play video games, but this creates a horrible habit that will be hard to break once the weather becomes enjoyable outdoors.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should receive more than 60 minutes of moderate to intense activity daily.   In Arizona without a pool, this can prove to be challenging.  

Hopefully, these ideas are a great start.  I would enjoy hearing your ideas.  Which indoor activities work for your family?  Please leave your comments in the section below, and contact me directly if you would like additional indoor activities for your children. 

Couch Potato Children – Tips to Get Them to be Physically and Mentally Active

Couch Potato Children – Tips to Get Them to be Physically and Mentally Active

By: Bobbi Michels, PT, Kid’s Place

It’s a Saturday morning, and already we can hear the kids:

“Mom, it’s my turn to play on the computer!”

           “Can I watch T.V?”

                     “No, I want to play an X-box game!”

Oh boy! How many of you hear the same from your children?

Staying active with older children is a challenging, but vital tool to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not to mention fun! The question is - how I can stay active and avoid another electronic, couch-potato filled weekend?

First, let’s discuss the negative impact of a couch-potato filled weekend.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, “the lifestyle changes that accompany the current advances in technology have equated to more screen time, less physical activity and more fast food¹.” The unfortunate reality of this situation is that diabetes is on the rise. In the last ten years, the number of adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes has more than doubled. The report goes on to explain “diabetes is inextricably tied to obesity and inactivity and this ongoing problem is becoming a public health crisis of epidemic proportion. Nearly 1.2 million people in Arizona are obese, 477,649 more people than 10 years ago. Arizona is tenth in the nation for obesity.”

So back to the question – “how I can stay active and avoid another electronic, couch-potato filled weekend?” The answer: fun, fitness activities that challenge our children physically and mentally.

There are three basic elements to fitness: endurance, strength and flexibility. It is important to incorporate these into your activities. Currently the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 60 minutes per day of exercise for school aged children.

Here are several great reasons to encourage children to exercise:

1. Children who exercise have leaner body composition, less fat and are less prone to becoming overweight or obese. Those who are already overweight can lose those excess pounds through exercise³.
2. Exercise increases bone density, which keeps bones strong and resilient.
3. Children who exercise regularly are less likely to develop diseases or chronic illness such as diabetes, allergies, heart and respiratory issues. 
4. Exercise is also linked to a decrease in mental issues like depression, anxiety, and attention deficit disorders.
5. Exercise will improve blood flow, aiding in overall growth and oxygenation of muscles.
6. Exercise stimulates new neuron growth in the brain resulting in increased cognition, focus and rapid reaction times.
7. Children who exercise often sleep better, enabling them to handle daily challenges that come their way.

Thankfully, Arizona offers several indoor and outdoor activities that will challenge our children’s physical and mental abilities. So go crazy! Try new things like hiking, horseback riding, or a fitness class. Play traditional games like volleyball, basketball, flag football and soccer. Expand the “fun” in exercising trying activities like paintball, Frisbee golf, and trampoline jumping. Or just hit a bucket of golf balls at your local driving range. Rock climbing gyms where everyone can participate can encourage a little fun family competition. In the summer enjoy a cool trip to Polar Ice for open skating. You will be glad to get back outside to the heat!

 

As a family, we have enjoyed many outings to encourage our children to get up and moving while building special family memories. Most recently, we completed the IMS Arizona Marathon 5k. Below are some more ideas of places you can take your children to encourage fitness and activity. These are just some examples. I’d love to hear some of your ideas. Leave me a comment below and tell us where you go or want to go to get your kids outside and moving.

• Hit a bucket of golf balls at Valley Golf Center
  • (623) 935-9351
  • 12247 West Indian School Road, Avondale
• Go on a  Arizona Horseriding Adventures or Old West Party Adventure
  • (623) 640-3814
  • 14629 W. Peoria Avenue, Waddell
• Explore the desert on horseback with  White Tanks Riding Stables
  • (623) 935-7455 - 20300 W Olive Ave, Litchfield Park, AZ
  • (623) 640-3814 - 14629 W Peoria Ave, Waddell, AZ
• Roller around at Skate Zone
  • (623)925-0179
  • 13550 W. Van Buren Street, Goodyear
• Everybody loves to bowl - Brunswick Tri City Bowl
  • (623) 932-3388
  • 1425 N Central Ave, Avondale
• Try some intense fitness at CrossFit Fury
  • (623) 932-4338
  • 540 N Bullard Ave #15, Goodyear
• Kids versus adults at Tempe Paintball
  • (480) 966-1900
  • 1401 S. McClintock Dr.,
Tempe
• Bounce around at  Jump Street
  • (602) 889-0081
  • 5665 West Bell Road
, Glendale
• Climb together at  Phoenix Rock Gym
  • (480) 921-8322
  • 1353 E. University Dr., Tempe
• Another kids versus adults, without the paint - Stratum Laser Tag
  • (480) 545-5500
  • 1455 S. Stapley Drive, # 11, 
Mesa
• Cool down indoors at Polar Ice Peoria
  • (623) 486-0386
  • 15829 N 83rd Ave, Peoria
• Skate, bike, play basketball, or walk around at Dust Devil Park
  • 107th & Camelback

