Exercise & Nutrition

Published: 2 November 2018

Written by Lil Dino Mommy

1 Comment

Categories: Parenthood

Here’s another great article from our guest poster Maria Cannon. To read more from Maria, go check out her website here. It’s “Your Place for Hobbies”!

Do your kids spend their weekends staring at screens?

Well, you may be surprised to know that too much screen time can actually be bad for their health. That’s one of the reasons it is so important for children to spend time discovering new hobbies. More than just a way to burn time, hobbies can provide stress relief, help little minds develop and even be beneficial for their health. Need some ideas to get your kids started? Here are some hobbies guaranteed to get them away from those screens and having actual fun instead.

Make New Friends With Play and Sports

If your children are glued to the couch too much, it could have a major impact on their overall health. Studies show that teenagers these days tend to be less active than seniors, and that means more instances of obesity and related health issues. Keeping your children active, whether it’s by encouraging them to play or try a new sport, can help prevent some of those problems from becoming major issues. Play is also a great way for your kids to connect with other children their age, so try to schedule some play dates with friends or other families that you know. You can also encourage your child to get involved with organized sports. Basketball is a great sport for kids to try and keeps them moving the entire game. Before your kid hits the court, look online for the best basketball shoes that offer comfort while staying affordable.

Connect with Nature and the Outdoors

Want to improve your child’s self-esteem and help them relieve stress? Get them to take their hobbies outside. Spending time outdoors can help children in several key ways. Kids who spend more time outside tend to have improved vision quality, better social skills, and more focus than those who do not. Exposure to sunlight can also increase vitamin D production, as well as decrease stress and feelings of depression. Wondering what hobbies you can do outside with your children? The possibilities are endless. You can start simple by planning some backyard bird watching, or you can teach them how to garden. If you are feeling adventurous, you could even take your family for some hikes or other excursions into nature. There are also scouting groups that can help your children develop a love of nature, as well as other essential life skills.

Unleash Their Creativity on Arts and Crafts

Did you know that the arts can aid development in your children? By practicing arts and crafts as a hobby, your kids are enhancing their fine motor skills, learning to make decisions and developing visual-spatial skills. The arts are also a fun and creative way for kids to explore other cultures. So encourage your children to put down their tablets and pick up a paintbrush or some clay instead. Visit a local arts and crafts store to pick up some basic art supplies, or look online for budget-friendly starter kits that have all budding Bob Rosses’ need. Children benefit the most from art when they have the space to create freely, so let them have fun and keep the experience positive from start to finish for everyone.

Boost Self-Esteem by Baking for Others

When you think of hobbies your kids might enjoy, you may not consider cooking and baking. Studies show, however, that baking for others can have some very positive impacts on self-esteem and mental health. Putting together a meal or baking a cake can help your children practice creative expression, an important element in nurturing positive mental health. You can get your children started by planning a family baking session. Select a kid-friendly recipe and try to keep things simple at first. Depending on your children’s ages and abilities, you may even want to pick up some kitchen equipment that can make the experience safer for little hands.

Kids need hobbies to keep them healthy. So, give your kids a break from those screens and encourage them to explore a new passion. Their bodies, minds, and health will thank you!

Photo Credit: Pixabay

I Think I Say This Every Year…

“WOW! I can’t believe another year has passed already.” 2017 seemed to go by double quick with our little one around. Our son has changed and grown before our very eyes these 14 months. I wonder what this fresh, new year will hold for the 3 of us! I’m excited to find out!

New Year Resolutions

It’s traditional when entering into a new year to think of some goals you would like to accomplish. I have been thinking about mine a lot, so I thought I’d share them with you all.

My Top Three Goals for 2018!

Here they are folks!

