Colleen Cook A P E

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Physical Activity

The benefits of physical activity for your body are many – it can lower your risk of many diseases, keep you at a healthy weight, and help you age well. This may not seem important now, but your body will thank you later. For example, osteoporosis (a weakening of the bones) can be a problem as people get older. Weight-bearing exercise – like running or brisk walking – can help keep your bones strong.

Walking can be a great way to get in your physical activity – especially after strenuous workouts earlier this week. Today, aim to walk outside at a brisk pace. Can’t get outside? That’s ok– try this this two-mile walking video instead.

• https://youtu.be/Mbflu0yjytQ (Time: 30:15)
Get someone in your family moving with you! Ask a parent to walk with you, or challenge a sibling to the 20-minute workout for kids. No one at home to exercise with? Challenge a friend online!
Now, let’s bring that heart rate up with a 20-minute workout for kids, which includes a dynamic warmup, some cardio and bodyweight strength training.

• https://youtu.be/qzx-d1Z2bLY (Time: 20:29)

https://family.gonoodle.com/activities/how-to-draw-flo-yo This is a fun video through gonoodle.com

Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Rainbow Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to eat the rainbow. You can add fruit and veggies and even add in some ingredients that can provide plant-based protein and healthy fat.
Use our formula to be creative this week as you build your own smoothie that allows you to eat across the rainbow!
Ingredients:
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit (ex: blueberries, strawberries, mango, apple, banana)
• 1/2 cup veggies fresh or frozen (ex: kale, spinach, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, sweet potato, beets)
• Add in plant protein and fat: hemp or chia seeds, nut butter, avocado
This basic template is a great way to practice creative, healthy smoothie building in your kitchen! Share your smoothie creations by posting it online, using #healthykidsquarantined!

Happy Monday! If you are a Star Wars fan ¨May the 4th be with you!¨

I hope you enjoyed the weather this past weekend. It was perfect to enjoy some time in the yard or to go for a walk. I walked each day and did some yard work. It was wonderful to get outside.

Today we will do the warm ups then practice all your tennis swings, forehand, backhand and lob. Each one 20 times. Then practice the last tennis skill we would learn. It is called the SMASH! This swing starts high over your head and swings down fast almost like using a butterfly net to catch butterflies. Also practice this swing 20 times.

swing forward like a fly swatter or you are catching a butterfly

Nutrition and Healthy

Eating Snacks often get a bad rap – but they CAN be healthy! Snacks give us energy between meals and if we make good choices can help prevent overeating when you get really hungry. Foods that fit into MyPlate food groups make great anytime snacks: fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and lean protein, like nuts or seeds. Items like cookies, cake, candy, chips, pop/soda don’t make good snacks because they are high in fat, sugar, or salt. These types of snacks also don’t fill us up, so you’re likely to be unsatisfied after eating them (which is why we eat so.many.chips!).
Check out these tips for making healthy snacks at home: Making Great Tasting Snacks

This week try frozen grapes for a healthy and sweet snack you are sure to love!

Frozen Grapes:

1. Rinse grapes in cold water for 30 seconds
2. Gently pull grapes from their stem and place on a clean kitchen towel
3. Place all the rinsed grapes into a Ziploc bag and put the bag into the freezer
4. Freeze the grapes for 8 hours

Happy Friday! After your warm ups lets continue with our tennis skills. Today we will learn the lob. It’s very similar to flipping a pancake. So let flip some pancakes. Hold your arm out straight in front of you and low. Then lift your arm quickly just like in the pictures below.

Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Rainbow Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to eat the rainbow. You can add fruit and veggies and even add in some ingredients that can provide plant-based protein and healthy fat.
Use our formula to be creative this week as you build your own smoothie that allows you to eat across the rainbow!
Ingredients:
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit (ex: blueberries, strawberries, mango, apple, banana)
• 1/2 cup veggies fresh or frozen (ex: kale, spinach, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, sweet potato, beets)
• Add in plant protein and fat: hemp or chia seeds, nut butter, avocado
This basic template is a great way to practice creative, healthy smoothie building in your kitchen! Share your smoothie creations by posting it online, using #healthykidsquarantined!

On this last day of April after your warm up let do some Yoga

Handouts: Strength Yoga Flow, ABC Workout of the Day
Today will take you through a range of physical activities that are fun for the whole family. Begin with a yoga strength flow from Kids Work it Out, then get your heart pumpin’ by participating in a fitness activity with Captain America! If you really want to challenge yourself today, use the ABC Workout of the Day to finish out your activity.

