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Home › Articles › Play Time › Child's Play

Child's Play

Combining Fitness and Fun

By Donna Smith

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Simon Says

Kids may not do jumping jacks or sit-ups if Mom says so, but they will if Simon says! Simon says to do 10 jumping jacks. Simons says to touch your toes. Simon says to march in place. Be a couch potato. (Sorry, Simon didn't say that!)

Red Light, Green Light

This fun game should be played outdoors. Invite all the neighborhood kids, and have them all line up on one side of the yard. Yell "Green light!" and watch them take off. Whoever's not sitting on their bottoms after you yell "Red light!" is out of the game. The person who makes it to the other side of the yard first is the winner and gets to lead the next game. For the next game, have them crawl, walk like a crab, hop or do leap frog when the light turns green!

Dancing Contest

What could be a better cardio workout than shaking your body to the music? It's also a great way to introduce different dances and decades to your kids. Whether they're doing the jitterbug, square dancing, two-stepping or doing the twist, kids and adults will have a ball – and get their hearts pumping!

Take a Breather

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) wants you to protect yourself and your kids from exercised-induced asthma (EIA) by being aware of the signs.

Almost 20 percent of competitive athletes and 90 percent of asthmatics experience EIA, says the AAAAI. It can make it hard to breathe, or, if untreated, can lead to death, says the organization. "Many who suffer from exercise-induced asthma don't realize it, blaming their symptoms on being out of shape," says Dr. Christopher Randolph, chair of the AAAAI's Sports Medicine Committee.

Symptoms of EIA include difficulty breathing six to eight minutes after you stop exercising, coughing or wheezing when exercising, a tight feeling in your chest and feeling extremely tired or short of breath after exercising. Breathing through your mouth during exercise (which allows dry air to reach your lungs), air pollutants and pollens and respiratory tract infections can make EIA worse.

But EIA doesn't have to ruin your athletic lifestyle. You can exercise with EIA by following a simple checklist: Use a short-acting inhaler 15 minutes prior to exercising, warm up about 10 minutes before exercising, drink lots of fluids, stop exercising if symptoms occur and cool down at the end of exercise.

For more information on asthma or EIA, visit the AAAAI Web site at www.aaai.org.


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