Be healthier and lose weight! I know, I know, typical. But seriously this is important to me, especially as my son is becoming more and more mobile. I want to be more than be able to keep up. Truly the goal is to be healthier, by eating a good diet and staying active. One of the best ways to be healthier is simply to cut out sugar, so I’m saying, “No sugar in 2018!”
- Foods that spike your blood sugar cause your body to store excess sugars in fat cells. I have been reading Trim Healthy Mama and it is an incredible guide to live by to be healthy. It’s wonderful because it’s something you can ease into just by tweaking your own recipes, and your family will barely notice and will be eating healthy as well!
- I’ve also been learning more about the immune system. (A journey that began as Lil’ Dino Daddy and I decided we would not be vaccinating our son. This begs the question, what will protect us all from illness?) Coupled with adding immunity boosting supplements to our diet such as Vitamin C, Elderberry Syrup, and Colloidial Silver, we are both very serious about removing sugar from our diet, for one very simple reason that sugar FEEDS bacteria. Gross! So essentially, when you are sick and eat sugar, you are making it more difficult for your body to heal. Our family will be switching permanently to a stevia blend. Does this mean we won’t touch sugar at all this next year? Realistically no, when we are out and about. However, I will not be purchasing sugar, white flour or white rice this year, (and that includes reading labels). so all my cooking and baking will be done without these two items.
Continue to find areas to be more frugal in so that we can save as much money as possible and make our dream of farm living a reality. one way I’d like to do this is by getting really serious about meal planning with the items already in our pantry and freezer, and significantly limit eating out.
Read through the Bible in chronological order. What better way to stay focused on the right things than to be in the Word consistently? This was actually a project I started back in November, but the app I use only starts at the beginning of the Bible in January, so it has now morphed into a New Year’s Resolution.

What about you?

What goals are you setting this year for you and your family?

The New Mama Workout

If you’re like me, you’re already wearing your sweatpants around the house and have your hair pulled into a messy bun anyway. So what’s a Mama to do when she’s all dressed up for the gym with no time to go?

New and seasoned mothers alike know how difficult it is to work exercise into your day to day activity.

Having a baby significantly changes our bodies and we need time to recover. But once your healthcare provider gives you the all clear, here are 10 exercises you can do with your baby.

(By the way, Dads, you can do these too!)

Baby’s Tummy-Time = Exercises on the Floor

1. Push-ups. When my son is playing on the floor, I’m putting in floor time too with 5 sets of 10 push-ups. (Yes, I do the girly ones.) Sometimes my son even stops to watch Mommy work.

2. Sit-ups or crunches. Another good exercise to do while baby is playing on the floor. You may even want to get real creative and hold your baby in the air while doing reverse crunches. This one has been especially hard for me postpartum. I started with just 10 sit-ups, twice a day and I could barely do them. It’s ok to start low and work your way up!

3. Pelvic Rocking. This is also a great exercise for pregnant women. To help strengthen your back, get on all fours. Keeping your shoulders still and knees planted, relax lower back, which allows pelvis to tilt forward, then level your back and tuck hips under. Do slowly and rhythmically. (Exercises from The Bradley Method handbook.)

4. Stretching. You know what stretching is and what your body needs so do whatever stretching you need for that day. Legs, arms, back. Goodness knows, my whole body gets all out of whack on a daily basis!

Exercises for a fussy baby or to help put baby to sleep

5. Squats. This one is good to do when your baby simply won’t let you sit. I tend to do these as a part of our nap time routine since he likes me to stand and bounce him anyway. Try doing 2 sets of 10 for each nap time and increasing as your baby gets older. They really add up when your baby is napping 3 times a day!

6. Lunges. Another unique way to hold your fussy baby who won’t let you put him down. So get up and get moving! 2 sets of 10 for each nap, increase number of sets as baby’s nap number decreases with age.

7. Torso Twists. Swaying with a baby is a great way to encourage them to take a nap. 20+ Torso Twists are just swaying with form and a duel purpose!

8. Walk or Pace. Can you tell I have a child that doesn’t like me to sit still? Get a step counter and see how many steps you can take around the house. Going outside for some sunshine will also be good for both you and your baby.

Exercises for the Couch Potato (Or Tired Parent)

9. Chest presses. Ok, ok significantly modified chest presses, but finally one you can do on the couch! Use your baby as your weight and lift him into the air doing reps. As a bonus, you’ll probably get some smiles or giggles from your baby too! Each baby’s weight varies so how many can you do before your arms feel like Jell-O? (Remember, these weights naturally increase over time so be consistent or one day that baby’s heaviness may surprise you!) Be careful to hold him around the chest and not by the arms or stomach. Good head control is also a must before doing this one.

10. Leg lifts. Again modified, but we sleepy parents do what we can, when we can. Lower the leg support on your couch or La-Z-boy and do some leg lifts. 5 sets of 10 should do the trick (for each leg – oh come on, no complaining. We’re not that lazy!)

Share your story:

Can you think of other exercises you can do while holding or playing with your young baby? Share them with us!

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”
1 Corinthians 9:27

These Hobbies Can Help Your Kids Put Down Those Screens