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Home / Ways to Keep Your Family Active This Winter – Without Freezing

Ways to Keep Your Family Active This Winter – Without Freezing

Winter and cold temperatures are coming to Metro Detroit and it won’t be long before the kids get restless and start to drive you bonkers… well maybe that only happens here.  But, if your kids are like mine, they don’t like to be cooped up in the house all the time so here are some winter tips to keep you and your family active when outdoor play isn’t an option.

1.  Have a dance party at home.

You can use Amazon Prime (try it for free here) and create the perfect kids dance party channel.  Kids can use scarfs, balloons, ribbons, and other props during their dancing.  Parents can join in too, it is the perfect time to strut your stuff and bond.

2.  Enroll in a weekly sport/fitness activity.

Committing to a weekly activity gets you out of the house and breaks up those long winter days that seem to drag.  Plus the physical activity will give you and your family the opportunity to burn off some extra energy on a regular basis.  Participating in weekly or bi-weekly classes at Goldfish Swim School is a great way to achieve this goal.  You can also sign up for karate, martial arts, indoor soccer, basketball, dance or yoga classes.

Maybe a weekly commitment isn’t your thing.  There are plenty of programs that allow you to drop in and participate in activities during a set weekly time.  Check out local open gym times, indoor trampoline parks like Airtime, open swimming at Goldfish, community centers, roller skating, bowling, laser tag or bounce houses for indoor physical activity opportunities.

3. Build an obstacle course in your living room.

Use cushions, step stools, laundry baskets, whatever you can find, to create an indoor obstacle course for your children.  You can also use masking tape or washi tape on the floor as part of the course (either as a tightrope, hopscotch, shapes to jump into or avoid).  You can have the children take turns and time them to see who is the fastest or see if they can beat their own quickest time.  Children can do the course forward, backward, on one foot, they can tiptoe, crawl, be creative and have fun.

4.  Build a fort.

I remember spending hours upon hours in my blanket for under the kitchen table.  It was the coolest thing ever to me.  But, the best memories were when my mom or dad joined in the fun and climbed inside with me.

5. Burn off the energy at a play space specifically designed for children or families.

There is so much out there now compared to ten years ago.  Detroit Kid City, Robot Garage, DNR Outdoor Adventure Center, and Jungle Java are some of our favorites.

6. Pretend to Ice Skate.

If you have hard floors, invite the children to put on socks and pretend to skate.  If you only have carpet, you can place plastic bags around their feet.

7. Play a game that requires movement.

There are so many fun games to play, Simon Says, Duck Duck Goose, Mother May I, Follow the Leader, Hopscotch, Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Floor, Hide and Seek, Hot Potato and so many more.  Find tons of great games here: http://www.gameskidsplay.net/

Amber Louchart
Author: Amber Louchart

Amber is the proud mother to four beautiful children, Damian (27), Rosaleigh (14), Carlyn (11), and Naomi (8). Her family also includes four cats. She loves being a stay-at-home mom and feels blessed to be able to care for her children full-time and provide them with so many opportunities through Metro Detroit Mommy. In addition to Metro Detroit Mommy, Amber has a passion for hosting karaoke with Malibu Entertainment.  She enjoys the metro Detroit nightlife especially, singing, dancing and meeting new people.