Make Every Day Family Fun Day!

Family Days are a great way to create family traditions. It is a day set aside for your family to be together; a day to avoid the hustle and bustle of our daily routines and enjoy the people who matter most, our families.

With so many fun things to do together at home or around the city, the possibilities are vast.  You can fill the day with some interesting Science Experiments or Step outside for some outdoor fun.

For our Family Day I put together some heart healthy challenges, In fact we have turned our Family Day into the Findlay Family Fun Challenge. 

We picked six categories, some of the sports you will recognize as those that are showcased in the Summer Olympics. Under each sport we have devised challenges to complete. Having been a Physed teacher for a few years and a coach throughout out my teaching career, I did have some resources stashed away. No worries once you see a few of the challenges your memory will come back!

What you will need:

• Waste Baskets
• Pots and Pans
• Balloons
• Racquets
• Skipping Rope
• Sock

1.  Volleyball

Towel Catch

Practices getting under the ball

Each player gets a towel. Hold the towel loosely between your hands at waist height. Ask your partner to place the rolled up sock in the middle of the towel. Pull your hand apart quickly and watch your sock ball shoot through the air to the other player. 

2. Tennis

Sock Toss

Practices the throw before the serve.

Roll your sock up and try the following challenges beginning with easy.

1. Toss to yourself

2. Toss and catch after 1 clap 2 (3,4) times 3. Toss and touch the floor

4. Toss to the left and then to the right, forcing you to move to catch.

Play the game

Get two racquets. We us badminton racquets. Use a balloon and start your own tennis game. Learning to score is half the challenge.  http://mitk.squarespace.com/storage/february-2012/Tennis%20Scoring%20Made%20Easy.docx

3. Track and Field

Long Jump

Using tape, measure each family member from head to toe. Challenge each other to jump as long as the smallest to the tallest person’s body. 

Skipping

Many challenges can be created here.

Jump only on your left foot, then only on your right, click your heels, Jump side to side. How many skips can you do in min/40sec/30 sec? Challenge yourself to more. Can you skip while walking?

4. Basketball

Hit the Target

Practices passing.

The target can be ‘X’’s on t-shirts or shapes made out of your skipping rope. Throw first from 10 giant steps away then from 20 giant steps away and so on. 

Sink it in the Basket

Get as many rolled up socks as you can find.  Set up your key.  Create a three point line with a rope and practice shooting  your socks from different points beyond the three point line.

Defense

Have a game of player in the middle using your sock ball or balloon.  Remember, when you receive the ball your feet can’t move.

5. Baseball

Practices all throws

Stair Toss

Start at the bottom of each stair and throw to each stair. Award points to certain stairs. Throw underhand or overhand.

S.P.U.D. 

Place a small bouncy ball in a sock.  Have each family member group closely tothere.  The person who is it, will throw the ball up in the air and shout the name of another player.  As the ball is tossed, each family member scatters to move away from the thrower.  After the catcher catches the ball, he is allowed to take five giant steps toward another player.  If they are able to touch that player that the other, the non-ball catcher player becomes it and gets the first letter of the word S.P.U.D.  If they are not, they take the first letter of the word S.P.U.D.  The loser of the game is the one who receives all of the letters of the word. 

6 Bowling

Set up recyclables in a pin configuration.  Plastic cups or 2 litre bottles make a good set of pins.

7. Golf

Use pots and pans to create an indoor course. Par three seems to work well.

You could also get outside for a game of frisbee golf.

Twist. The least scoring family or team members are in charge of the Heart Healthy Snack or Dinner. 

It’s amazing how easily you can add on to the challenge and create new challenges under each sport. For example;  you can manipulate sock golf into hit the target by collecting your mixing bowls from the kitchen and making them the basket. You can now go for the slam dunk or cross court dunk.

You can challenge your family members or you can invite other families for the challenge.

Give it a try and I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions. A special thanks to Heart Healthy Kids and theHeart and Stroke Foundation. 

If the day is too nice to stay inside. Have your bag packed for the day ready for the adventure. A thermos with a hot beverage will keep the family going.