Worldwide Day of Play

Who knew that there was a Worldwide Day of Play? 

Apparently September 24, 2011 is Worldwide Day of Play.  On this day, everyone is encouraged to turn off the TV and go outside to play.  While I personally find it a little odd that people have to have a specific day and be told to do this, anything that helps to get kids a bit more active is okay in my book. 

On September 24, our family just happens to be participating in a local 5K.  This is the third year that we've participated.  When the girls were 3 and 5, we just did the 1 mile family fun run.  However, last year and this year the girls are running the full race.  (I have to admit I use the word "running" loosely.  Last year we ran, walked, jogged, skipped, galloped, shuffled and stomped our way to the finish line.  What can you expect from a 4 and 6 year old though?  They get bored easily.)

This year, we've been "training" (Again, I use the word loosely.) for the 5K for much of the summer.  We started by walking around our island which just happens to be about 3 miles.  As the training progressed, we began to run more and more of our walk.  We also have been biking and scootering to mix it up a bit.  The girls just love it!  It gives them a chance to be outside and get out some of their extra energy.  They also like that they have my undivided attention.  While we're walking I don't have a computer, phone, laundry, food to prepare, etc. to distract me.  We can just walk and talk about their day, their hopes, their dreams, their friends, their worries.  It is a great opportunity to actually listen to my girls uninterrupted. 

Do you enjoy outdoor play with your kids?  What types of activities do you most like to participate in?  Personally, my girls love to play soccer, softball, bike, scooter, hula hoop, jump rope, hopscotch, and stop/go.  (Stop/Go is our version of red light green light where you pick a different way to move rather than just run.  We do crab walk, backwards, skip, bunny hop, etc.)  I'd love to hear your favorite activities too.  We're always looking for new fun ways to play.

If you already do play outside with your kiddos, then now would be a great time to possibly get rewarded for that gift you give to them.  You can go to http://clorox2play2day.com to pledge to play outside.  If you don't play outside with your kiddos yet, then you should also consider pledging.  You might just find that you enjoy it as much as they do.  

*Disclaimer:  I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.