Summer Family Playdates – Get Active!

This family playdates post was brought to you by Merck Consumer Care and SheSpeaks.  All opinions are mine.

I’m admittedly not a huge fan of summer, but this summer has been different.  The boys are both at an age (four and two) where getting outdoors with them is enjoyable, even though I am pregnant!  We love heading outdoors and doing things together as a family.  Our top five favorite things to do include:

1.  Playing in the water.  We have a small, inflatable pool in the backyard, but it does the trick.  The boys love to splash and play and they burn off so much energy while playing!  Sometimes, Daddy or I spray them with the hose or make them roar with laughter by jumping in the pool ourselves!  We are always nearby though, regardless if we’re in the pool or not.  Daddy also built a huge sprinkler that they play in.  Running through that thing is awesome, no matter what age you are!

2.  Riding bikes.  Captain Fussybuckets recently learned to ride his bike without training wheels and does a pretty good job!  He’s still learning how to start on his own, but he has mastered riding alone, using his breaks, and turning.  D likes to ride his tricycle while Brother rides his bike, too.

3.  Taking family walks.  We save this activity for the evenings that are not so hot, but it’s a great way to spend quality time together while exercising.  Whether we are walking to the park or just around the block, it’s fun!

4.  Family games – like soccer, baseball, or badminton.  The Captain is becoming quite the baseball enthusiast.  Daddy loves to pitch so the Captain can make the baseball soar over the fence.  D loves to swing using the tee, too. Badminton was a family favorite…until the wind bent our net.  Oh well, who needs a net to have fun, anyway?

5.  Gardening.  We love to put on our gardening boots and head out to the garden – in search of fresh squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, okra, cantaloupe, or watermelon…..along with pesky bugs!  The boys laugh and giggle when a grasshopper jumps near them and enjoy getting dirty in the mud.

I have found that some of the best quality time we spend as a family is outdoors.  Sometimes, as a mom, it’s hard for me to just drop everything and head outdoors…but it really is worth it, all throughout the year.  The Active Family Project was designed with moms in mind, to empower us to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle with our families.  It offers tips, advice, and resources for fun family activities and build a national community of moms dedicated to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.  Visit the Active Family Project website to choose an activity near you.  

Will you pledge to make a playdate with your family?  What’s your family’s favorite activity?