1. Today’s yoga, the Strength Flow, from the Kids Work It Out program starts with an energizing ‘bunny breath’ exercise and then focuses on strengthening and stretching the legs, hips, and sides of the waist.
   o https://youtu.be/ZJNqcBcNTcM (Time: 4:41)
2. Last week we worked out with the Avengers, but this week we are going to be physically activity with Captain America! So, grab your shield, check out this video, and follow along with the moves.
   o https://youtu.be/Zm9qhyh4TJk (Time: 5:02)
3. Finish the day, with the ABC Workout of the Day. Instead of the site word sheet this week, spell out the word STRENGTH and HAPPINESS.
   o Check out the workout handout here: ABC Workout of the Day

Nutrition and Healthy Eating

Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients—because acting together, they perform hundreds of roles in the body! Vitamin B is important for your overall health because it helps your body produce energy! If you’re feeling tired and sluggish, try some foods rich in Vitamin B for a healthy energy boost.
Try one of these foods to get your daily dose of Vitamin B:
• Meat (red meat, poultry)
• Whole Grains (brown rice, barley)
• Eggs and dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt)
• Fish (salmon)
• Legumes (beans, lentils)
• Seeds (sunflower seeds)
• Nuts (almonds)
• Dark, leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, kale)

Today start with those warm ups and then we will practice the back hand swing. It is very similar to the forehand but we will move the racquet to the opposite side of the body. It is the same motion, smiley face motion, high in the back, low in the middle and high in the front. The back of your hand will lead the way. See the pictures of me below. Again if you don’t have a raquet that’s ok. Just pretend and practice the arm motion 20 times!

Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Healthy Snack Hack: Trail Mix
Changing the texture of the fruit or vegetables might help us eat more of a variety. For today’s snack let’s try dried fruits! Grapes (raisins), mango, coconut, or bananas all come in dried options! They taste great on their own but also are a great addition to many snacks. Add dried fruits to trail mix, yogurt and oatmeal, or put on celery with peanut butter. They are a healthy source of energy and fiber and are convenient to eat!

Ingredients:
• 1 cup of popcorn
• 1 cup of whole grain cheerios
• ¼ cup of nuts
• ¼ cup dried fruit of choice, raisins, craisins or any other dried fruits
• Mix together and serve
BONUS: Happy Earth Day! Celebrate by checking out these Earth Day fruit and veggie tips:
• Healthy foods for a healthy earth
• Healthy earth food traditions

Physical Activity
Start your week off right today with some gentle yoga. Then, when you’re ready to get moving, try a KIDZ BOP dance – and play some balloon volleyball indoors or out! We’ve also included some calming stretches that are great for winding down.

1. Yoga For Kids: Sun Salutations (Duration: 7:37)
   ○ https://youtu.be/iOEJnwT3cyo
   ○ Start your day with a nice, calming yoga video that will stretch the body.
2. KIDZ BOP Kids – Best Day Of My Life (Duration: 4:12)
   ○ https://youtu.be/sNog54ovi8Q
   ○ This is a fun dance video that will get the heart rate up.
3. Balloon Volleyball ○ Make a net by tying a piece of yarn from one chair to another. Then use a balloon or beachball and start hitting the ball/balloon back and forth over the net! No net? No Problem! See how many times you can hit it in the air without it hitting the floor. For other fun activities to play with balloons, visit this website!
4. Calming Exercises for Kids: Breathing and Stretching (Duration: 3:59)
   ○ https://youtu.be/cyvuaL_2avY
   ○ This is a calming video that stretches and rejuvenates the body.

Physical Activity
Handout: Strength Yoga Flow

Today’s yoga, the Strength Flow, from the Kids Work It Out program starts with an energizing ‘bunny breath’ exercise and then focuses on strengthening and stretching the legs, hips, and sides of the waist.
• https://youtu.be/ZJNqcBcNTcM (Time: 4:41)
For today’s workout, we’re focusing on training your lower half – with a plyometric workout that will make you work up a sweat!
• https://youtu.be/bmA-avXjhUE (Time: 43:28)
Today’s “red” activity involves combining the yoga activity with the plyometric workout. The yoga helps to improve your flexibility and balance and the plyos will get your heart pumping!

Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Wonderful Rainbow Water!

Did you know that many popular drinks like soda, sports drinks and even juice can have as much as 10 teaspoons of sugar added? Yikes! That much sugar is not good for our bodies or our teeth. Did you also know that water has zero sugar? This is what makes water our healthiest drink. But healthy does not need to be boring!

This week as we work to eat the rainbow, let’s also try to flavor our water using as a rainbow of fruits and veggies. Here are some ideas to make your way across the rainbow try adding:
• RED: watermelon and/or strawberries
• ORANGE: orange slices
• YELLOW: lemon slices
• GREEN: cucumbers slices
• BLUE: blueberries
• VIOLET: blackberries
• RAINBOW: build a rainbow drink by adding any or all of the above options!

