Its the end of the day and you and your kids are tired and cranky. The kids are whining, arguing and not listening. Your patience is being ested and the house becomes chaos. You just want to get dinner on the table and get the bed time routine rolling! This lovely time of day before dinner time is known a the “the witching hour“. If you have kids, we have all been there. Personally, this is the hardest time of the day for me. My 4 year old daughter gets even more wild when she is overtired and my 2 yr old son just melts down.
No worries, we have some kid tested ideas to help beat those witching hour blues. Yes, we know it sounds counter productive, but Get your kids moving!
The idea of dancing or jumping may seem like the opposite of what they want to do [or you] at the end of the day, but physical activity provides many benefits. When your little ones are anxious, cranky, fidgety and not listening, start to move, groove and you will all feel good! Movement will increase endorphins, get kids laughing, give them an outlet for their energy, help them sleep better and yes, we always have to throw it in there – can actually help kids in the classroom! AND it will give mom & dad an extra few minutes to get dinner on the table.
5 ideas to get those tiny toes moving...[not to replace kicking a ball outside, just in addition]:
1. Jumping on a trampoline: many options and well worth the investment! My daughter has endless energy and gets very wild at the end of the day. This provides a great outlet and the jumping does wonders. Many
physical therapists and OT’s use trampolines. Add singing while jumping and trying different kinds of jumps (tuck, star jump) for older kids!
2. Yoga / Pilates: we have found some great kids yoga and kids dance programs On Demand (under kids and fun fitness). They have jazz, ballet and hip hop. And both my son and daughter are mesmerized by the Yoga for Kids. Different themes keep them engaged and they have a cool down at the end that helps everyone feel relaxed and at peace. My 2 yr old gets the blankets at the end for our relaxation time! Namaste.
3. Obstacle Course: set up an obstacle course for your kids. You don’t need anything fancy. Some colored masking tape, rubber place mats and a hula hoop can do the trick. You will be surprised how many times your kids will run through the course. They love the activities (jumping over the tape, jumping in the hoop, hop scotch with the mats) and being independent to do it themselves! Don’t be surprised if they want to create their own course…take a minute to enjoy their creativity. I enjoy watching my son’s OCD as he lines up each mat just right!
4. Instructional Dance Music: from iTunes to YouTube there are lots of great songs to get your kids dancing and laughing! Try Charity Kahn’s “Peanut Butter & Jam”
(a favorite in our classes), “Cha Cha slide” and “Going on Bear Hunt.” For younger kids stick to Itsy Bitsy, Twinkle Little Star or try some new songs like “The Circle Song”. My daughter asks for Adele’s “Rumor Has It” (ok, thought she would be like 10 yrs when requesting in the latest hits!)
5. Exercise ball activities: Children can roll on the big exercise balls (forwards and backwards, bounce and so much more. Refer to our previous blog on Exercise Ball Fun! (Please always spot and hold your child!)
More to come…check our Move, Groove & Grow Blog Series to find more fun moves @ home!
Now go get your groove on….
Here are some suggested products from Amazon.com:
Charity and the JAMband: Peanut Butter and JAM
by Charity Kahn and Charity and the JAMband (Audio CD - Apr 20, 2004)
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TP Activity Baby Bubble Bouncer
