We can all agree that physical activity is important for health and wellbeing. However, it is important to encourage kids to follow the recommended guidelines right now to avoid the spread of Coronavirus. Social distancing doesn’t have to mean staying cooped up indoors. As holistic pediatricians, we like to promote spending time outside. Access to fresh air and sunshine can be a healthy boost to a kid’s system. Here are some ideas of outdoor activities for your children so they still maintain social distance from those outside the family.

• Take a walk! This is an easy activity that you can make as fun and adventurous as your imagination can dream. While on your walk, try activities like finding something that starts with each letter of the alphabet, find a point ahead and race to it, or make a scavenger hunt list before you go and see who can find the most items.

• Break out the sidewalk chalk! Get creative with fun pictures or encouraging words that will bring smiles to anyone who walks by. Trace your bodies and color them to resemble your family members. And while you have the chalk out…

• Play hopscotch! Each child can have their own rock to use on the hopscotch board and can maintain the appropriate distance while waiting.

• Go to a State Park or local hiking trail! Take this time to enjoy the nature around you and try to identify different plants, trees, and birds.

• Have a hula hoop contest! See who can hula hoop the longest. Try competing to see who is the best at other activities such as skateboarding or jump roping.

• Play Hide and Seek! There’s no need to touch or get close to each other when playing this game! Instead of tagging the hider, the location can be yelled out.

• Create an obstacle course! You can use outdoor furniture to climb under, trees to walk around, swings to weave through…the possibilities are endless to how zany your course can become.

• Make art! Take supplies outside to paint or draw pictures. Everyone then creates their own interpretation of something that you see, such as a tree, house, or each other. You can even use items you find outside as part of the art.

• Have a dance party! Play your favorite music and dance! For variety, make up a routine using a jump rope or ribbon on a stick.

• Plant a Garden! Dig in the dirt, plant some seeds, and watch them grow! No need to get fancy if you don’t have much of a green thumb; even just a few seeds can bring excitement when they sprout!

It can be frustrating being inside all the time with one another. Spending time outside can break up the monotony of sheltering-in-place and promote a healthy lifestyle. We are changing things up a bit, too! We now have virtual consults from home and our parking lot. Click here to read more about that.