We hope everyone had a very happy and safe thanksgiving, with lots of yummy food! One thing Thanksgiving always gets us thinking about is the holiday season and shopping for the best gifts that the kiddos in our lives will smile when opening!

Now, there are many kids these days who love screen time, video games, and everything electronic. Sometimes we hear parents saying “He loves the iPad” which is often followed with a statement about how worried they are that their child’s screen time is causing them to be less physically active and less interested in activities involving movement. First thing is first, if you’re reading this and nodding along, don’t worry, you are not alone! We are now in the technological age, and it is next to impossible to avoid screens. While it is important to limit screen time for a child who wants to use them 24/7, we can also use screens for movement!

Games involving screens are often very engaging, they involve a story line or a progression, many involve reaching goals and checkpoints, and usually very colorful. Studies show that when a child is engaged in an activity, their whole brain lights up, meaning their whole brain is being used and worked to complete a task and not just a small part of the brain. This means they are getting more out of the activity they are doing and making many connections in the brain! 

So, if you want to engage your video game lover in an activity that will keep their attention but also will make them move, try a game that combines movement with a screen. Don’t get us wrong, screens ALL the time is not what we are advocating for here, but using something your child loves to make movement seem more valuable to them might save you a few headaches here and there.

Here is a list of games that your little gamer is sure to love:

1. Ring Fit Adventure on the Nintendo Switch: If you have a Switch, Ring Fit is an amazing game that makes the player use a pilates ring to strengthen their arms and legs while also squatting, running in place, and performing other great strengthening movements. It also does all of this while either taking the player through a virtual adventure or letting them play many mini games that rank score and performance! 

Find out more here: https://ringfitadventure.nintendo.com/

2. BoBo balance disk on the Ipad: The Bobo uses a wobbly balance disk and pairs with the ipad to show the player what their feet are doing in a variety of fun games that challenge balance on two feet or one foot! Use the discount Bobo30 at checkout for 30% off!

Find out more here: https://bobo-balance.com/

3. Just Dance: This is a great game that has been around for a while and is so lively and fun. Multiple players can dance at a time, and it uses current pop music to get every member of the family moving and grooving! It is compatible with many different types of game systems, including the Switch, Wii, Xbox360, Xbox One, and newer versions of playstation.

Find out more here: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/just-dance/2021

4. Arms: Arms is a futuristic boxing game made for Nintendo Switch that has players boxing with very colorful and creative characters, and though it was not originally designed as a fitness game, it will make each player work! Tip for this one, kids who know how to switch the controls to let them play without physically boxing might do so, so watch out for this and encourage them to play standing to get them working.

Find out more here: https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/arms-switch/

5. Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved: This is a game that would be perfect for any music or disney lover who is a little bit on the older end. The player controls or conducts music with their hand motions, and this music includes pop and classical symphonies. This game is great for coordination of hand and arm movement and is compatible with Xbox360 or XboxOne

Find out more here: https://www.amazon.com/Disney-Fantasia-Music-Evolved-Xbox-One/dp/B00KVLPNL4

6. Beat Sabre: If your child is SUPER techy and you are planning on buying something like a virtual reality system as a holiday gift, then this game is a perfect addition that will keep your child moving while they figure out all of that new tech! This game has the player slicing through different shapes to a particular beat, with many directional changes and varied difficulties. The combination of music, movement, and changes in direction are great for working on coordination of the whole body while having a blast!

Find out more here: https://beatsaber.com/

7. Pokemon GO: Pokemon GO is a free app your child can download onto apple devices that requires them to walk around and explore the great outdoors to find Pokemon, grow and hatch eggs, and battle with other players. Time outdoors has been shown to improve attention and decrease stress level. It is definitely smart to supervise younger children while they are out and about playing this one, because you never know where a pokemon is going to turn up, and you want to make sure they’re being safe at all times!

Find out more here: https://www.pokemongo.com/en-us/

8. Just Dance Now: This app pairs a phone with an internet connected device, like a computer, and uses the phone as a handheld controller to sense the players’ dance moves. This game, like other Just Dance platforms, is dancing fun for the whole family, and you can use devices you already own to play it!

Find out more here: https://justdancenow.com/

9. Zombies, Run! This game inspires players to KEEP RUNNING as they are the lead in a zombie narrative, and are trying to stay alive! This game is great for any child who loves adventure and is most appropriate for children who are 12 years old and older due to content and activity level.

Find out more here: https://zombiesrungame.com/

10. GoNoodle: Go noodle is a database of movement videos and activities that are designed for fun movement that works the brain AND the body and are used within many Kindergarten to 5th grade classroom environments as brain breaks. Parents can create an account that has a “Champ”, an avatar that grows as children earn points through completing activities, which helps with long term engagement too! 

