The holidays make for a change in routine for many school-aged children. In addition to having as much as a month off from school, many students are getting released early on certain days and having late starts on others.
Having the afternoon off is a wonderful treat for many kids, but without any structure they may choose to spend their free hours lounging in front of the TV or computer instead of engaging in healthy activities like
outdoor play.
In Edmonds, Washington, the
Parks and Recreation department is taking steps to prevent this sedentary use of time by offering a number of half-day camps for kids during school vacations. From gymnastics and crafts to
natural play and animal education, these programs give children ample opportunity to get active and explore the great outdoors, according to Edmonds Patch.
Children who don't have access to programs like this on their half-days can still take advantage of the
commercial playground equipment at their school, burning calories as they engage in entertaining outdoor play. Going ice skating, walking the dog or shooting hoops are other fun activities that can keep
healthy kids active over break.