1. Hopscotch is a game that children have played for years. Draw a pattern of eight to twelve squares on the sidewalk with chalk. The children will place a rock or button in the first square, hop over the square with the rock, and then jump in the rest in sequence. At the end they’ll turn around and return, picking up their rock on the way. They’ll try to get the rock in each square until they get to the last one. They lose their turn if they step in the square with the rock.

2. Duck Duck Goose is another game you can play with your preschooler. Start with friends, family, or stuffed animals, sitting in a circle. One person is chosen as “It” to go around the circle, tapping each person on the head as they say “duck.” When they say the word “goose” that person gets up and chases them around back to their place, and they become it.

3. Most children have played Simon Says before. A group of children, or adults, stands in a line and “Simon” gives them instructions. As long as the phrase “Simon says” is given before the instruction, the group does what Simon says. If Simon says to do something but fails to say “Simon says,” the person who still does it is out. This continues until only one person is left and they then become Simon.

4. Tag is another game that’ll get your preschooler moving. Several children are chased by one child who is “It.” This child will try to tag the others, which will make the tagged child it. The children can play for as long as they’re having fun.

5. Bug Hunt is a game you may not know. Find pictures of bugs (ladybugs, ants, crickets, butterflies, etc.) and glue them to index cards. Give each child two or three cards and let them try to find those bugs.

6. Traffic Light (Red Light, Green Light) is a game where children are lined up on one end of a yard and another child plays the “stop light.” As soon as that child turns away from the others and yells “green light,” the other children move forward and try to reach him. The children must stop when the stop light turns and says “red light.” The child that reaches the stop light first then becomes it.

7. Help your child with a Treasure Hunt. Hide a gift and then create a treasure hunt where they’ll have to go around the yard or house, go through boxes, up and down stairs, to find their treasure.

8. Musical Chairs is another game that children love to play. Of course you’ll want to have a number of children (or adults) to play, as well. A circle of chairs are placed in a room, seats facing outwards, with one less chair than the number of children. Music starts and the children walk around the chairs; when the music stops the children try to find a seat. The one left standing is out, another chair is taken, and the music begins again.

Take time to play any of these eight fun games for preschoolers to keep them active. You’ll both have fun and your child will learn how to remain active and fight obesity.

Teens Need to Learn to Hear Their Inner Voice Rather Than the Voice of Their Peers
By Lisa Perrecone

Choices, choices, choices…

Being a teenager today isn’t easy. There are many choices available to them that can have a deadly outcome. As parents we need to learn a different parenting style from that of our parents. Parents ought to develop a style that fosters independent thinking on the part of their teen. When a parent offers their child choices it allows the thinking process to develop. I would recommend offering two choices to start, either of which you can live with. As time and practice progress it will become an automatic part of your parenting style.

Start early

The earlier you can begin giving your child choices and letting them suffer the consequences of their choices the sooner you will develop a child with critical thinking skills that will serve them well in their teen years.

The best gift you can give your child is allowing them to make and own their mistakes and be empathetic in your response to their mistakes. Be very clear that you feel bad for them but none the less, it is their mess and they can fix it. Not you. Changing your personal view of mistakes from something that shouldn’t happen to appreciating the mistake as a gift and a wonderful learning opportunity is the key. Allowing your child the natural learning that comes from making mistakes grooms them for making it in the “real world.” Swooping in to rescue them is the last thing you want to do. That just sends the message that they are incapable of handling things themselves.

True Success

Your success as a parent isn’t measured by how much your child needs you. It’s actually measured by how much they don’t. In real life, your success as a parent is measured by how your child navigates the hiccups and bumps on life’s journey. Will they crash and burn or just re-adjust the flight path when the road gets bumpy? As a parent have you been training them early on toward making decisions by giving them choices or have you made those decisions for them, thus stunting their growth and ultimate attitude and altitude?

It’s never easy to see your child suffer consequences by their poor choices. It helps to keep in mind that the younger they are, usually the suffering is shorter and the consequences less life changing. When your child hasn’t been allowed to make enough mistakes when they were young, ultimately the poor choices they make as a teen can lead to much serious suffering and life changing consequences. It’s much better to have a little pain and a few tears in the younger years, than a whole lot more expensive pain in the later years.

Lisa Perrecone, MCPC is a certified parent coach. Lisa resides in Carlsbad, CA. Having raised her own two children she enjoys working with parents on how to become more skilled and powerful in their own parenting.

You can learn more by visiting http://www.lisaperrecone.com

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