My parents, intent on recreating my lovely childhood for my children, gave the Bear and the Monkey a dome climber for Christmas. My husband was skeptical of this newfound addition to our backyard landscaping, but I told him the boys would get a lot of use out of it.
Tonight some of the neighbors came over for dinner, and it was amazing how long four boys– ages 2-5– could keep themselves happy with such a simple toy. First there was climbing. Then there was hanging. Then there was jumping off. When they needed a little break, the dome climber turned into a spaceship, and some fantastic imaginative play really took off. (Pun very much intended, thank you!) Once the boy astronauts landed on the rings of Saturn, there was more climbing, hanging, and jumping so they could explore.
At the end of the evening, four red-faced boys came back into the house. The evening reminded me about the joys of simple play, when exercise and imagination come together for good clean fun.
And the best part? They were exhausted.
As I stare down a long summer with no school for my boys, my mind is beginning to fire with ideas of good exercises for kids. And that’s when I start thinking of the games I played as a kid.
Kick the can. Marco Polo. Red light/Green light. Red rover. Freeze tag.
Those are all classics the kids can play, with very little (or no!) parental direction. How liberating!
Also, backyard field day– with sack races, one-legged races, egg-and-spoon relays, obstacle courses– is certainly going to be on our calendar this summer as well. We can come up with a whole slew of good exercises for kids that are all games that inspire fun and friendly competition. Isn’t that what summertime in the neighborhood is all about?
Good exercises for kids don’t– and shouldn’t– be the same as for adults. Let the kids use their imaginations, and the play they create will generate plenty of movement for their growing bodies.
Update: This post is ancient, yet it remains an accurate reflection of my kids, their play, and my belief that kid-led play is the best exercise option for our children. The dome climber remains a play staple for my kids and all the kids in the neighborhood. My parents were right!
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