Keeping kids active and healthy is key to raising happy kids who do well in school! What are some of your favorite ways to get kids active and healthy? We like to visit playgrounds, go on walks, and have the kids help with cooking and baking (a great way to get kids thinking about what they are eating and why. They especially love making pizza, pasta with homemade pasta sauce, and pumpkin pancakes! Today’s post is sponsored by the California Milk Advisory Board, who have activated Fuel Up to Play 60 in California. I am writing today about the California program, but this is a program that is being run across the country. For my non-US readers, the site includes resources (research, recipes, and fitness activities for kids) that you may find useful regardless of where you live.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is a nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture. The program is designed to encourage youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The program is largely in-school (qualifying California schools who participate can receive up to $4,000 for the 2014-15 school year to help support their health and wellness programs). Schools are supported as they implement plays from the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook, from creating a healthy breakfast program at school to creating clubs that challenge students to walk, jog, or run 100 miles at school during the year.
The site also has great resources for parents:
The goal of the program is to empower kids to take action for their own health – making lifestyle choices that will benefit them throughout their lives! This cookbook is one of my favorite features of the site:
Is this a program that could help your family or school? Sign up today! Do you have a favorite fitness activity or recipe to share? I would love to hear in the comments!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of California Milk Advisory Board.
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
The playground is our favorite way to stay active this time of year. Looking forward to checking out the cookbook!
Playgrounds are wonderful spaces to help kids get and stay active!
Unstructured time outdoors is my favourite way to make sure my kids are active. They also love to cycle and have weekly swim lessons.
Unstructured time is probably the easiest way to get kids active, particularly if that time is spent outdoors!
My kids used a tennis court to play volleyball/soccer. They used a soccer ball and their feet to get the ball over the net (soccer/tennis) and the other side had two kids who played volleyball and returned by soccer ball either setting or bumping the ball like a volleyball. The soccer ball is about the same size as a volleyball but a bit harder. Soccer/Tennis is a great way for my kids to learn to get balls in the air.
My kids love to make up games using balls.
I could see my kids enjoying this game that your kids made up!
My 3 year old loves fall festivals and farm trips now. They go great with a healthy cup of milk to fuel her up!
For me it’s more of how to get my kids to sit still. There’s no real problem keeping them active.