Fitness Friday: Moose-rcise!

As last winter approached, I worried that my all-outdoor-all-the-time Moose would get cabin fever.  Really, living in Georgia, I need not have been so concerned: a jacket and some rain boots got us through just fine!

The real test has been this summer.  With heats approaching triple-digits almost daily, it has been hard to keep him cooped up during the hottest part of the day.

Yet I know that Moose's mood is SO much better when he can be active.  So for today's Fitness Friday, I'm sharing Moose's favorite ways to keep moving - even in the heat.

          1. Dance!

Moose has a thing about music (ever since his early days, when Daddy Moose and I spent our nights doing laps around the room and singing every song we've ever known).  Turn on some music and he's ready to dance!  His current favorite is We are . . . The Laurie Berkner Band .  I mean, who can sit still when "We Are The Dinosaurs" is on?



          2. Yoga (or "Whoa-ga" in toddler speak)

We started baby yoga with Moose when he was small and had some pretty chronic gas issues.  We continued it until he became mobile because he seemed to enjoy it as a bedtime routine, and brought it back last autumn after I read that it can be an effective tantrum tamer.

Don't expect a full yoga practice from your tot (and definitely don't expect to get your zen on with them!).  But Moose is good for 5-15 minutes, depending on his mood.  He enjoys his Yoga Motion DVD but really gets into this "Bug Yoga" segment from Yoga in My School:



          3. Gymnastics ("Nastics")

I signed Moose up for gymnastics through our county parks and recreation in January as part of my worrying about winter.  I went into it with zero expectations, which is perhaps why I've been so delighted with the enthusiasm he's developed for it!

He gets just the right balance of playing (jumping with ribbon wands, diving in a foam block pit) and actual gymnastic instruction (loves the rings, ambivalent about the beam) to promote fun as well as gross motor skill development.

          4. Water Play

Indoor or out, water is always a hit.  We picked up our Little Tikes Beach Ball Sprinkler on clearance at Walgreen's last August and it has been worth every penny!

When summer showers get in our way, a large storage container of water and bath toys on the kitchen floor don't provide quite the physical activity, but plenty of giggles!

What are your little ones' favorite ways to beat the heat?

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