'Fall' Into Five Fun Things to Keep the Family Active

By Péralte Paul

As the summer heat gives way to the cooler, crisper weather of fall, we might be more inclined to stay put at home.

But our friends at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta say there are plenty of reasons to stay active with benefits for the whole family.

Here are CHOA's five fall fun activities to keep everyone active, courtesy of Trisha Hardy, Director of Child Wellness at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta:

1. You Will Sleep Better: Seriously! Regular physical activity has many benefits! It can help people of any age increase strength and endurance, sleep better, have fun with family and friends, cope with stress, feel better about themselves, and improve energy levels.
2. You’ll Feel Like an Awesome Parent: Starting at age 2, children should be active for a minimum of 60 minutes every day. Children today are more sedentary at home, with reduced PE time at school. It's time to get them going in the right direction.
3. It Will Help You Teach Your Kids How to Set Goals: Create a plan together as a family, discussing how each of you will accomplish your goals help them track their progress and celebrate meeting their goal.
4. Your Kids Will Get Better Grades: Research shows aerobically fit kids are more than twice as likely to pass the state math and reading exams than their unfit peers. Moving around activates their brains. Sitting around flips their brains’ “off” switch.
5. It’s Cool: With the arrival of fall’s crisper weather right around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to head outdoors and be active together as a family.  Try just one or two of these fabulous fall activities and you’ll be off to a great start:

• Apple picking– Not only can your kids learn more about where this healthy snack comes from, they can also get some outdoor activity by roaming local Georgia orchards.
• Hiking– An easy way to get exercise, hiking also gives your family an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the changing leaves. Find a National, State, or City of Atlanta park near you.
• Flag football– Instead of watching football on TV, take your family outside for a game of your own.
• Pumpkin patching– Take your family to an actual pumpkin patch to pick out your pumpkins. It is a great way to start a new fall tradition, your family will love it and you’ll sneak in some additional activity.