What are you waiting for? Get up and go have major fun exercising and staying healthy as a family!!

1. ARIZONA DIABETES BURDEN REPORT: 2011 http://www.azdhs.gov/azdiabetes/documents/pdf/AZ-Diabetes-Burden-Report_2011.pdf
2. Arizona - Number (in Thousands) of Adults(aged 18 years or older) with Diagnosed Diabetes, By Age, 1994 - 2010 http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DDTSTRS/Index.aspx?stateId=4&state=Arizona&cat=prevalence&Data=data&view=TOPA&trend=prevalence&id=1
3. http://www.livestrong.com/article/358542-physical-benefits-of-exercise-for-children
4. http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/exercise.html

Five Stretches You Should Perform Before Hiking

Five Stretches You Should Perform Before Hiking

By Tyler Guymon, DPT

Count me as one of those individuals who moved to Arizona for the weather! In fact, one of the main reasons I decided to relocate my family from the Northwest was the sheer amount of fun outdoor activities for the entire family. If you asked my kids, their favorite time of the year is summer because school’s out and they are little fish swimming in pools almost every day. Ask me, my favorite time of the year is our current season - winter. Winter, if you can even call it that in Arizona, is the best time for outdoor activities without the fear of melting in the hot Arizona summer sun.

Our favorite family activity in the winter, with easy accessibility, is hiking. As the rest of the country is pulling out their ski boots, my family is dusting off our hiking boots. While hiking is a great outdoor activity, you will want to take special care to stretch out your body, especially during your first few outings.

Stretching properly safeguards your body from injuries and makes certain your body is trail ready. Stretches are best done after five minutes of hiking when your muscles are warmed up. Stretching cold muscles is not effective and may cause muscle strains.

Here are 5 stretches that are extremely effective and appropriate for that weekend getaway on those trails. One quick reminder: an appropriate stretch should give you a little bit of a “pull” in the muscle, but should not be painful.

Standing Calf Stretch

• Begin with a large step forward using a rock, pole, or something else sturdy for balance, if necessary.
• With your back foot flat on the ground and pointing straight forward, slowly transfer weight onto the front leg until you feel the stretch in the calf of the back leg.
• Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds, release and repeat two or three times per leg.

Standing Hamstring Stretch

• Place one foot on a rock or in front of you on the ground.
• Keep your heel in contact with the surface and your toe pointed straight up.
• Bend at your hips forward, while slowly moving your pelvis back away from your outstretched leg. Bend your other knee if needed.
• You may want to use your hand to hold something sturdy for support – remember, this is a stretch, not a balancing exercise.
• Keep your pelvis tilted forward and your upper body upright while leaning forward.
• You should feel the stretch on the backside of your extended leg.
• Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds, release and repeat two or three times per leg.

Standing Quad Stretch

• Stand on one leg, holding something solid if you need the balance support.
• Bend your other knee and bring your heel toward your buttock.
• Reach for your ankle with your hand, keeping your knees close together – do not allow your bent knee to swing out away from your body.
• Stand up straight, you should feel a slight pull along the front of your thigh and hip.
• Be careful not to strain your knee - the goal is not to touch your heel to the buttock, but rather to stretch your quadriceps.
• Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.

Standing IT band stretch

• While holding on to a tree, pole or another sturdy object with your right hand, cross your left foot over your right, keeping your hips square to the front.
• For the best stretch lean your hips toward the support structure as if you are closing a car door with your hips (in this example, your hips will slide to your right).
• Hold a mild stretch for 20-30 seconds, release and repeat two or three times per leg.
• Alternate your hand and leg for the other IT band.

