America on the Move in Tennessee

Play as Exercise

Play with your kids and their friends to get in shape and bond with them. Twenty minutes of sustained play--running, jumping or dancing--three to four times a week, builds energy, improves cardiovascular health, helps overall mood, decreases tension, tones muscles and aids sleep.

Tag--You're It
There are endless variations of tag that have emerged since you were in grade school. Ask your kids to educate you on them and declare yourself to be "it". Take the long way to get to your slowest little one, putting all your effort into exaggerated steps, while swinging out those arms. Let your oldest give you a run for your money and enjoy being tagged over and over again.

Marathon Mania
Invite neighborhood kids to a special race against the clock as you find out how many laps you can run around your house, apartment, car, yard or dining room table in five minutes. Do it again and again! Push yourself to see how long you can hand with your most active preschooler.

Jump for Joy
Forget everything you've ever said about jumping on the bed. Treat your kids to seven minutes of insanity by playing every jumping game you can imagine. Start with the bedrooms to find the bounciest beds and hop down the hall and through the house. Keep your heart rate up by taking it outside. Learn the jump rope rhymes and hop til you drop. It's great for calves, arms, delts and abs.

Shake What Your Mama Gave You
Turn up the radio in the kitchen and work up a sweat showing youngsters how to dance the night away. Just 20 minutes, rocking to five or six songs, will get your heart pumping and show everybody who's still got it going on. Kids love to show off their moves and appreciate your willingness to get down in the name of playful fun. Impromptu dance parties are the perfect intervention for couch potato kids' longing for something fun to do.

Source: Jen Lemen; www.JenLemen.com