Five Ways to Keep Your Teen Active and Motivated During the Long, Cold Winter

By Robyn Tucker, Youth and Teen Director, Abington YMCA

It’s not easy.  Our kids tend to look to their phones and computer screens from the moment they wake up to the moment they fall asleep.  They’re so attached to their electronics that we can’t even imagine how to break through to reach them to encourage them to do something that doesn’t involve watching a screen.

I’ve finally embraced the pattern.  The ever-present devices (whether in hand or on the tabletop) can offer some activities that keep our kids moving, and motivated, and yes, exercising and interacting face to face with their friends.  Try these tips – you may need to repeat yourself a few times, but it will be worthwhile!

1.    Do your own on-line searches for fun exercise routines that can be downloaded.  Encourage your teen to do the same.  You don’t have to do the exercise together, (although that’s fun to do!), but at least the option will be right at the tip of their fingers.  Suggest that your teen invite some friends over to try these moves!  Here are some search terms to get you started:

·         Fun exercise

·         Jumping jacks

·         Simple dance routines

2.    Suggest that your teen and his/her friends create a Winter Workout.  All of the kids can meet at a central location, map out a route to run from house to house, and stop in at each house to do some weightlifting (soup cans make great weights), stair-climbing, or running laps around the yard.  Encourage the kids to be creative!  Pushing a big snowball takes a lot of energy – how about making a race out of it?   How about shoveling a pile of snow – the tallest pile wins?  Include the park/playground in the course – how about pull-ups on the climbing equipment?  Push-ups near the sandbox?

3.    It’s never too cold for a game of flag football!  Suggest a field for your teen to use – a backyard, a park, a playground; school fields (if community use is permitted).  Adding a full array of winter clothes increases the intensity of the workout.

Help your teen find an interactive game site on-line.  If your child doesn’t want to run around outside, he/she can still keep an active mind using brain teaser sites like www.lumosity.com. You’ll want to keep an eye on this – don’t let your teen stay online for too long.  Brain teasers are great, but healthy physical activity is necessary!

Also try www.scavenger-hunt-guru.com for some great ideas about fun activities at home.

4.    I’m a big believer in the benefits of walking.  When my teens want to go somewhere, my first response is that they should walk (assuming the route is reasonable and safe).  Walking clears the mind, gets the heart rate up, strengthens leg and back muscles, creates a sense of purpose, and there’s nothing more refreshing than cool outdoor air.  This is one activity where I really DON’T want my teen using any handheld devices, for safety’s sake and for encouraging him/her to notice and interact with the world around them.

5.     And, the one that my mother always told me to do to beat the winter blahs:  clean the house!  Scrubbing with soap and water takes energy, builds strength, and results in a measurable sense of satisfaction.  If your teen resists the indoor chores, there are plenty of outdoor possibilities:  shoveling a neighbor’s snow, collecting fallen branches, walking a dog, or cleaning the first floor windows.

It sure seems like it has been the longest winter ever…but one thing we DO know is that one of these days, it WILL get warmer outside!