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Remember when you used to look forward to summer vacation? What were your plans with friends and family? Swimming and fishing at the local lake? Roller-skating or bike riding? Taking long walks with friends? Flying kites? Your days were likely filled with physical activities without you even realizing it. This summer, do the same for your children. Plan lots of fun-filled physical activities.

Quality Time Outside
Here are just a few ideas that you can do for low or no cost.

• Scavenger hunt. This is an easy and fun way to keep your child busy while learning about the world around them. Come up with a list of things that your child can find in your yard, or on a family walk. Have them look for rocks, leaves, flowers, even bugs. For older children, challenge them to find specific types of trees and birds. This is a game that they will love everywhere you go.
• Water balloon tosses are a great way to get your children moving while keeping them cool. Have plenty of balloons on hand because once they start, they may want to keep going. This activity will be full of giggles. (Please note that balloon pieces are very dangerous for small children and are a serious choking hazard. On that same note, balloon pieces can be dangerous to local wildlife, so have fun, but please clean up the pieces. )
• Turn your backyard into a treasure chest. Hide everyday items and send your kids on a treasure hunt.
• Create an obstacle course using lawn chairs to crawl under, tree stumps climb on, and jump ropes to jump. Snake the garden hose through the grass for your kids to balance on.
• Playing in the sprinklers or being sprayed with the garden hose will keep your children entertained and active.
• Plan an outdoor picnic and activities in the park. Play hide and go seek, fly a kite, or have relay races.
• Organize a flag football game with other families.
• Get a map of local walking and biking trails and explore the outdoors.
• Go to local festivals. In some areas, you will find a variety of festivals including fruit, cultural and music activities. Check your local newspaper for ideas. Plan ahead so that you will have plenty of healthy snacks and water available for your children.

Safety is Key
Below are a few tips to keep your child safe while outdoors.

Keep Them Safe in the Water
If they like water activities, be sure that they have proper supervision and safety equipment. Always plan your swimming and boat trips with safety in mind. Life vests are especially important for children to wear even in shallow water. Show them how important by wearing one, too. View more information on Pool Safety

. . . And on Land
Make sure your child wears helmets and protective pads for all bike, scooter, and skateboard riding and rollerblading. Helmets and pads help protect your child from serious injuries, in case of an accident. Helmets come in lots of cool colors and styles so include your child in choosing one that they like. This will help motivate them to take an active role in their own safety. Go here for more information on Bicycle Safety

Additional Ideas
For more ideas on keeping your child fit be sure to visit our Fitness Featured Health Topic.
For even more outdoor ideas, you can visit your local park site for the East Bay, San Francisco, Sacramento, or Sonoma areas or even all of California!

Summer is a great time to have fun with your children, so make plans that you can all enjoy. Happy summer!