Holiday Gifts to Get Your Kids Moving

Nan Jensen  
Family and Consumer Science  

The holiday season is here and you may still have a few gifts to buy. Consider a gift for the kids that they’ll enjoy and one that can promote good health at the same time.

Here are some suggestions.

Get them moving with “active” toys and sports equipment.
Encourage physical activity with toys that get them moving. Go for active toys and sports equipment. Jump ropes, hula hoops, soccer balls, basketballs, bicycles, and skateboards will fit the bill. Remember the appropriate safety gear for each.

Interactive video games
Since most kids love videogames why not get them a videogame they’ll use and also gets them up and moving? Three of the most popular are the Sony Move, Xbox Kinect and Nintendo Wii. All of these devices use the child’s movements as the action for the game.

Gift certificates
How about a gift certificate to a facility that offers youth-oriented sessions so your child can have fun with kids his or her own age? Gymnastics, dance classes, sports activities, and rock climbing walls are just some of the many activities offered.

Get them outdoors with camping equipment
To help spark children’s interest in outdoor activities, consider a purchase of equipment that will get them fishing, hiking and camping. Make it a family affair and plan a vacation outdoors.

The gift of active time
Spending time with family is one of the best gifts you can give so why not make it active time? Family park day, swim day or bike day are all great ways to encourage children to be active. Parents should be role models. Research shows that kids who see their parents exercise are more likely to exercise themselves. Here in Pinellas County we have some incredible parks. Check out the city where you live or enjoy Pinellas County Parks. For a listing go to http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/.

Want to Find the Fun Now?

Nan Jensen, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Pinellas County Extension

If you are looking for a way to get healthy and have fun at the same time, you have to check out www.FindtheFunNow.com.The new campaign is part of an effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve health outcomes in 50 targeted communities across the U.S. It is built around a new web-based application that helps people find actively fun things to do at Pinellas County's parks, beaches and other attractions.

You can search the website by neighborhood, time of day, budget, how much time you have for a fun activity and the kind of people you want to invite. The application searches a database of hundreds of activities and returns a list of ideas for you to consider, along with descriptions, if the activity is outside, and the current weather.

FindTheFunNow.com  is equipped with a database of local farmers' markets and fresh produce locations, as well as ways to find healthy recipes. You will also be able to share your own ideas, and what you found on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

The idea is to make healthy eating and activity part of everyday life, to help address the growing problem of obesity.  So what are you waiting for? Go out and Find the Fun Now!