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Active spring/summer sports with 4-5 year old


 
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MOM2SIX
2/27/07 5:17 P
 
 
There's lots of great ideas for fun summers with kids! One to add is hiking. I'm not sure where you live but we go to a park and hike through the woods on trails. There's usually a lot of stopping to explore puddles, bugs, etc. but going uphill is definitely a work out!
SUPERMOMX
2/27/07 4:59 P
 
 
My oldest son just turned 5 and we like to do quite a few of the things already listed. We also like to play t-ball and lawn bowling.
I've also made up exercise scavenger hunts in the yard. I hide little clues around the yard and then he goes from one to the next doing something different on the way.. like "hop to the mail box" then "run as fast as you can to the flower pot" then "crab walk to the front door". At the end there is a little prize like a matchbox car or a special healthy snack.
We also set up obstacle courses and relay races. We'll put all kinds of things around the yard and make up a course- over the slide, under the patio table, around the tomato plants, jump rope 10 times, roll to the BBQ, ride the trike to the finish line. Or we'll do relay races around the yard with he and I taking turns. It's a fun way to use an afternoon at home if you can't get to a park!

~Jenn A.
RACINMAMA
2/27/07 1:44 P
 
 
Hi there! My son is just about your son's age and I was racking my brain trying to find something to do. I ended up buying him and I roller skates. Fisher prices makes em specifically for toddlers, he is doing great and loves em.

We also do lots of gardening in the spring/summer. He loves to dig up the new beds. Then we crawl through the dirt making tracks for his monster trucks.
TAKINGBACKLIFE
2/27/07 10:06 A
 
 
Thank you everyone for your replies.
I took him to the sporting store and got him a child size baseball bat with softball. Also got a few other things to play outdoors as well.

As for the water fight--we actually do that in the summertime, but for some reason, it never occured to me as it being exercise. LOL.
MYSPECIALKS
2/26/07 8:15 P
 
 
My 5 year old loves her heelies! Thiose sneakers with the heels attached...also bike riding, frisbee, swinging on a swing...
SCZKCZ
2/25/07 12:23 P
 
 
I agree with everyone else, I have an 8 year old and a 2 year old. We like to go to the park and play, we walk, they ride bike/tricycle, we play kick ball, they run, also on the playground equipment the little one loves to go up the ladder and down the slide over and over and over.
I love being outside with the kids and it's so good for us to spend time together getting fresh air and exercise.
There are so many things to do.
RZ82927
2/23/07 6:30 P
 
 
My four (now five) year old loves soccer for outdoor fun. We have also rode bikes with one another (she likes to ride her hotwheels when I ride my bike), and she also loves to shoot hoops (we lower the goal down to about 7 foot). We also like to go swimming together in the summer. We have a blast tossing a ball back and forth and just goofing off.

RZ
NETTYMCC
2/23/07 4:39 P
 
 
This summer I'm planning on getting some kind of big bubble maker. I have a 4 year-old and a 1-year-old and I think if we make huge bubbles there will be a lot of running and laughing.

Or any kind of water fight. If you don't want to do water guns or balloons, you could get the splash balls that fill with tons of water and then splash on impact (They're really soft, though)

Just a few thoughts.
KELLY_SP
2/22/07 12:09 P
 
 
Soccer is a great activity! My 4.5 year old little girl loves kicking the ball with me. We take walks with our dog, ride bikes, and we do a lot of swimming at a local club in our area. My husband and my daughters toss a soft football around in the evenings sometimes but I think he enjoys that more than they do (haha).

Enjoy the time with your son, what ever activity you choose! The time passes so quickly!

Be well,
Kelly
CUDA440
2/21/07 12:32 P
 
 
My 3 year old and I like to kick the socoor ball around. I try and get it away from him, and he does the same. One day I had to chase him around a pine tree cause he thought it was fun. I only did because it made him laugh so hard, and I know I was burning calories. What about tossing a ball back and forth, or have him try and hit it and run to a tree while you have to go chase the ball? Does he ride a bike or tricycle that you can walk near him (I don't know if you have the area as well for this) Is there a local High school with a pool and open swim times? The one here is under $5 per adult and offer yearly membership to use the pool, and even swimming lessons.
I had an e-mail a while ago that suggested a book called Fun family fitness by rose kennedy. It said that it had ideas for all ages, cold and warmer climate, and rural and city living. It was around $17. I STILL HAVE NOT gone out and picked it up. I keep hoping to do so.

Beckie
TAKINGBACKLIFE
2/21/07 10:29 A
 
 
In the spring and summer, I like to go out and do things with my now 4, soon to be 5 year old son.

Other than frisbee, does anyone have any other ideas that we can do that requires actually running around and moving? It is usually just the two of us when we go out, so the idea of Freeze Tag (LOL) is not going to be possible.

I want to be active with my son but, frisbee seems to be the only real active thing I can think of right at the moment.

Any ideas?
 

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  Thread URL:http://www.sparkpeople.com/newarchives/6/5/1/5175805/archive_posts61-5175805-1.htm
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