Standing Back Extension

• Start with your hands on your lower back.
• Slowly arch backward while moving your hips forward as far as you can without discomfort.
• Hold only for three seconds, and return to starting position.
• Repeat five times.

There are many other stretches and variations to these stretches that would be helpful before you venture out on that hiking trip. Just remember stretching is an important element! Nobody wants to turn a beautiful day outdoors into a painful memory of an injury. Let us know by leaving a comment below if this post helps and what other stretches you enjoy before your hiking adventure.

Outdoor Activities That Will Engage the Whole Family!

Outdoor Activities That Will Engage the Whole Family!

By Nichole Hagerty

The unbearable heat has passed us, and cooler, nice weather is here!  What a perfect time to engage our children with fun, outdoor family activities.  I have put together a list of activities that will help improve gross motor skills while having fun in your front or back yard!  A quick trip to a local park will increase the number of activities your family can enjoy.  So take a look at our ideas, head outdoors with your children, and enjoy the weather!

This is just a sampling of games and activities, but we know there are a lot of other ideas out there.  We’d love to hear from you.  Leave us your ideas or fun activities in the comments section below! 

Follow the Leader 

These games not only challenge coordination and balance, but also listening skills and following directions.  Here is a list of some of my favorite childhood games:

• Simon Says (stand on one foot, touch your toes, jump 5 times - the opportunities are endless)   

• Red light / Green light (quick start and stop reaction times)

• Ring around the rosy (fun and following directions)

• Mother May I (take 10 steps forward, 2 hops, 5 steps to the left - the first person to the “mother” wins!)

• Hide and Seek 

Play Hopscotch
Hopscotch is great for balance, strength, and coordination.  Jumping on one foot will work the core muscles.  Straddle jumping will improve strength and conditioning.  In fact, hopping may improve "overall lower extremity mobility given the different movement planes (forward-back, sideways, and rotational)," says Fabio Comana, MA, MS, an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise.  You don’t just have to make a basic hopscotch; you can make a variety of boxes.  You can jump through with two feet in the box, or out of the box.  You can jump on 1 foot the whole way down. Work to the ability of yourself and your child.

Create your own Obstacle course 

This, too, will improve overall strength and conditioning.  Walk along the edge of your driveway, or a line on the sidewalk.  Jump over cracks, run around a tree or cactus (be careful not to touch it!) kick a ball in a goal, climb under the bush, and jump over a small/large rock - make it up as you go.  You can measure results and improvement by timing yourself, your kids, and your neighbor’s kids.  Most importantly, have fun! 

Go for a bike ride 

With younger children who are unable to pedal a bicycle, I recommend a tricycle.  A bicycle with training wheels helps only with the balance of the bike.  A tricycle’s pedals are attached to the front wheel, which will increase motor memory and learning when you push the tricycle.  As your child grows and is able to push the peddles on their own, it becomes similar to riding a bike.  Your child will now have the motor memory and motor planning to perform this skill, allowing the child to move to a bicycle with training wheels.  Riding a bike is an excellent, lifelong physical activity that most children love to learn how to do. 

Play Catch/Kick a ball

Little boys love playing ball with their fathers, but did you know little girls do, too.  Playing catch or kicking a ball works on foot-eye or hand-eye coordination.  These coordination skills will show in a variety of school tasks, such as handwriting.  You can start this activity at a young age by rolling a ball back and forth with your child.  Eventually, you will progress to bouncing a ball back and forth.  Then work on throwing and catching.  Start with a playground-sized ball and progressively work towards a tennis/baseball-sized ball.  When kicking a ball, start with a stopped ball, progress to kicking a moving ball, and finally, moving while kicking a moving ball. 

Go to the park 

There are a ton of fun activities at a park for you and your family.  These activities will allow your child to play, but at the same time work on strengthening throughout the core and extremities, along with vestibular reflexes.  Work on climbing ladders, going down slides, swinging, and walking across and through unstable surfaces.  All these activities work on many of the tasks we like to see kids able to perform when they come into therapy. 

Other ideas for you and your child

• Walk through the zoo

• Go for a hike

• Go to Encanto Park

• Go on “treasure hunts”

• Go Geocaching

• As the temperature rises, go to a splash pad

All of these activities improve basic gross motor developmental skills.  Just as important, your child and you will be outside and active!  Most importantly, they allow you all to have fun!!!

I realize this is just a small sampling of games and activities.  We know there are a lot of other ideas out there.  We’d love to hear from you.  What activities do you enjoy outdoors with your children?