This week we will be working on some Tennis skills. Today I will post a video of the handshake grip. How to hold your tennis racket. You can practice with a racket if you have one, with a stick that your parent allows or just pretend you have a racket and practice.

The other thing I would like you to practice is the smiley face or forehand swing. You will move your hand in a smiley face motion. High in the back, low in the middle and high in the front. See the below pictures for demonstration. When you practice, sing your arm with the smiley face motion 20 times. You can do a few and take a break and then do some more until you reach 20.

Here is a link to learn some tennis lingo:

https://netgeneration.usta.com/us-en/fun-and-rising-stars-content/know-your-tennis-lingo.html?cid=ngathome_20200424_ch=em_br=ng_ow=ctm_ct=awn_endcid

Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Healthy Snack Hack: Banana Split
Bananas are a great fruit option that benefit our bodies in many ways – they give us energy, improves digestion (fiber), strengthens your bones (potassium), improves eyesight (vitamin A), and boosts your brain power!

Today’s we’ll use bananas to hack your snack! If you love a tasty banana split, you’ll love this healthier version. Share your banana creations by posting it online using #healthykidsquarantined!

Ingredients:
· ½ cup low fat yogurt
· 1 banana, cut in half lengthwise
· ¼ cup of granola or whole grain cereal
· ½ cup berries
Directions:

1. Place banana halves on a plate.
2. Top banana with yogurt.
3. Sprinkle granola and berries over yogurt and enjoy!

Nutrition and Healthy Eating

Wonderful Water!

Did you know that drinking enough water each day is good for your skin? When you make sure to drink enough water and stay hydrated you also keep your skin from becoming dry, tight and flakey.

But drinking water does not need to be boring! This week, try adding frozen berries instead of ice cubes to your water for a cold and tasty drink.

Berry Infused Water
• Fill one half of a pitcher with frozen berries (choose strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or a mix of any frozen berries you have on hand).
• Let sit for at least two hours
• Enjoy your cold and healthy drink!

If you liked the Yoga from yesterday, here is another yoga video you can try today.

Let’s end the week by learning a fun new dance. Today, try
the TikTok video “I’ve got muscles like Superman’s trainer” by Chance the
Rapper. Tag us in your TikTok video when you have it down!

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVLcZafAnpU (Time: 13:33)

Next week we will be doing more sport related skills. I will still include some nutrition information and fun get you moving activities as well. Have a great weekend. I will have more for you on Monday!

Nutrition and Healthy Eating
You probably know that vitamins are important for your health, right? But do you know which vitamins you need, or which foods you should eat to get them? Let’s start at the beginning today with Vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for your overall health because it’s good for your vision, helps to strengthen your immune system, makes your bones strong, and even helps to prevent acne.

Try one of these foods to get your daily dose of Vitamin A:
• Sweet potato
• Kale, spinach, collard greens
• Squash
• Red peppers
• Cooked carrots
• Mango
• Cantaloupe
• Grapefruit
• Watermelon
• Salmon and Tuna

Lets try some yoga today. Yoga can be used to get a good stretch, to get your heart to beat faster, and to get stronger. I love yoga for how it makes my muscles feel. I usually try to get a good stretch especially for my back and shoulders but sometimes I do yoga to make my muscles stronger. After trying the yoga video let me know how you like it. Thumbs up YES it was fun, thumbs down NO you didn’t like it or thumb straight out it was ok.

Nutrition and Healthy Eating

Eating the rainbow ensures that you are getting a variety of fruits and vegetables that keep your body healthy and strong. But sometimes fresh food isn’t always an option. Frozen produce is usually less expensive and you don’t have to worry about spoiling before you get to eat it.

Here are some of the best and most nutritious options to eat the frozen rainbow:

• berries and cherries are much more affordable when you buy them frozen. Use them in smoothies, add them to your favorite yogurt, or as a snack straight from the freezer!

• green veggies, like broccoli, beans, edamame, or brussel sprouts are a great frozen option and are often easier to prepare than their fresh counterparts. Pop them in the microwave or sauté them for a nutritious side dish for dinner.

• cauliflower rice is a great substitute for white rice – it has the same texture and lots more health benefits. The frozen bagged option is inexpensive, easy, and long lasting.

• chopped onion is a cheap, easy, and convenient way to add quick flavor to recipes without the watery eyes and chopping!

• mixed veggies are an easy addition to lots of meals – steam them or use them in soups, stews, curries, stir-fries, slow-cooker meals, and even casseroles.

Let’s exercise in a chair today! Below are 2 links. One is to make your arms stronger. The other is to make your heart beat faster. When we exercise in class we make our heart beat faster by walking or pushing your chair around the gym.

For this arm workout you can use your arm weight holding nothing, you could hold onto a weight or a can of food or you could hold something in each hand.

This is an aerobic workout. This will help your heart beat faster just like running or walking around the gym.