I’ll admit- the past few months I’ve been the ultimate couch potato- pregnancy kicked my butt and as a result, my toddler didn’t get to do much until my husband came home from work. This was a different routine from what she was use to since we were previously very active and frequented the park a few times a week. When weather didn’t permit park days, we had indoor playdates or mommy and me classes. I try to keep my toddler active because she is a horrible sleeper, and I feel that keeping her active throughout the day may help her sleep better at night.
Living in NYC, there are so many local parks to choose from. There is smaller park just a few blocks away from my home and my toddler has made a few friends there, so this is the one we go to most often. Just recently they turned the sprinklers on at all the parks, so my toddler begs to go each morning. Running around, having fun, and playing are all part of a healthy childhood, but mos importantly, keeping active is key. I know it won’t be long before my toddler prefers video games over playing outside, so I try to encourage outdoor play as much as possible. Since we spent so much time indoors the past few months, it feels great for both of us to get out and enjoy some sun!
July is National Park and Recreation Month. This year, the theme is “Get Wild.” To go along with this theme, why not get the family out and about for some fun geocaching? If you haven’t tried it already, geocaching is a fun scavenger hunt game that involves a lot of people who may not even know each other. You log on to the Geocaching site, put in your location, or the location you would like to explore, and use your GPS to find items that people left in a specific location. Take the Get Wild pledge and then enter the Get Wild Geocaching Contest where you can win one of five Magellan GC eXplorist GPS Devices. This is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by the entire family!
A lot of geocaching takes place at your local park. By visiting your local park often, you can take a stand against obesity? By keeping kids fit and active, you promote a healthy lifestyle that they will internalize for the rest of their lives. Did you know that parks help boost the economy and contribute to property value? Also, parks can help make the community a safer place to raise a family.
Check out the National Recreation and Park Association to find a calendar of local events of things happening in your neighborhood. You can learn more by visiting NRPA on Facebook. Don’t be a couchpotato this summer! Get out, have fun, and spend some quality time with the kids!
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of National Recreation and Park Association and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.