12 PACES Day Ideas

1. A Family Walk - A nice family walk is always a safe and fun activity to do which promotes family togetherness as well as exercise. Find a safe area in your neighborhood to take a family stroll. If the weather is not cooperating, take a trip to the local mall and window shop. This means, walk around the mall without stopping and just browse through the windows. When about 20-30 minutes is up, go back to any store you may have seen something you wanted to purchase. Just remember it is important to keep moving.

2. Commericial-cize - As you may know, children watch over 20 hours of TV a week. A fun idea is to watch TV together as a family, but every time a commercial comes on the TV, commit to performing a specific exercise. For example, during the first commercial break, the entire family should do 10 jumping jacks every time a commercial comes on. The next break, you may switch to performing 5 push-ups each time a commercial comes on. Follow this pattern each and every time you watch TV. Try to have your children do this even when you are not watching the television with them.

3. Exercise Videos - Purchase an exercise video that is safe and fun for the entire family. Watch it as a family, and perform it as a family.

4. Household Chores - Work around the house is a form of exercise. As long as you create a safe environment, children can vacuum, rake leaves, take out the garbage, clean the garage, or paint a room. It promotes a family fitness environment.

5. Family Hikes - Find a safe, protected, and recognized hiking trail where you can take a family hike together. Put on the backpacks, hiking shoes, and pack a lunch on an exercise adventure.

6. Bike Rides - Find a safe area to take a family bike ride together. Make sure it is a non traffic area so the children remain safe.

7. Theme Parks - Take the children to a theme park. You have fun, but at the same time do a lot of walking to all the wonderful attractions.

8. Join Local Gym - Why not join a health club with your children? Some clubs actually offer discounts if the whole family signs up. Many gyms also offer exercise routines for children as well.

9. Walk To School - A great way to talk and exercise with your children is to walk them to school. You can break away from the Saturday PACES routines once in a while to walk your children to school while the weather permits it.

10. Basic Calisthenics - Teach your children to proper fundamentals to performing exercise properly. Show them how to do a push-up or jumping jack. Work on them together!

11. Eat Healthy Meals - Your PACES event does not necessarily have to include only exercise. Why not plan on eating a very healthy meal each Saturday along with your exercise program? This can include fruits and vegetables.

12. Play Sports As A Family - There are so many family activities you can do involving sports such as basketball, baseball, football, hockey, soccer, gymnastics, and tennis.

These are just suggestions on what you can do on PACES Day. Feel free to perform other options, and share them with this community. Email Len Saunders some of your great ideas, and he will post them on this web page.