The flowers are beginning to bloom. Warmer days are sprinkled in with the cold ones here in Colorado. Some may think keeping your family active may be increasingly difficult, but this is far from the case. The weather adds to the variety of activities we do from one day to the next.
First and foremost, we keep our snow boots right next to the backdoor. Whenever the mood strikes, my 6- and 2-year-old can venture outside to slide, swing, play in the sandbox, splash in the puddles, and play in the mud or snow all in the same outing depending on the day.
Here are a few other things we frequently do both indoors and out to stay active together:
Prep the Garden
In our backyard, we swing, slide, stomp in puddles, sled, play catch, have races, you name it. One of my favorite things to do this time of year though is begin to prepare our vegetable garden for planting seeds. Both kids love to partake in raking, digging and leveling our vegetable garden. Then, as the upcoming months begin to warm up, they watch their vegetables grow. Both will eat anything they can go to the garden to pick, which has lead to more adventurous eaters when it comes to vegetables!
Visit Local Parks
Living in Colorado, we frequent our local parks year-round. We sometimes head to parks for the playgrounds and to ride bikes, but also head to different parks to hike. It is always nice to meet a friend and go for a hike, then picnic afterwards. To seek out your local parks go to your city’s park and recreation website. For example, the city of Golden has an online listing of parks.
Spring Cleaning
Who doesn’t like to clean, right? The weather determines where we will spring clean, especially whether it will be indoors or out. Outside my kids and I can be found raking leaves remaining from fall, trimming plants before new spring growth begins, and picking up sticks throughout the backyard. When being outdoors is not truly an option, we will sort toys, clean out old secret hideouts (those places where both of my kids seem to collect many “treasures”), move toys around for storage, and set some toys aside for donation.
Recreation and Fun Centers
Other indoor activities for us include visiting a local indoor trampoline fun center, going to a local recreation or community center to climb, jump, and run in their indoor play area, or to go splash, slide, and swim in their indoor pool.
We are constantly on the go and being active. Getting outside is almost always our first choice as the fresh air therapy is good for everyone’s spirits. What will you do with your family this spring to stay active?
Molly enjoys writing, cycling, and being a positive role model for her two children. She lives in Golden, CO, with her family.
Photo: Molly S.
