ActiveMoms

Spring is a great time to get out and hike with your kids. Day hikes are a fun way to get exercise and let your kids burn off energy. Start with a small hike that is less than a mile and can be accomplished within twenty minutes. If everyone has fun during that hike than increase the length of each successive hike. You may even be able to work up to a overnight backpacking trip. When you go hiking with your kids be sure to bring plenty of water so everyone stays hydrated. You may also want to bring along snacks, maps, and a first-aid kit.

Making soap balls is a creative way to use up the various bars of soap that you have accumulated over the years, and it is also a fun project you can do with the kids. Simply grate a bar, or multiple bars, of soap with a cheese grater. Wet your hands with water and firmly press together the soap shavings. Keep doing this until you have formed a ball of soap. You may have to use more water if the soap shavings don’t stick together, and less water if the soap ball gets too mushy. If you don’t like your creation you can always grate it up and try again.

Frozen fruit is wonderful for making healthy smoothies, and frozen vegetables are helpful when preparing healthy meals. It is frustrating when your fresh vegetables begin to go bad before you get to used them. If you are throwing away too many vegetables, you may want to try frozen vegetables. You can buy large bags of mixed frozen vegetables that are great for making a main entree, such as a stir-fry, or heating up to serve as a side dish. Frozen vegetables retain the majority of the vitamins and nutrients from when they were fresh vegetables, and they don’t rot in your refrigerator.

Fruit smoothies can be a healthy treat for kids as the weather warms up. You can buy bags of frozen fruit year-round. Frozen fruit retains many of its natural vitamins and nutrients and it is usually about the same price as the fresh fruit. Buy bags of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, which are all packed with vitamins and antioxidants. You can also freeze fresh fruit yourself. Just cut it up before you freeze it, so it is easier to puree in the blender. When you and the kids are ready for smoothies all you need to do is add frozen fruit, a little water, and yogurt to the blender. Puree your mixture, and enjoy your cool, healthy treat.

If you are having trouble staying focused on your fitness and health goals, you may need some accountability. You may want to try getting a notebook, or an accountability log. Use your notebook to record your workouts, list your goals, keep track of your meals, or write anything else you need to in it. A notebook can serve as a great source of accountability because it is a visual recording of what you have done and what you plan to do. If you write down your goals in your notebook, you will see them everyday you open up your notebook to record your workout for the day. It is easier to maintain intensity and focus if you are constantly reminded of your desired end result.

Do you need a recipe that is easy, healthy, cheap, packed with protein and tasty too? Try making tuna cakes. You can make these in a bowl the recipe by hand, but if you have a blender or cuisinart this recipe is even easier to make. Combine spinach, onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, eggs, tuna, and oats. Adjust the proportions of each ingredient based on your taste preferences. The final consistency of the mixture should be a thick paste. Heat olive oil in a pan and drop the mixture by spoonfuls into the pan to make the cakes. Fry them on each side for a few minutes. Serve with lemon juice and tartar sauce. Enjoy!

A fun educational and outdoor activity that you can do with your kids is raising and caring for chickens. Spring is the perfect time to buy some chicks with your kids that you can then raise for eggs or meat. Home-raised chicken eggs have a much higher level of Omega-3’s compared to store eggs. Omega-3 oils are known to be beneficial to brain development in babies and children, which is why pregnant women are encouraged to take a fish oil supplement that contains Omega-3 molecules. Raising and caring for chickens is inexpensive and fun for the kids, and the eggs are healthy for everyone.

What do you see when you open the door to your refrigerator? Do you see healthy fruits and vegetables? If not it may be time to rearrange your refrigerator to encourage healthy eating in your home. Most people store their fruits and vegetables in drawers out of sight. Consider bringing them out and putting them on the eye-level shelves. You may soon find that people are more inclined to grab these healthy snacks if they are the first thing they see when they open the drawer. Furthermore, start storing your less healthy products in the drawers where people are less likely to grab them.

A great activity for kids is planting a vegetable, herb, or flower garden. Kids love to play outside in the dirt, so this is a great way to let them do that while learning something too. March is a good time to prepare your garden site by weeding and preparing the soil. You can also start seedlings indoors that require that you do so. You can let your kids help pick out the vegetables, herbs, and flowers that you are going to plant in your garden. It is fun for kids to watch the seedlings grow and learn to take care of them. Planting a garden can be a great activity for kids of any age.

Now that the weather is warming up, it is a great time to get out and walk with your kids. Most kids love going outside. There are so many sites to look at and rocks to pick up. If your kids are driving you crazy inside the house, it may be time to put your kids’ coats on and head outside. Even a short walk around the block may be enough to help your kids burn off some energy, and let you relax. The walk will be good for you too. Fresh air is good for everyone, so start adding a walk or two to your daily routine.