Find out more here: https://www.gonoodle.com/

Have fun moving together and if you find more movement games please share them with the Kid PT community!

This week’s workout theme is a Push Up Power!

Try out these three moves and see if you can create a few more of your own!

Movement is always fun, but to build better control we need to keep our awareness on the quality of our movement.

Can we move slow and fast? Can we talk at the same time so we know we’re taking deep breaths? Can we keep good timing and sequencing as we go and not just at the beginning?

With our awareness ready, let’s go!

First, let’s try push ups in a way that we can control keeping our body’s in a strong straight line by doing wall push-ups.

Next, let’s try to hold a plank position. Not just any plank though- let’s put our feet on the couch and our hands on the floor and hold it here.

Last, let’s try some ABC shoulder taps!

Remember, if any of these positions are too hard to do with good QUALITY, move to a more upright position. Over time you can make it more challenging.

Come back next week to try out our next Wednesday workout! Have fun! Dr. Joni

This week’s workout theme is Father’s Day! Why not celebrate Dads all week long??!!

Try out these three moves and see if you can create a few more of your own!

Movement is always fun, but to build better control we need to keep our awareness on the quality of our movement. Can we move slow and fast? Can we talk at the same time so we know we’re taking deep breaths? Can we hold the positions with the body lined up strong and stable?

With our awareness ready, let’s go!

First, let’s hold eachother’s hands. Can you lift one foot and hold it? You can try holding 2 hands and leaning back too!

Next, have Dad get into the Downward Dog position! How many times can the child crawl under, run around to the start, and climb under again! Let’s really challenge Dad with this one!

Finally, its time to fly! There are many fun ways to do this, from piggyback rides to holding the child and zooming around the house. My favorite way is for Dad to lie on his back his his hands and feet up. Dad puts his feet on the child’s belly, holds the child’s hands, and lifts them up! This is so much fun, just be careful. Be sure there is nothing nearby the child can fall on and only go as high as you can control.

Repeat the routine 5 times for a fun and fit movement adventure!

Come back next week to try out our next Wednesday workout!

Have fun!

Dr. Joni

This week’s workout theme is under the sea! Try out these three moves and see if you can create a few more of your own!

Movement is always fun, but to build better control we need to keep our awareness on the quality of our movement. Can we move slow and fast? Can we talk at the same time so we know we’re taking deep breaths? Can we hold the positions with the body lined up strong and stable?

With our awareness ready, let’s go!

First, let’s become merfolk and swim through the water. Swim to the surface, land on a rock and push up so you can look around at the horizon. What a beautiful sunny day- I can feel the sun rays on my face! Let out a big sigh, “aaaaaaaah” as you bask in the sun!

You can modify this pose by pushing up on your elbows instead of your hands. You can also put a pillow under your hips if this position creates stress on your back. Look to the left, look to the right, look up and look down. The rest of your body should be able to stay still.

Next, let’s become dolphins and push up onto our hands and feet, making a big arch with our bodies as we jump in and out of the ocean! You can stay here or you can move back and forth between plank and this downward dog position. Take a deep breath and see how long you can say “Goooooooooooooo……” as your dolphin leaps up out of the water!

You can modify this pose by putting your hands on a higher surface than the floor. Use the couch or a chair. As this becomes easier you can use a lower surface.

Finally, let’s become crabs, pushing up onto our hands and feet with our bellies pointing up to the sky. Yell out a “snap snap snap!”

You can modify this pose by holding it more briefly and lifting your bottom up and down from the floor for multiple reps. You can also make this harder by lifting one leg into the air.

Repeat the routine 5 times for a fun and fit movement adventure!

Come back next week to try out our next Wednesday workout!

 National Fairy Tale Day is this week so I thought it would be fun to ask our staff what their favorite fairy tale is to celebrate! Fairy Tales are such a fun and classic way to engage kids in reading and storytelling, and most of us have been hearing these stories since we were little kids ourselves.

What’s your favorite fairy tale? 

Joni: Peter Pan is her favorite. Joni says it’s her favorite because “she won’t grow up either and that’s why I play all day!”

Sue: Princess and the Pea! Sue says this gives her fond memories of being read to as a child! 

Wendy: Beauty and the Beast is her favorite because Belle shows that love goes beyond looks. 

Stephanie: Cinderella is Stephanie’s favorite fairy tale because she finds her perfect Prince Charming. 

Katie: My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast. I remember loving watching this movie growing up because Belle was so independent and loved to read (just like me as a kid!). Plus who didn’t want her gorgeous yellow/gold dress?

How are you celebrating National Fairy Tale day? We would love to know if you’re reading your favorite fairy tale to your kids or what their favorite fairy tale is! Let us know on Facebook @kidptnj or Instagram @Kidpt!