Outdoor Fall Fitness Activities for Kids to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Looking for a great way to stay fit this fall and help prevent childhood obesity? Just head outdoors! It’s really that simple!

Fall is a great time to be outside. The sweltering hot summer days are behind us and the frigid cold temperatures having yet arrived. The leaves are changing colors and the air is crisp. Unless you’re dealing with seasonal allergies, going outdoors is a joy during fall! Check out a few fun outdoor activities that kids will especially enjoy. Some are a little messy, but all are definitely crazy-fun ways to prevent childhood obesity!

Fall Fitness for Kids to Prevent Childhood Obesity

• Jump in the leaf pile! Remember how fun it was when we were kids to rake the leaves into a huge pile and just jump in? Somewhere along the line, we became a little paranoid about bugs and what not. I am ashamed to say that I don’t think my son has ever jumped into a leaf pile! Forget the worries for a moment, gather those leaves up and let kids go wild. They can always shower when they’re done! Just make sure you don’t let them do it close to a road, as cars may not know they’re in there. Common sense, I know, but it still bears mentioning.
• Flag football. I’m going to be totally honest here, I’ve never played this game. I saw a family playing it at a park the other day though and it looked like a fun way to combat childhood obesity. Basically, you put flags on your belt, and instead of tackling each other to get the ball, you grab the flag. This leaves a lot less room for injury, so you won’t end up with crying children or trips to the ER on a busy weekend.
• Mud run! I think every child should play in the mud at some point before they reach age 10. One of my favorite pictures of my son involves him stomping in the mud! Put on your “play clothes” and head out after a particularly rainy day. If it’s not thundering out, head out during the rain storm for more fun. Have races through the puddles and mud. The point is to get really messy and do something you normally wouldn’t do. Remember, clothes wash, memories last forever!
• Sidewalk chalk obstacle courses. Head to the nearest large paved area and create some cool obstacle courses using sidewalk chalk. Create a maze, add crazy directions like “hop on one foot” and “turn around, then put your hands on the ground” or anything else you can think of! Then let your kids turn the tables on you, creating crazy obstacles for you to do! My son once had me dizzy with this activity!
• Hit the park! Don’t like getting dirty? Sadly lacking on fall leaves? No worries, fall fitness to prevent childhood obesity as as easy as heading to your local park and letting out some energy! Olfa, OurFamilyWorld’s “Chief of Everything”(there is no title that encapsulates just how hard she works or how much she does!) recently learned to let go of her fear of letting her daughter play on the monkey bars. She says:
  
  

  I am a helicopter mom! I am always worried something will happen to my children:  be it a stranger talking to them, or something bad happening when they play in the park! It is a continuous battle for me and my husband helps me with it! When I go to the park with the kids, I try as much as I can to let them play with everything but there is one thing that I am always scared of: Monkey Bars! If my daughter wants to play with it, I need to be close to her and hold her feet! Not a very fun way for her to learn how to play? I agree with you but cannot help it

  Last weekend my husband went to the park with my 6 year old daughter. I could not come and see what he did! He let her play on the monkey bars by herself without holding her and guess what: she did not get hurt! SHE WAS JUST amazing!

Take a look at just how amazing Olfa’s daughter was! I have to say, I am totally impressed. I can’t even get past the first bar on the monkey bars!

So what are you waiting for? Head outside and start playing! It’s a great way to get in shape and help prevent childhood obesity! What is your favorite outdoor fall fitness activity to do with your kids?