Active Play is described by ACT Health as: “Any form of regular physical activity that babies and children do, which includes moderate to vigorous bursts of high energy, and which raises their heart rate and makes them ‘huff and puff’.”
This week we’re joined by Joseph from Chunky & Friends on how to get more active play into our lives. Over to you Joseph!
“My only regret in life is growing up.”
I know I don’t have any control over growing up, even though to this day I still sing the Toys’R Us theme song daily. “I don’t want to grow up I’m a Toys’R Us kid….”Yet, I discovered through the years while I can’t prevent my aging process, I can control growing old with more active play.
Fortunately, I have two amazing kids to slow the clock on growing old by reminding me what it’s like to be a child. Now having kids is only part of the equation. The other part is engaging in the sort of active play to ensure that you and your kids remain healthy too.
Here are my tips to get more active play into our lives:
Active Play, Indoors and Outdoors
As fathers, it can be hard to find time to get in a good workout. Consider all the times you play with your kids as an extended warm up that reinforce familial bonds while instilling healthy habits.
While I can’t prevent the formation of new wrinkles or annoying gray hairs, I know that engaging in active play with my overly enthusiastic children will keep my heart, mind and body from growing old.
Fun tip: Games like Hide & Seek, Freeze tag, Duck-Duck-Goose, Simon Says can provide immense fun, while actually providing some very real health benefits. Embrace the fun dad, and embrace the active play!
Getting active and flexible
Chunky And Friends KIDS YOGA VIDEO – It’s no secret that we’ve been working on a kids #yoga video. Once a week on ChunkyAndFriends.com and on our YouTube page we will deliver segments from the yoga video directed and shot by @rich_laroq at @twistandturnsbodyfitness – 5521 Colorado Ave NW Washington, DC. A post shared by Chunky And Friends (@chunkyandfriends) on
My 1 year old takes her yoga very seriously, and we’re particularly passionate about getting more of this sort of active play into our children’s lives. In addition to that, we love activities even as simple as going for a walk, which has immense health benefits.
Fun Tip: When playing Simon Says incorporate some yoga poses. It makes for silly fun.
Active play and counting skills
A lot of times as a working Dad I have to remember that when I take the kids to play ground it’s not the time to squeeze out an email or quickly return a call. It’s a time to run, climb and push the swing all of which are ways to engage in active play with your kids. I am guilty of using my phone to snap pictures because if I don’t, who will?
Fun tip: The same mindset can be applied to active play too – we can make it a time for growing other vital skills, and this idea from the guys at Hart Sport is a great example of using active play for improving the counting skills too.
Ready to get active, dad? You better be.
What’s your #daddilifeforce move?
We want to feature the very best dad tips each week. So if you’ve tried any of these or if you have one you want us to feature just tag #daddilifeforce into them or DM them into us.
Let’s keep those dad-moments strong.?
