Skipah’s Realm in conjunction with the good people at Voice of Play has a new message for you. Get off your butt and get outside! It’s spring time in America and it’s time to get your kids off the IPad, and doing something active. Let’s not make this too complicated, here is an idea for you, head to the playground or local park. Dora the Explorer can be an effective babysitter at times, but after a long winter of watching a magical backpack its time to hit the great outdoors and go have some fun with your kids!
The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) created the Voice of Play initiative to promote the benefits of healthy outdoor activities at local playgrounds and parks. I’m no expert in this area myself, but studies do show that active children develop critical life skills on their own by doing something they love to do anyway….by playing! So get off of the Twitter, grab your shoes, and go make the future a better place with your children.
I’m a divorced dad who values his time with his daughter like a Rockefeller likes their money. With spring here I am looking forward to more bike riding excursions and riveting Q & A sessions at the playground, not answering questions about why Mario & his brother Luigi are being stubborn on the Wii. Mr. Skipah is encouraging you the reader to do the same. Seriously get off your butt and take little Johnny and Fiona (not the ogre from the Shrek trilogy) out for a fun day at the park.
My daughter’s reaction when we are out for a walk and she sees a playground is to run full speed ahead!
Community parks are free! Free is a good thing last time I checked! Most of us pay taxes for perks like this so take advantage of them for crying out loud! I challenge all my followers that have children to head off to your local playground/park and have the time of your life with your offspring. They will love it and so will you! Since I’ve been divorced some of my fondest memories with my daughter are seeing her brave new heights climbing up a slide the wrong way and testing the limits of gravity on a swing set.
She has ditched the “traditional” swing at our local park and has opted for the old school tire swing instead.
No parks in your area, no problem channel your inner cyclist and go hit the roads Tour De France style. Take it from me riding bikes with your child(ren) is one of the most liberating things you can do as a parent. To this day one of my proudest dad moments was teaching my daughter to how to ride her bike and anytime the weather allows us we are tackling the roads one pedal at a time.
“Get out of the way dad, I’m in a hurry to get to the playground!”
The point of this entire diatribe is that winter is over. Long gone is the twelve hour days of sunlight that is mainly spent by most at work and at school for the kids. Get outside and get active! Spend some time with your children; they are only going to be at the playground age once in your life. Don’t squander it by watching Bonanza reruns and checking Facebook for status updates on your third cousin’s vacation.
This post is sponsored by the Voice of Play, the thoughts and views are strictly 100% of Skipah’s Realm.
Preach sister!
Great tips! Too many kids addicted to computers and tv! Get out and play!! And parents, play with your kids!
hahaha 🙂
😊⛵️🐙
You keep up all these accolades *blush* and I am going to have to sail the seven seas myself to find you and give you a big old country bear hug!
Thanks Terri! I’m in negotiations with the California teaching society about having a park named after you.
Get out and play! Now that is advice I want to follow. Another great post Gary.
Stumbled straight to my Leisure, Play & Recreation page! Great stuff! I got to play with my students today for their class assignment at the Aquatics Center.
LOL! Interesting stuff
I heard Miley Cyrus is starting an online twerking lessons seminar. Maybe that will be her big claim to fame.
Haha! I still feel the same reaction your daughter has with playgrounds come up inside me when I see one. But as a woman in her 30s, I do have to compose myself:p
I agree that we need to get off our butts! Instead of Tweet, twerk LOL!
It’s hard not to in today’s age. You do a good job of playing with Avery, hell you have her damn near riding a bike!
Totally agree with you and Sonofabeach96, too much technology is interfering with kids and adults! Even I’m guilty of it, but try to minimize as much as possible. Playing with our kids won’t last forever, so we should enjoy it as much as we can.
LOL!
The Indiana Department of Tourism thanks you for promoting their fine state parks.
You don’t have to tell me to take advantage of parks 😀 I still love a park! We have two within (long) walking distance, so we do those pretty often. There’s a state park at Ft Ben so we get over there now and again, and then there’s Fall Creek…we’re park people 😉
Couldn’t agree more Anne!
John and I walk every day. When our children and grandchildren visit, they lie in bed while we walk. Something is wrong with this word picture.
I couldn’t have said that better myself. I’ve been guilty of too much technology with Sloane but I do limit her TV…when I have her which anymore seems to be rarely!
Technology is great in many ways, but boy is it killing a generation of kids. Ours don’t get their kindles during school nights at all, although they do use them at school. And on weekends, we limit their time on them. I’m guessing thee are kids who stay on devices all day every day. Sad really.