Keeping Kids Healthy and Active Outdoors

The weather is warming up and the school year is winding down. After a long winter spent inside, families are eager to get back outdoors for well-deserved doses of fresh air and sunshine.While it can sometimes be a battle to entice kiddos away from their video games and screens, we know physical activity and safe exposure to the sun's Vitamin D are crucial to healthy youth development. It may take a little creative negotiation in the beginning to boost enthusiasm, but here are a few places and accompanying activities to keep kids healthy and active outdoors this season:Playgrounds & ParksOur local playgrounds and parks are an easy place to get started with little ones. Playground equipment is purposefully designed for the development of gross motor skills through varied climbing and muscle motion activities for the arms and legs.Parks have the amount of space needed for athletic activities like kicking around a soccer ball, shooting hoops, or playing catch. Or how about taking up a new family hobby like tennis or pickleball?On windy days, flying a kite (or trying!) can be a fun way to run around the grassy areas of a park attempting to catch the wind, or stomp rockets are another fun and affordable option for park play. Plus, once the hot summer weather arrives, the park swimming pools will open their gates for the season.And don't overlook empty and safe school parking lots for even more activities like jumping rope, rollerblading, or drawing movement games with sidewalk chalk like hopscotch and four-square. StoryWalksAnother excellent resource for outside activity aimed toward youngsters are StoryWalks, which are outdoor trails that feature spread-out pages from a children's book displayed on stands. Often facilitated with the assistance of public libraries, the interactive and self-guided experiences encourage families to read together while also exploring nature. Several StoryWalks are available locally at Distant Hill Gardens and Nature Trail in Walpole/Alstead, Stonewall Farm in Keene, and Guilford Central School in Vermont. Most change stories on a monthly or seasonal basis to encourage frequent visits from families. BikingWe are lucky to have ample opportunities for bike riding in this region, The Cheshire Rail Trail is an easily accessible and mostly flat resource with multiple starting points to get children biking safely without the stress of car traffic. For the older and more daredevil of bike riders, Granite Gorge Mountain Park in Roxbury offers more challenging trails and courses.In 2020, Keene Bike Park, a joint project between Brattleboro-Keene New England Mountain Bike Association (BK-NEMBA) and the City of Keene, opened at Wheelock Park in Keene. The bike park offers a family-oriented space for all ages to learn and enjoy bike-related activities. Learn more at keenebikepark.org.Hiking and Nature TrailsMany regional state parks and mountain areas offer locations for outdoor activity set in beautiful natural resources. Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, Gap Mountain in Troy, Pisgah State Park (with trailheads in Winchester, Hinsdale, and Chesterfield), Pack Monadnock in Peterborough, Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard, Annett State Forest in Rindge, and Chesterfield Gorge Natural Area are just a few of the many family-friendly hiking options. Nature trails at places like the Harris Center in Hancock, Retreat Farm in Brattleboro, the aforementioned Distant Hill Gardens and Nature Trail in Alstead/Walpole, and Stonewall Farm in Keene feature miles of well-cared for trails for hiking and nature exploration. Monadnock Conservancy also maintains multiple area trails as well with maps that can be found online at monadnockconservancy.org/explore/hiking. For an extra hiking incentive and competitive fun between family members, try taking along a nature scavenger hunt with a prize for the winner. Packing a picnic or bringing nature sketchbooks for artistic kiddos or cameras for budding photographers can also make nice activity additions. Fun Runs and 5KsIf running races and taking on marathons is a tradition or an appealing new endeavor, consider lacing up the family running shoes to train for an area fun run or 5K. There will be many happening locally throughout the next few months, including the Keene Runway 5K, the 4 on the 4th Road Race, the Keene Family YMCA's Fall Foliage Trail Race, and the Kids DeMar portion of the Clarence DeMar Marathon. Above all else, prioritize fun when getting young family members active outdoors and play to their strengths while encouraging any interests. As with many of the positive behaviors and habits we seek to instill in children, role modeling and building confidence in their new skills will go a long way toward establishing a love of physical activity to last a lifetime.