Start your spring off right with these fun family activities
Physical activity simply means movement of the body that uses energy. Walking, gardening, briskly pushing a baby stroller, climbing the stairs, playing soccer, or dancing the night away are all good examples of being active. For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous intensity.
Regular physical activity can produce long term health benefits. People of all ages, shapes, and sizes and abilities can benefit from being physically active. The more physical activity you do, the greater the health benefits.
A good way of integrating exercise in your day is by including other family members.
The days are getting longer and warmer. Start your spring off right with these family activities that not only keep you fit and healthy but are fun too!
■ Take a hike — Find a trail or trot around the neighborhood. Put on your comfortable shoes and explore!
■ Go for a bike ride —
Riding bikes is a great way to get exercise and enjoy being outside together. If your little one is not quite old enough to ride a bike, consider getting a bicycle trailer that can attach to your bike. You can often find these at garage sales, and second-hand stores.
■ Plant flowers — Kids love digging in the dirt. Visit your local greenhouse and buy some inexpensive flowers to plant. Or better yet, start from seeds. Planting a butterfly garden would be a fun project for everyone.
■ Neighborhood cleanup — This idea gets bonus points for community service. Take a garbage bag and go around the neighborhood scooping up trash. You may be surprised at how much you end up with — and your neighborhood will look nicer.
■ Plant something you can eat — Kids may try different vegetables if they have watched them grow and picked themselves. Ask your local gardener for advice about what grows well in your area. If you do not have space for a large garden, consider planting a small container garden or vertical garden.
■ Make a bird feeder — It does not need to be fancy. Simply spread peanut butter on a pinecone, roll it in bird seeds and hang in your yard. Birds will be headed your way in no time.
■ Wash the car — Have a sudsy good time keeping the car clean at home.
■ Nature Scavenger HuntMake a list of natural things to look for outside. For example: clouds, a bird’s nest, or dandelions. Go for a walk and see what you can find. Consider going on a Spring Color Hunt. Print out a list of colors and send your kids out in the neighborhood to try and match objects to the colors.
■ Start a rock collection
— Kids love to collect rocks. Glue googly eyes on them to make Pet Rocks, or if you are really inspired, paint them to look like ladybugs, rivers, or vegetables. Leave them around the neighborhood to spread joy.
■ Catch some bugs — Look for butterflies, worms and water creatures. Teach your kids about the ecosystem.
■ Visit a new park — There are so many beautiful Metro Parks in the area. Make a point to explore while the weather is nice. Check out the Five Rivers Metro Parks in Dayton or Metro Parks of Franklin County. There are 19 outstanding natural area parks with more than 230 miles of trails and over 27,700 acres of land in seven Central Ohio counties.
BULGUR WHEAT SALAD
Makes 8 Servings
1 onion (medium,
chopped)
1 cup broccoli (chopped) 1 cup carrot (shredded) 1 green pepper (small,
chopped) ⅓ cup fresh parsley (chopped, or 2 Tablespoons dried) 1 teaspoon canola oil
1 ½ cups bulgur (dry) 2 cups chicken broth (low
sodium)
8 ounces chickpeas or garbanzo beans (canned, drained)
Wash and chop fresh onion, broccoli, carrots, pepper and parsley.
Heat canola oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until soft.
Add bulgur and stir to coat. Add 2 cups chicken broth to the skillet, bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, add remaining vegetables and chickpeas. Cook for 10 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
Add parsley and stir. Serve warm or cold.
APPLE CAKE
Makes 12 Servings
272 Calories per Serving
10 Tablespoons butter ¾ cup sugar
3 eggs 1 ¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking
powder
1 tablespoon lemon rind
(grated)
2 apples (medium, pared,
cored, sliced) 2 teaspoons sugar 8 tablespoons apricot jam
(½ cup)
Beat butter with sugar until creamy
Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended.
Add flour, baking powder, and lemon rind, beat 4 minutes.
Pour into greased 9-inch spring-form pan.
Arrange the apples on the batter, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Remove from pan, brush apples with jam, cool.
Interested in free nutrition education lessons with OSU Extension EFNEP? Contact Nancy Lyons at 937-2065250 or lyons.489@osu.edu.