On the fifth day of FitMas NCHPAD gave to you...our top ten gift ideas to keep your kids active too!
Top 10 Gifts to Keep Your Kids Active
By Kelly Bonner
In a sea of amazing toys available for purchase this holiday season, we managed to select our top 10 choices. One of the main criteria was that the toy be usable for a variety ability levels and that the toy manages to keep the user active. So after searching and scouring the Internet, here are our top 10 – in no particular order – gifts to keep your kids active.
1. BALANCE BOARDS- There are multiple options on the market. Some boards you stand on and some you sit on, but regardless of which way you ride, balance is the key. Encouraging your child to work on his or her balance will in turn help strengthen core translating into strength in so many other activities.
3. TWISTER RAVE (Ringz and Hoopz)- Twister Rave has two different options depending on what your kid loves to do or has the functional ability to move. Twister Rave Ringz are rings that light up as the fingers move. Twister Rave Hoopz are rings that go around the arms and light up as your kids move their arms through different movements.
4. FLIP 2 B FIT- This is a fitness board game that claims to be able to increase your child’s physical activity levels without them even knowing it. It works on strength, cardio and flexibility and it even touches on nutrition. Our only complaint is that all of the cards are not completely inclusive so a parent might have to get a little creative to keep all kids involved. http://flip2bfit.com/
5. DIGGIN ACTIVE DODGE TAG - Everyone remembers dodge ball; you may also remember hating it unless you were the all-star athlete. But Diggin Active has leveled the playing field a little bit. Dodge Tag is a two-player dodge ball game that provides two vests and six soft balls where each player tries to tag the other player by hitting them in the vest. http://www.digginactive.com/products.html
6. BOOCHIE by Game Wright- This toy won too many awards to count and truly emphasizes fun for the whole family. Slightly different than traditional Bocce, Boochie uses both balls and rings to toss, kick or bowl. The object of the game is still the same; to be the closest one to the boochie ball. This set also comes with wrist watches that keep track of the score. http://www.gamewright.com/gamewright/index.php?section=games&page=game&show=218
7. YOGA CARDS- These cards can be used to keep your kids active while working on their flexibility at the same time. The moves don’t have to look picture perfect and the risk of injury is slim to none as kids were designed to move. There are tons of options out there but here is just one of the many http://www.imaginazium.com/.
Top picks:
- Maze Balance Board http://www.learningtoys.ca/english/category1/active/indoor-play/maze-balance-board.html
- Spooner Freestylehttp://spoonerboards.com/freestyle/
- Diggin Active’s Wobble Deck Extreme http://shop.digginactive.com/p/wobble-deck-extreme
8. EZY ROLLER and PEWI Y BIKE - Depending on your child’s age here are two bikes to keep them moving. First for your toddler is the Pewi Y bike ride. It can act as a walker for your kids to walk behind or a bike for them to sit on. Its sleek design and directional casters allow for more spatial awareness as well as balance. For older kids there is the Ezy Roller. This toy looks like a recumbent bike without the pedals. It moves in a snake like fashion using a left/right foot motion. This is great for kids who might struggle with a traditional bike motion, and it is also lower to the ground to prevent falls. http://www.ezyroller.com/
9. HIDE AND SEEK SAFARI CLASSIC - What will they come up with next? Hide and Seek Safari is an electrical version of the old classic hide and seek. You can hide the animal (it comes in Tiger, Monkey, Lion, or Elephant) and then kids use a wand that tells them if they are getting hotter or colder as they try and locate the hidden animal. http://www.rnrgames.com/Product.aspx?id=1284b584-5623-4619-bd63-fb2caf1a0887
10. ZAMZEE- Finally to top off our list is the Zamzee activity meter. Zamzee is worn like a watch and measures activity throughout the day then you can download the information and receive access to a website full of motivational information and rewards. Families can play against each other or kids can play against other kids. You can check out all the cool stuff it does on https://www.zamzee.com/.