Up and Moving--INSIDE

Because THIS (picture below) is how LM would choose to spend his entire day if given the choice, we have had to get a bit creative since the weather has turned cold.

 

One substitute for physical outdoor-play is indoor basketball drills!

Now, don't get the wrong idea or anything.....I don't know much about basketball.

Nor am I attempting to train the next Michael Jordan.

By drills, I mean repetitious patterns of physical movement to get the heart pumping, the blood flowing, and bedtime consequently less boycotted. 

Gratefully, I found this Little Tike Basketball Hoop at a yardsale during the summer to aid in the process.

But really, you could accomplish the same purpose without a hoop. Just get creative and get up and moving!

Here's one drill:

• Set up the Hoop on one end of the house. (We put it by our front door) 
• Grab a ball (or 2, one for each of you!)
• Run to the other end of the house (our back door) and then back to the hoop.
• Shoot the ball until you make it!
• Then run to the other end of the house and back again.
• And again.
• And again.

Here's another one we've done (without the hoop):

• You start at one end of the house, the child starts at the other end.
• One of you carry a ball.
• When you yell, "Ready, Set, Go!," you both run towards each other.
• When you pass each other, you pass the ball (I like to pretend I'm a Quarterback secretly passing the ball for the winning touchdown, but that's just me. And again, I don't know much about football either.)
• You both run to the other end and stop.Then you yell, "Ready, Set, Go!" again and the fun continues.
• Again, 
• And again.
• And again.

 Here's one more we enjoy:

• Grab a ball.
• Both of you start at the same end of the house/room.
• One of you throws/kicks/rolls the ball (Since we have tile all downstairs in our apartment, we use a little bouncy ball.)
• You both run after it and try to be the first one to get it. (YOU, the Mother, of course occasionally pretend that you are running as fast as you can and that your hands mysteriously become a little "buttery" as you attempt to grasp the ball. Other times, it's every man for himself! At least that's how we play. haha.)
• Laugh. (Since we use a little bouncy ball, it goes all over and my aforementioned "pretending" to not be able to get it becomes reality, especially because we are giggling about who can get to it first.)

There are plenty of options of fun drills or games to play. The point is get up and moving!
So, what are you waiting for?
Go grab a ball!