Stop! Go! Play!

We put our heads together and wanted to give our two thumbs up to the two games of the day!  Whether you are in a city park, local playground or backyard – these outdoor games are sure to be fun, active and will have your little ones singing (and learning) primary colors, especially RED!

Red Light, Green Light
# of Kiddies: Appropriate for all ages
Ages: 2+

Why?: Red Light, Green Light is a game children of different ages can play.  It is also one of those traditional games any adult will remember playing as child and will want to play too!  The stop and go nature of this game is good for cardio and will increase your child’s awareness of body movement and listening skills.

What to Bring: nada!

How to Play:  One person is designated as “it” and plays the part of the stop light – if you only have 1 or 2 kids with you, it might be best if you (the parent/adult) play the role of “it”.  Have the kids line up about 20 feet away on the grass from the “it” person. “It” turns his/her back to the kids and calls out “Green light!” The players then run as fast as they can towards “it”. At any time, “it” can face the players and call out “Red light”, and the others must freeze in place like a statue. If the kids are caught moving, they should go back to the start line.  The game continues until someone reaches and tags the “it” person, and the new person becomes “it.”  The sure trick to winning this game is to move smoothly so that you can freeze instantly until you are within reach of “it.”

Play Ballllll!!!!
# of Kiddies: 1+
Ages: Appropriate for all ages

Why?:  Playing with any ball is good hand-eye coordination, and can be a fun way to incorporate cardio into your child’s day of play.

What to Bring: A ball (a kickball or medium sized inflated ball)

How to Play #1 (for 1): Kick the ball around in the grass or see how high you can throw the ball in the air and catch it.

How to Play #2 (for 2): Play a simple game of throw and catch or for you city kids – bounce the ball against a cement wall and see who throw the ball as many times as they can against the wall without missing. If you want to bring a hula-hoop to the park, you can throw balls through the hula-hoop (pretend it is a circus!).  Lastly, you can play a game of just kicking the ball back and forth, and whoever ‘misses’ the ball “scores” a goal.

How to Play #3 (for 3): Play ‘Monkey in the Middle” where 3 people stand in a line and the two people on each end of the line throw the ball between the middle person who is trying to sneak/catch the ball away!

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The Itchy & Scratchy Survival Guide

Like clockwork, it’s “that” time of year again – allergy season.  Let’s see…chronic runny nose, hacking cough, itchy and watery eyes, and scratchy throat – check, check and CHECK.  I was endowed with the hand-me-down symptom from my parents – hay fever.  Seasonal allergies growing up were never fun, but fortunately I learned some useful tricks and tips to help ward off pollen, and keep my sneezing, itchy/watery eyes, and overall allergy misery to a minimum.

Many researchers don’t fully know why some people are highly allergic and others are symptom-free (a.k.a. scot-free!), or why some things set-off allergies while others don’t. I have learned over the years that common nasal type allergies can occur in spring and carry on through fall (when ragweed pollinates).

I am no doc, but for a kid growing up with seasonal allergies, experts (and I) offer these tips to breathe a sigh of relief: 

1. Check the pollen count.  Let’s get real, pollen is everywhere and practically invisible; it comes from grasses, trees, weeds and flowers.  Usually your local TV and radio news stations will announce the amount of pollen in the air or just hop on the computer and go to www.pollen.com to find out pollen levels.
2. Plan your outdoor time wisely.  It is unpractical to try and keep your child indoors, but try to have he or she avoid days outside when it is windy and a high pollen count.  In the springtime, pollen counts are usually the highest in the early morning.  If you walk your pet in the morning, please remember they are a pollen-carrier too and try to walk your pet later in the morning if possible.
3. Change your babe into clean clothes.  If your kid does play outside, try to change his or her clothes when coming inside the house to avoid the pollen sticking to his or her clothes that can trigger allergy symptoms.  Also, if you are a fan of hang drying your child’s clothes, try to avoid it in the springtime and early fall and opt to use an electric dyer.
4. Keep the windows closed.  It is best to try and keep the windows in both your home and car closed, especially on the days that the news forecasts medium to high pollen levels.
5. Use the air conditioner.  Fans in my opinion blow and circulate pollen.  Using an air conditioner not only filters the air, but also cools down any temperature relieving hot/burning and itchy eyes. 
6. Bath time!  Try to set your child’s bath time just before he or she goes to bed. This helps to wash pollen off that could make for a sneezy night! (A bath before bed especially helps with kiddies with long hair that might pick up pollen during the day).

The information on this blog site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding you or your child’s condition.

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